UAE National Orchestra joins World Association for Performing Arts, expanding its international cultural partnerships and global presence.
ABU DHABI: The UAE National Orchestra joins World Association for Performing Arts, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to expand global cultural partnerships and strengthen its international presence.
The membership follows the Orchestra’s participation in the Beijing Forum for Symphonic Music, where Managing Director Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qassimi delivered a keynote address outlining the Orchestra’s formation and artistic vision. The invitation and reception reflected growing international interest in the UAE National Orchestra as a cultural institution representing a distinctive national sound.
By becoming part of WAPA, the UAE National Orchestra joins World Association for Performing Arts alongside leading institutions from 22 countries across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. The association provides a platform for collaboration, creative exchange and cross cultural dialogue.
Sheikha Al Qassimi said, “Being part of WAPA is an important step in how we begin to build our international presence as a national orchestra, rooted in heritage and forward-looking in spirit. Our participation in the Beijing Forum and the conversations that followed affirmed the relevance of our vision and the interest in how the UAE is shaping its cultural institutions today. We see this as the start of a wider exchange, one that connects musical traditions, geographies and ideas through collaboration.”
Launched in 2020 by the China National Centre for the Performing Arts, WAPA supports joint productions, touring initiatives, digital collaboration and talent development. It currently includes 34 member institutions worldwide.
As the UAE National Orchestra joins World Association for Performing Arts, it reinforces its commitment to representing the UAE internationally through music that reflects national identity while engaging with global artistic traditions.
