Hekayah | The Story

Poets and musicians celebrate the UAE’s cultural diversity and explore their heritages.

Celebrate the Year of Zayed & UAE National Day with a beautiful evening under the stars. Nabati and spoken word poets, musicians, and storytellers celebrate the cultural diversity of the place we call home, the UAE. As part of UAE National Day, Hekayah | The Story is free and open to all; note that online ticket registration is required.

Emirati spoken word poet and artist, Afra Atiq, hosts the evening along with 10 exceptionally talented artists whose work speaks to heritage and identity. See the artist lineup below. Bring your family and friends, relax on the majlis or seats, and enjoy an evening rich in talent and heritage.

The lineup for the 4th annual Hekayah is:

• Aathma Nirmala Dious – Spoken Word Poetry – UAE
• Amal Ali Al Sayegh – Nabati Poetry – UAE
• Boom.Diwan – Khaleeji Seafaring Music meets Jazz – Kuwait
• Danabelle Gutierrez – Spoken Word Poetry – Philippines, Cairo, Vienna, Muscat
• Farah Chamma – Spoken Word Poetry – Palestine
• Gaar Adams – Creative Nonfiction, Literary Reportage – USA
• Maha Jamil – Theater, Poetry, Prose – Pakistan
• Omar Al Marzouqi – Minimalist Pianist – UAE
• Samar Abdel Jaber and Nicole Callihan – Poetry – Palestine and USA
• Shamma Al Bastaki – Spoken Word Poetry – UAE

The lineup of performers was selected through a collaborative process curated by: Shamma al Bastaki, Bill Bragin, Zari Jafri, Dorian Paul Rogers, and Deborah Lindsay Williams.