Among the gardens and historic houses in Al Ain’s oases are seven light artworks, illuminating the area and bringing a contemporary edge to a beautiful and culturally significant space.
Manar Abu Dhabi has expanded beyond the capital this year with a new addition that merges light, heritage and community in one of the UAE’s most storied landscapes.
Under the theme The Light Compass, the festival’s curators – artistic director Khai Hori, along with Munira Al Sayegh, Alia Zaal Lootah and Mariam Alshehhi – have transformed Al Jimi and Al Qattara oases into glowing open-air galleries. The sites, both on the Unesco World Heritage list, now host installations by Emirati and international artists, including Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, Khalid Shafar, Maitha Hamdan, Abdalla Almulla, Ammar Al Attar and Christian Brinkmann.
The expansion marks a significant evolution for Manar Abu Dhabi, which began in 2023 with installations across coastal and urban areas of the capital. Now, the festival moves inland, connecting audiences to the quieter rhythms of Al Ain while continuing its mission to celebrate Abu Dhabi as a hub for cultural innovation and contemporary public art.
For Hori, who is curating in the Gulf for the first time, bringing Manar Abu Dhabi to Al Ain is both a logistical and poetic journey. “It’s alive, but it’s empty at the same time,” he says. “People often associate darkness with solitude or sadness, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With art, darkness can also be a celebration of the light you can find within it.”
Navigating the darkness
Installing art within such a sensitive environment required a delicate approach. Al Jimi and Al Qattara are among the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the region, and every artwork was positioned with care. “To install the artworks, we collaborate with archaeologists,” Hori explains. “It’s not a straightforward process, but through it we learn more about the heritage of the oasis.”
This collaboration embodies Manar Abu Dhabi’s guiding idea: that light art is not only about illumination, but about revealing histories and connections. In Al Ain, that relationship is both literal and symbolic. The theme The Light Compass focuses on navigation through the stars, the moon and the knowledge that once guided desert travellers and seafarers alike.
This concept of navigation is explored on another level with Al Attar’s piece Cycle Of Circles. Presented in five sequential photographs, they show the artists in the process of making a circle while riding a bicycle.
Speaking on the meaning of his artwork, Al Attar says it’s about moving through life and through routines. How we often find ourselves back at the starting spot again and again yet must continue to move through life.
Al Sayegh, who co-curated the Al Ain sites, says the move inland was a natural extension of that idea. “Public art should extend itself to everyone, that’s the most romantic and ideal vision of it,” she says. “This year’s theme, navigation, is not only relevant to the people of the sea, but also to those who lived alongside the oases.”
By bringing Manar Abu Dhabi from the coastline to the desert, the team explored the dialogue between spaces that are bustling and those that are contemplative. “What happens when we move Manar away from the coast, from saltwater to freshwater?” Al Sayegh asks. “The same stars are guiding different waters, that contrast became really interesting for us.”
Past and present
Manar Abu Dhabi’s expansion into Al Ain is also a reflection of the city’s unique position within the UAE’s cultural landscape. “We often think of heritage and contemporary life as separate, but here they coexist,” says Al Sayegh. “This edition embraces that reality. It bridges the historical with the now.”
The artworks invite audiences to move through a sensory journey of light, sound, and space. The effect is both meditative and communal, with each piece guiding visitors along pathways that once connected ancient settlements and trade routes.
This introspective nature can be felt with two artworks, Maitha Hamdan’s Breath of the Same Place and Khalid Shafar’s Sadu Red Carpet. Hamdan’s piece drapes a lonely ghaf tree with luminescent wiring that give the plant a soft energy. Guests can sit under it watch as the colours of the lights change.
In Shafar’s piece, a pathway is illuminated with red lights that make it look like a carpet made of sadu prints. Shafar says he wanted the piece to convey the welcomeness and openness of Emirati culture. Walking on the path, visitors feel like celebrities walking down a festival’s red carpet, despite being in a quiet and calm Al Ain oasis.
For Hori, this quieter approach defines Manar Abu Dhabi’s evolving identity. “The artworks this year are rather quiet,” he says. “They want you to pause and peel off layers of what they could mean.”
Art made accessible
Bringing public art closer to the people is a mission Hori takes seriously. “A society without an appreciation for aesthetics becomes mechanical," he says. “Bringing art outdoors is a way of inviting people in.”
The installations at Al Ain do not simply occupy space; they punctuate it. “It’s about adding light to light – creating moments of pause, contemplation, agreement, or even disagreement as people move through the space,” Al Sayegh explains. “This time, we’re bringing art into populated areas, whereas the first edition was about populating emptier ones.”
Visitors can explore Al Jimi and Al Qattara through guided tours, photography workshops and food and beverage pop-ups designed to enhance the sense of community around the works. These elements transform the festival from a passive viewing experience into an active dialogue between art, place and people.
Light that connects
As day fades to night, the oases of Al Ain glow with quiet energy. Trees cast soft shadows against illuminated pathways; water channels reflect shifting patterns of light. Each installation becomes part of a constellation – a continuation of the same stars that have guided journeys across the region for centuries.
“People often think of the dark as something lonely,” Hori says, looking out across the oasis. “But when you have all this art, it becomes a celebration of the light you could see in the dark.”
For Al Sayegh, that light is also a metaphor for the next generation. “Public art should be for everyone,” she says. “It’s not only about beauty, but about understanding who we are and how we connect to the world around us.”
Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 runs to January 4 in Al Ain, and from November 15 to January 4 in Abu Dhabi
Things Heard & Seen
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, James Norton
2/5
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Fourth-round clashes for British players
- Andy Murray (1) v Benoit Paire, Centre Court (not before 4pm)
- Johanna Konta (6) v Caroline Garcia (21), Court 1 (4pm)
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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THE BIO
Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.
Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.
Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.
Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
match info
Athletic Bilbao 1 (Muniain 37')
Atletico Madrid 1 (Costa 39')
Man of the match Iker Muniain (Athletic Bilbao)
More coverage from the Future Forum
In 2018, the ICRC received 27,756 trace requests in the Middle East alone. The global total was 45,507.
There are 139,018 global trace requests that have not been resolved yet, 55,672 of these are in the Middle East region.
More than 540,000 individuals approached the ICRC in the Middle East asking to be reunited with missing loved ones in 2018.
The total figure for the entire world was 654,000 in 2018.
Reputation
Taylor Swift
(Big Machine Records)
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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MATCH INFO
Aston Villa 1 (Konsa 63')
Sheffield United 0
Red card: Jon Egan (Sheffield United)
