Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chair of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Dubai Culture and Dubai Health, aimed at strengthening communication and strategic partnership while expanding collaborative opportunities.
The memorandum aligns with both parties’ commitment to enrich cultural initiatives in Dubai and enhance its healthcare framework, improving artistic appreciation across all community segments and adhering to the emirate’s quality of life strategy, fostering creativity, and realizing its visions and future aspirations.
Her Highness remarked on her social media account: “I had the pleasure of witnessing the signing of an MOU between Dubai Culture and Dubai Health, marking a new step to broaden collaborative efforts between creativity and health.”
The agreement is designed to activate the “Art for Good – Health Focus” initiative, which aims to promote the presence of culture and arts within healthcare centers, encouraging creative expression to instill hope and motivation for patient recovery.
She further emphasized: “This partnership embodies the vital role of creativity as a key driver for improving quality of life. Art has evolved beyond mere aesthetic expression or individual talent; it has become a force influencing various essential sectors that touch people’s lives deeply, instilling hope and opening new more humane and positive horizons.”
Signing the MOU
The memorandum was signed by Hala Badri, Director General of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, and Dr. Amer Sharif, Executive Director of Dubai Health. The MOU stipulates the activation of the “Art for Good – Health Focus” initiative, aimed at integrating arts within the Dubai Health framework, enriching supportive environments for recovery through innovative approaches focused on human health.
The memorandum reflects the commitment of both Dubai Culture and Dubai Health to implement the principles of the Dubai government regarding enhancing communication between local entities and institutions, sharing best practices and experiences to support the emirate’s visions and ambitions, while also harmonizing their efforts to elevate the quality of life by establishing joint mechanisms to assess the impact of artistic initiatives on patient wellbeing and leveraging this for future projects.
The Premier Destination
Hala Badri stated that Dubai continues to solidify its position as a leading global destination for living, working, and recreation, thanks to the ambitious vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, who has always believed in the importance of building individuals and enhancing their quality of life.
She highlighted the necessity to empower individuals and invest in their capabilities and energies to build a competitive economy, pointing out that the activation of the “Art for Good – Health Focus” initiative will strengthen the ties between culture and health.
Badri added: “Dubai has shown remarkable interest in various art forms, and the emirate seeks to benefit from and activate its presence across different sectors through its strategies, believing in the significance of its role in uplifting society and creating inspiring dialogues among people, as well as its ability to instill hope in patients as an important means of supporting and motivating their recovery.”
She noted that the MOU between Dubai Culture and Dubai Health is a crucial step toward promoting healthy lifestyles in the emirate, achieving the objectives of the “Dubai Social Agenda 33,” which aims to improve living standards in Dubai with a focus on family, health, education, and social welfare.
Furthermore, she expressed: “The ‘Art for Good – Health Focus’ initiative exemplifies our commitment to integrating creative cultural initiatives into the healthcare environment, establishing a sustainable creative ecosystem capable of opening avenues for artists and encouraging them to employ their inspiring works to expedite healing and weave their ideas and art into healthcare systems.”
An Integrated Model
Dr. Amer Sharif stated: “This partnership represents a model of integration between government institutions in Dubai, merging health and culture in service of humanity, indicating that the ‘Art for Good – Health Focus’ initiative reflects Dubai Health’s belief in the significance of arts and its influential role in providing an inspiring environment that aids patients’ physical and psychological recovery, thus improving their quality of life in line with our vision of elevating human health.”
He continued: “At Dubai Health, we believe that comprehensive healthcare includes promoting the psychological well-being of patients, and this initiative is a strategic step to integrate arts into healthcare systems, enhancing patients’ therapeutic experience, aligning with Dubai’s quality of life strategy and supporting the goals of the Dubai Social Agenda 33 aimed at building a more efficient and sustainable healthcare system.”
We are committed to developing a healthcare system that places people at its core, believing that enhancing patient care begins with the environment surrounding them. In this spirit, we aim to initiate a qualitative leap in healthcare practices that embodies our unwavering commitment to our pledge of ‘patients first.’
Her Highness:
Art is a powerful force that instills hope and opens more humane and positive horizons.
Enhancing the presence of culture and arts within healthcare centers.
Encouraging creative expression as a means to inspire hope in patients.
Hala Badri:
The MOU is a significant step forward in promoting healthy lifestyles and achieving the objectives of the Dubai Social Agenda 33.
Encouraging artists to utilize their inspiring works to expedite healing processes.
Amer Sharif:
The partnership embodies a model of integration among governmental institutions.
Comprehensive healthcare extends to enhancing the psychological well-being of patients.