Localized Futures: Collective Heritage

A key element in 421’s Winter season is Localized Futures: Conversations by 421 x afikra, a four-part series of talks and panel discussions developed in collaboration with afikra. The series aims to explore the future of key cultural and civic sectors through a uniquely regional lens, challenging the dominant global narrative by looking at the complexities, innovations, and solutions inherent to the MENA region. 421 says this forum will foster high-level public discourse, share critical local knowledge, and generally strengthen the local intellectual community.

Those are grand aims, but clearly fit the remits of both afikra and 421. This opener explores the roles of museums, institutions, policymakers, and community advocates in defining what ‘heritage’ means – “not as a static relic, but as a living,
evolving source of identity and future-making”.

On the panel:

Randa Omar bin Haidar Managing Partner at Bani & Al Culture, a consultancy specialising in research and development for arts and culture projects in the region

Salama Nasser Al Shamsi Director of Cultural sites at DCT Abu Dhabi, where she is responsible for managing 16 cultural sites throughout the Emirate and oversees cultural preservation efforts and programmes to promote Abu Dhabi’s heritage

Safiya Al Maskari Project Manager at Lest We Forget, a researcher whose expertise lies in documenting oral memories of the people in the UAE

Moderated by Mikey Muhanna, top interviewer across culture, policy, academia, media, and the arts.

The upcoming Localized Futures topics are Education (10 Feb), Cities & Communities (2 Apr) and Arts (9 Apr).