The Joy of Eid: Abu Dhabi unveils intimate poetry experience at Zayed National Museum
Five-day programme features hospitality music craft and dialogue
ABU DHABI – The Experience Abu Dhabi initiative is set to introduce a distinctive cultural activation at the Zayed National Museum on Thursday, 28th May, as part of its wider ‘The Joy of Eid’ programme.
The experience brings poetry into a shared public space, inviting visitors to engage directly with poets in intimate, one-to-one conversations. These interactions will be offered in both Arabic and English, reflecting the UAE’s multilingual cultural landscape.
The activation runs within a five-day programme from 27 to 31 May, welcoming residents, nationals and international visitors alike.
Poetry exchange
At the heart of the initiative, personal reflections shared by participants will be transformed into original poems crafted on the spot by participating poets. Each exchange is designed to capture individual memories, emotions and perspectives, shaping them into creative expressions inspired by Abu Dhabi’s people and identity.
The museum space becomes a live setting where storytelling unfolds through verse, reinforcing the role of poetry as a living cultural practice.
Cultural dialogue
Nassra Al Buainain, Director of Learning & Public Engagement at Zayed National Museum, highlighted the enduring connection between poetry, identity and leadership in the UAE’s cultural narrative. She noted that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan expressed his love for people and land through prose, and viewed poetry as inseparable from leadership and culture. She added that bringing people together to share stories within the museum feels both fitting and deeply moving, describing it as a continuation of a poetic spirit rooted in the city and its communities.
The activation forms part of a broader programme featuring hospitality, music, craftsmanship and interactive cultural experiences across the museum’s public spaces, with further sessions continuing throughout the week.