The Culture

Under the patronage and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, the Private Office of His Highness the Ruler of Dubai organised desert cycling races for women and men on 31 January and 1 February as part of the Al Salam Cycling Championship.

The races were held at Al Marmoom Reserve in the Saih Al Salam area and formed part of the championship’s tenth season, held under the theme “Ten Years of Achievements and Success.” The Higher Organising Committee designed a technically demanding course requiring competitors to race on mountain bikes while wearing protective gear and carrying essential equipment, reflecting the challenges of desert terrain.

The combined prize pool for the two races totalled AED455,000, which organisers described as the largest prize offering for desert cycling races worldwide.

The women’s desert race covered a distance of 20 kilometres and included two categories: Emirati women and an open category for all nationalities. The men’s race followed the next day over 52 kilometres and featured two special challenges with dedicated cash prizes.

Omair bin Juma Al Falasi, Director General of the Private Office of His Highness the Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee, said the championship continues to prioritise inclusivity by offering competitions that engage a broad range of participants while aligning with developments in the sport. He noted that desert cycling presents distinct physical and technical demands compared to road racing.

The desert races marked the fourth and fifth events of the championship’s tenth season. Earlier events included the “Security and Safety” race for Emirati cyclists organised in cooperation with Dubai Police, the Ruler of Dubai Court Race held for the second consecutive year, and a women’s race at Al Marmoom Reserve featuring international competitors.

The championship also includes a photography contest organised in collaboration with the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award, with winners to be announced at the conclusion of the season.

The Al Salam Cycling Championship is organised in cooperation with several strategic partners, including Dubai Police, Dubai Municipality, the Roads and Transport Authority, the Dubai Sports Council, the Government of Dubai Media Office, the UAE Cycling Federation, Dubai Sports Channel, and Dubai Film.

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office

Alexander Agafiev Macambira

Alexander Agafiev Macambira is former tech contributing writer for Forbes Monaco.

DMCC, in partnership with Dubai real estate developer Sweid & Sweid, has announced the launch of BAY360, a new mixed-use lifestyle destination in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT).

Planned as a neighbourhood and community hub, BAY360 will introduce a range of essential retail, dining, wellness and recreational amenities intended to support everyday life in the district. The project forms part of DMCC’s broader programme to upgrade shared spaces across JLT, with a focus on improving accessibility, connectivity and overall liveability.

The development will be built on a portion of Lake D, with most of the lake retained as a central feature. The design prioritises integration with the surrounding waterfront, enhancing pedestrian movement and activating public areas while maintaining the open, lakeside character of the site.

BAY360 will be anchored by a 22,000-square-foot Spinneys supermarket. Additional components include cafés and restaurants, some with lake-facing outdoor terraces, as well as medical facilities, lifestyle retail, rooftop padel courts and family-oriented outdoor spaces. The project will also include an underground car park with approximately 300 spaces.

Beyond the site itself, DMCC and Sweid & Sweid will implement improvements around Lake D to enhance connectivity across JLT. These include a redesigned pedestrian route linking the metro station to the opposite side of the lake and improved access to JLT Park. Planned upgrades to the lake edges will add greenery, seating and walkways.

Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, said the project reflects DMCC’s long-term strategy to strengthen the quality and functionality of JLT’s public realm. Maher Sweid, Managing Partner of Sweid & Sweid, said BAY360 represents the company’s third project in the district and builds on its ongoing investment in JLT, with completion targeted for the end of 2027.

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office

Oksana Bozhko

Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.

Rory McIlroy, fresh off a milestone season that saw him complete the career Grand Slam with a victory at Augusta National, has confirmed his participation in the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic. The tournament, part of the DP World Tour’s Rolex Series, will take place from January 22 to 25 at Emirates Golf Club.

The appearance will mark a personal milestone for McIlroy: 20 years since his first participation in the tournament as an amateur in 2006. Now a five-time major champion and currently ranked second in the world, McIlroy leads the Race to Dubai Rankings and is expected to represent Team Europe at the Ryder Cup next week.

McIlroy’s relationship with the Hero Dubai Desert Classic is among the most storied in modern golf. His first professional win came at the event in 2009 at the age of 19. He went on to secure further victories in 2015, 2023, and 2024, making him the tournament’s only four-time champion. A fifth win in 2026 would set a new record.

“It’s been a very special year for me, and I’m excited about what’s still to come,” McIlroy said in a statement. “The Hero Dubai Desert Classic has always been one of my favourite tournaments, and I’m really looking forward to returning to Emirates Golf Club in January. I consider Dubai a second home – the support there is always incredible, and it’s the perfect place to start the year.”

Organizers of the event have confirmed that the 2026 edition will include several expanded offerings for spectators. Alongside the competition itself, the event will again host its “Tournament Town,” a fan zone featuring live entertainment, food and beverage options, family activities, and interactive experiences. Wellness programming and children’s events are also scheduled.

Ticketing for the event has opened with early bird pricing. General admission remains free on Thursday and Friday, with weekend entry starting at AED 75 during the promotional period. Children under 17 will be granted free access throughout the tournament. Premium hospitality packages, including access to the Dallah Lounge and The Social on Sixteen, are also available.

The Dallah Lounge offers proximity to the 9th and 18th greens and includes all-day dining and views of the Dubai skyline. The Social on Sixteen, located at the 16th hole, returns in 2026 with expanded capacity and offers a package of casual dining and four hours of complimentary beverages.

The tournament, now in its 37th year, is the oldest professional golf event in the Middle East. It has held Rolex Series status since 2017 and is recognized by the Golf Environment Organization (GEO) for its sustainability efforts. The 2026 edition will continue the event’s focus on environmental responsibility and wellness, including a dedicated Mental Fitness Zone for players and support staff. The zone, which debuted in a previous edition, is intended to offer participants a quiet space during the high-pressure tournament week.

Organizers also plan to prioritize public transportation options for spectators, with the Emirates Golf Club’s proximity to Dubai Metro stations and taxi access intended to reduce the event’s environmental footprint.

“Rory’s return is the perfect way to launch our 2026 event,” said Simon Corkill, Executive Tournament Director. “To welcome him back as the Masters champion after perhaps the finest season of his career only reinforces the prestige of this tournament. With affordable ticketing, sustainability initiatives, and a renewed focus on wellness and family engagement, we are continuing to build the Hero Dubai Desert Classic as both a leading golf tournament and a major event on Dubai’s sporting calendar.”

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office 

Alexander Agafiev Macambira

Alexander Agafiev Macambira is former tech contributing writer for Forbes Monaco.

After a restorative sojourn at a Swiss wellness clinic, my pursuit of equilibrium - physical, mental, metabolic - drew me next to Mayrlife, a medical spa poised like a secret on the glassy banks of Lake Altaussee, deep in the Austrian Alps. More than a retreat, Mayrlife was whispered about as a sanctuary for those seeking not just renewal, but recalibration: a medically supervised immersion into the art and science of well-being, particularly for those - like me - wrestling with the early edges of pre-diabetes.

The clinic’s legacy begins with Dr. Franz Xaver Mayr, an early 20th-century Austrian physician who argued, long before “gut health” became a hashtag, that all vitality begins in the digestive tract. To Mayr, a troubled gut was not a local problem - it was the root of systemic dysfunction. His cure was deceptively simple: rest, cleanse, and retrain the digestive system. A century later, that principle still anchors the Mayrlife method, though the tools have evolved dramatically.

Today, Mayrlife’s version of the Mayr Cure merges tradition with twenty-first-century precision. Before the first herbal tea is poured, guests undergo an array of diagnostics - food intolerance testing, full blood panels, and body composition scans - forming the blueprint for an exquisitely personalized program. Days unfold in rhythm: cryotherapy, therapeutic massages, and medically guided nutrition plans, all supervised by clinicians whose manner is both meticulous and reassuringly kind.

But the true revelation, at least for me, wasn’t the lab work or the treatments - it was the act of eating itself. Mayrlife treats every meal as a meditation. Chewing - thorough, mindful, and slow - is nonnegotiable. In an age that prizes efficiency over awareness, this simple directive feels almost radical. Each bite becomes a conscious moment, a recalibration of attention that reminds you food is not fuel alone, but communication between body and brain.

There’s also the choreography of the meal: vegetables first, then proteins, then carbohydrates. This isn’t aesthetic preference but metabolic strategy, designed to stabilize blood sugar and reduce post-meal spikes - critical for anyone managing insulin sensitivity. Every sequence, every portion, is rooted in clinical evidence yet executed with the elegance of ritual.

And then there’s the atmosphere itself: no phones, no noise, no rush. Meals are taken against the backdrop of Alpine stillness, where mist hangs low over Lake Altaussee and time, briefly, loosens its grip. Presence becomes its own medicine.

Perhaps most compelling is the clinic’s embrace of the gut as a “second brain.” Housing up to 70 percent of the immune system and deeply entangled with the nervous system, the gut-brain axis is now a serious subject of scientific research - a link between digestion, mood, and cognition that Dr. Mayr seemed to intuit a century ahead of his time.

By the end of my stay, what had begun as a wellness experiment felt more like a quiet awakening. The lesson was elemental yet profound: health begins not with supplements or superfoods, but with the simple, intelligent act of eating well - and paying attention while doing it.

In a world enthralled by quick fixes and glittering diet trends, Mayrlife’s message is refreshingly unglamorous: true wellness is not invention, but return. Return to balance, to awareness, to the rhythm of a body that already knows what it needs - if only we’d listen.

And perhaps that’s the real question the Mayrlife philosophy poses: if the gut holds the key to our vitality, why is this wisdom still treated as luxury, rather than common knowledge?

Photo credits: Mayrlife

Luiz Costa Macambira

Luiz F. Costa Macambira is the former Publisher of Forbes Monaco and Forbes Netherlands.

In a continued push to foster digital literacy and professional development, Sharjah Public Libraries has unveiled an enhanced version of its Smart Knowledge Library, offering residents across the United Arab Emirates free access to online courses in digital skills, entrepreneurship, and other professional fields.

The platform, which was officially relaunched on August 28, now features a streamlined mobile-friendly interface and a broad catalog of short educational courses available in both Arabic and English. Developed with accessibility in mind, the updated system includes video tutorials to assist users through the enrollment process and offers instant digital certificates upon course completion.

Originally introduced in 2021, the Smart Knowledge Library was established as part of Sharjah’s long-term strategy to promote self-learning and professional development. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sharjah Public Libraries gained recognition for making over 15 million digital resources freely available to the public - an initiative that underscored the emirate’s commitment to open access education and digital inclusion.

The platform’s expansion is aimed at cultivating a knowledge-based society by integrating digital culture and continuous learning into daily life. Courses are led by recognized subject matter experts and incorporate interactive assessments to enhance user engagement and retention.

Sharjah Public Libraries, operating under the Sharjah Book Authority, continues to position itself at the forefront of digital education initiatives in the region, reaffirming its role as a key player in the UAE’s broader knowledge economy.

Photo credits: Sharjah Libraries

Oksana Bozhko

Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.

Since opening its doors in 2022, Dubai’s Museum of the Future has done more than capture the world's architectural imagination. It has positioned the emirate as a serious player in the global conversation around innovation, technology, and speculative thought. It is no small feat for a city often viewed through the prism of luxury and commerce.

Housed in an elliptical structure etched with Arabic calligraphy and dubbed “the most beautiful building on Earth” by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the museum is not merely a monument to design—it is a forward-looking institution with a clear intellectual agenda.

Inside, the exhibits span topics such as artificial intelligence, space exploration, climate change, and bioengineering. Unlike traditional museums, it resists nostalgia. It is unapologetically focused on the decades to come, encouraging young visitors to envision themselves as participants in shaping the future.

More importantly, it reflects the UAE’s broader national priorities: investing in knowledge economies, fostering STEM education, and building a generation of thinkers, makers, and doers. The museum’s integration with schools and universities across the country underscores this vision.

Still, for such a bold project to realize its full potential, it must remain more than an attraction. The museum should evolve into a hub for research, cross-cultural dialogue, and policy incubation. This means hosting global scholars, publishing original research, and addressing the ethical dilemmas that accompany technological progress.

The Museum of the Future has already established itself as a landmark achievement in design and ambition. What remains is for it to deepen its role—as a catalyst for thought, a space for discovery, and a driver of meaningful innovation that serves not only the region, but the world.

Photo credits: Wikipedia 

Oksana Bozhko

Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.

Dubai is evolving into a global education hub, attracting international institutions and edtech investment to shape the region’s future workforce.

With Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, and partnerships with global universities such as University of Birmingham, Heriot-Watt, and Rochester Institute of Technology, Dubai offers diverse programs from engineering to media studies.

In 2023, the UAE Ministry of Education announced reforms to integrate AI and climate studies into K-12 curriculums, preparing students for a rapidly shifting world. International schools in Dubai now rank among the best globally, with British, American, Indian, IB, and French curriculums widely available.

At the tertiary level, the focus on innovation, entrepreneurship, and future skills has created a knowledge-based economy parallel to oil revenues - mirroring the UAE's national diversification goals.

Photo credits: Dubai Knowledge Park 

Oksana Bozhko

Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.

David Nahmad is one of the most influential figures in the international art world and among the largest collectors of Picasso works globally. A recent article in The Monegasque™ magazine by Karolina Blasiak offers a rare, in-depth look at his philosophy, legacy, and enduring impact on global culture.

IN THE RADIANT HEART OF MONACO’S cultural capital, David Nahmad stands as a beacon of art and humanity, his boundless passion for masterpieces weaving a tapestry of cultural unity that transcends borders. Born in 1947 in Beirut, Lebanon, to a Jewish family Nahmad’s journey from Lebanon to Italy to Monaco is defined by an insatiable love for art and a profound commitment to sharing it with the world.

Honored with France’s prestigious insignia of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres) for his contributions to arts and culture, Nahmad is more than a collector - he is a global ambassador of elegance, fostering peace and understanding through the universal language of art. A titan of the art world, he and his family oversee a vast collection of valuable artworks, including an unrivaled 300 (and counting) Picassos, worth billions, solidifying his status as a preeminent marchand d’art and collector.

Much like Gustave Fayet, the early 20th-century French artist and collector dubbed the “Sovereign Eye” for his discerning taste in avant-garde art, Nahmad possesses an extraordinary ability to identify and acquire masterpieces that define cultural epochs. Both men, driven by a profound passion for art, have shaped the market through their visionary acquisitions - Fayet with his early support for Gauguin and Redon, and Nahmad with his strategic mastery of impressionist and modern treasures, from Monet to Rothko and Calder. Their shared legacy lies in their sharp, almost prophetic instincts, curating collections that not only reflect their times but also redefine the value of art itself.

Called “the man with a thousand paintings,” Nahmad’s collection, including iconic Picassos, Monets, and Kandinskys, represents a lifelong devotion to preserving humanity’s creative legacy. The most recent exhibition, “From Monet to Picasso”, ran through June 2025 at the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny and showcased 57 of his finest treasures: Eugène Delacroix’s Juive de Tanger en costume d’apparat, 1835, luminous Monets, timeless Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, symbolic par l’excellence Gustave Moreau, vibrant Renoirs, evocative Degas, and Italian masters like Boldini and Zandomeneghi. This exhibition was but one chapter in Nahmad’s tireless mission to bring art to the world, with his masterpieces gracing museums from Tokyo to Nice, and from the Louvre to the Metropolitan, as well as Monaco’s own Grimaldi Forum.

“It’s better if the works can travel,” says David Nahmad, ensuring that art’s transformative power reaches all corners of the globe.

His passion was ignited in the 1960s by his visionary brother Giuseppe (known as “Joe”), who welcomed artists like DeChirico, Fontana, and Giacometti into their Milan home. By 1967, David, who abandoned his civil engineering studies, and his brother Ezra began dealing in art, driven not by profit but by an irrepressible love for beauty.

“We bought paintings when nobody wanted to buy - out of passion,” Nahmad recalls, recounting early purchases of Picassos and Kandinskys for mere thousands. His philosophy, “buy and hold,” reflects a collector’s heart, tempered by a duty to protect art for future generations. Even today, his energy remains relentless, scouring auctions for new treasures - and recently acquiring spectacular Dubuffets, Picassos, and a Fontana, to valorize and share with the world.

Beyond art, Nahmad’s life is a tapestry of cultural richness. A former World Backgammon Champion, he sees parallels between the game’s calculated risks and the art world’s unpredictability. Fluent in Arabic, he cherishes the deep ties between Jews and Arabs, deeply rooted in his family’s heritage in Aleppo and Beirut. “Jews and Arabs are cousins,” he reflects, recalling how Muslim neighbors protected Syrian Jews during times of peril.

"Art is a science; those who haven’t understood this shouldn’t collect. Before even starting a collection, you must buy art books and try to understand. Because without understanding, you cannot love. To love someone, you have to understand them, don’t you?" David Nahmad

His father, a banker, and his cousin, Edmond Safra, built fortunes on trust - a value Nahmad carries into his dealings with titans like Kahnweiler, Beyeler, and Berggruen.

Through his global exhibitions, and worldwide loans to museums Nahmad subtly fosters dialogue, uniting diverse cultures under the shared awe of a Monet or a Picasso. His collection, including masterpieces like The Women of Algiers (on loan to the Louvre and the Invalides Museum) becomes a quiet force for understanding, inviting nations to connect through art’s universal language.

This philanthropy is no mere gesture but a profound obligation. Nahmad’s loans his art collection to museums worldwide - Tokyo, Potsdam, Nice, and recently a red Fontana Concetto spaziale to the inauguration of Rosso at Piazza Mignanelli 23 (PM23), the new venue hosting cultural initiatives supported by the Fondazione Valentino Garavani & Giancarlo Giammetti in Rome and beyond - are acts of generosity, ensuring that masterpieces inspire and educate.

“To sell a work of art is first and foremost to protect it,” he says, a credo that underscores his role as a guardian of culture. His Monaco home, facing the sea, adorned with only a few paintings, reflects his humility; he shuns ostentation, preferring to let art speak for itself in the world’s great institutions.

While the reconnaissance of the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres celebrates Nahmad’s extraordinary contributions, his true reward lies in the countless lives touched by his vision. From mentoring young collectors to “educate themselves” to championing art’s enduring value, he plants seeds for future generations. In a world often divided, Nahmad’s tireless pursuit of beauty - through art, trust, and shared humanity - offers a path to unity.

What does he take away from it all, now aged 78, the last living member of a sibling trio that left its mark on the art world in recent decades? “I didn’t work; I had fun,” he says with a smile, recalling his encounters with great gallerists and artists like Dalí, De Chirico, Miró, or Calder: “The most beautiful part of my life.”

Another lesson learned by the man who cites Magritte’s The Legend of the Centuries as the first painting that struck him: “The pretty is the enemy of the beautiful, and art has nothing to do with the pretty,” (“Le joli est l'ennemi du beau, et l'art n'a rien à voir avec le joli”) - Fernand Léger.

As The Monegasque™ honors this Monaco icon, we celebrate a man whose passion not only preserves the past but lights the way to a more connected, compassionate future.

Oksana Bozhko

Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.

At the forefront of Dubai’s creative renaissance stands Rania Naffa, Director of Tashkeel Dubai, the acclaimed arts organization dedicated to supporting and incubating the region’s emerging design talents. Founded in 2008 by Her Highness Lateefa bint Maktoum, Tashkeel is more than a creative space—it is an engine for cultivating a distinct Emirati and Gulf design identity in a rapidly globalizing world.

Under Naffa’s leadership, the flagship program Tanween has expanded its reach, commissioning local artists and designers to transform inspirations drawn from the UAE’s natural and cultural heritage—such as desert architecture, traditional weaving patterns, and native flora—into innovative products and installations. Tanween’s initiatives have garnered international recognition, with several commissions exhibited at Dubai Design Week and selected for global design fairs in Milan and London. This emphasis on regional narratives within contemporary design marks a significant shift from replication toward authentic creative authorship.

Beyond product design, Tashkeel engages in Arabic calligraphy workshops, critical design discourse, and mentorship programs, aiming to build cultural infrastructure within Al Quoz’s arts district and empower emerging practitioners. Naffa’s vision fosters a sustainable creative ecosystem where artists gain business acumen, technical skills, and international exposure. The organization’s educational programs also reach youth across the UAE, nurturing creative confidence as a national priority.

Tashkeel’s impact under Rania Naffa’s stewardship is palpable in Dubai’s evolving design landscape: it bridges the gap between tradition and innovation, providing a platform where local creatives can tell their own stories with sophistication and global resonance.

Photo credits: Tashkeel

Oksana Bozhko

Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.

In Downtown Dubai, just steps from the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Opera stands as a landmark for the performing arts. Designed in the shape of a traditional dhow, the 2,000-seat venue - with VIP box tickets reaching AED 3,000 - has become a regional hub for opera, ballet, classical music, and theatre.

Since its opening in 2016, Dubai Opera has welcomed performances that span the global canon, including Verdi’s La Traviata and exclusive piano recitals by internationally acclaimed artists. According to the venue’s official site, major galas and concerts regularly sell out, drawing an audience that values both the craft of performance and the setting’s acoustical and architectural quality.

The venue’s programming reflects its goal of making world-class productions accessible to a growing audience of music and arts lovers in the UAE. From seasonal festivals to one-night-only events, the opera house continues to strengthen Dubai’s place on the international cultural map.

In a city often known for its ambition, Dubai Opera adds a distinctive voice - one dedicated to artistic excellence and creative diversity.

Photo credits: Visit Dubai. 

Oksana Bozhko

Oksana Bozhko is a Contributor to Dubai Voice.