As part of its Riwaq Al Fikr initiative, the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) has unveiled a new documentary series titled Stories of Inclusion as a tribute to the late blind Emirati journalist Abdul Aziz Najm, whose career exemplified the unyielding spirit of people of determination. The first episodes will be available for streaming on October 7 and will feature talented, tenacious individuals working in various sectors of expertise. On the website and social media pages of ADMAF, two episodes will stream each week.
Her Excellence made a comment regarding the new season. Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, the creator of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and the artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, stated: “Over the past 20 years, ADMAF has acted as a portal to knowledge, consistently creating discussion and understanding amongst cultures. Brilliant minds from all backgrounds get together as part of our Riwaq Al Fikr Talk series to share their uplifting tales of resiliency and accomplishment. Stories of Inclusion celebrates the life of the late pioneering Emirati journalist Abdul Aziz Najm, who was also a person of tenacity, and shines light on how the leadership of the UAE has cultivated a supportive environment by working with individuals of all abilities to develop togetherness and support.
The seven-episode series, which is hosted by Sharifa Yateem, the first Emirati to achieve Board Certification in Behavior and Inclusion Analysis, will highlight brilliant and driven Emiratis who will reflect on their inspiring careers. The hurdles they overcame and the nation’s wise leadership’s efforts to make the UAE a welcoming place for everyone will be highlighted in Stories of Inclusion.
The first episode, “Nothing is Impossible,” highlights Mohamed Hammadi, a wheelchair racer from the United Arab Emirates who took home two medals in the London 2012 Paralympic Games in the 100- and 200-meter sprints. Hammadi also won the UAE’s nation’s first medal at the 2021 Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Fatima Al Balooshi, a 28-year-old Emirati social media personality and participant in the Equestrian and Poetry Cultural Club, is a polio survivor who is featured on the same episode with Yateem. Al Balooshi gives others hope by investing a lot of time in volunteering and by inspiring People of Determination to do the same.
The second episode, titled “Painting, Illustrations,” stars James Casaki, a tenacious motivational artist born and bred in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Abdulla Lutfi, a famous Emirati artist known for his classic black-and-white drawings of the UAE’s skylines and landscapes that hilariously depict everyday life, is a co-guest on the episode.
In the third episode, “The Rhythm of Life,” pianist and composer Aser Hammash discusses how having Asperger’s syndrome has affected his special talent for music composition.
A discussion with Fatma Al Jassim is featured in episode IV, “Literature & Media.” Al Jassim is constantly working to educate the community on the Art of Dealing with People of Determination on a Voluntary Basis and how to overcome related challenges. He is the first Emirati to receive an international certification in the field of Professional Accessibility and the first Emirati youth representative at the United Nations Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Ayesha Al Zbeidi and Maha El Mhreibi, the founder of the Hand Speakers Initiative, are guests in Episode V, “Advocacy – Part One.” The episode shows how the Hand Speakers Initiative offers basic Emirati and American Sign Language Workshops and national anthem performances in sign language to educate the population about sign language and promote its use and inclusion into UAE society.
The sixth episode, titled “Advocacy – Part Two,” features Sheikha Al Qassimi (also known as Sheikha Chaica), a well-known UAE athlete, who discusses her many accomplishments and the difficulties she has encountered. The interview introduces Chaica as an advocate of inclusion for those with intellectual impairments and emphasises the crucial part Special Olympics UAE has played in fostering social inclusion through joint sports training and competition.
In the final episode of the series, “International Guest,” Maha El Mhreibi speaks with Saudi Arabian mother and inventor Hadeel Ayoub. The key component of her well-known invention is a smart glove that can translate sign language into words and voice. Users can record opposing words for each sign they make, building up a comprehensive dictionary of unique signs that grows with each use.
Since its start in 2010, ADMAF’s Riwaq al Fikr project has grown to be a crucial component of Abu Dhabi Festival and created a special atmosphere that welcomes meaningful cultural and creative debates. The initiative has so far hosted over 107 panellists, over 2700 audience members, and more than 40 hours of fruitful and in-depth discussion in more than 24 sessions.