Dubai Business Events (DBE), the city’s official convention bureau, has signed six Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) so far in 2019, ensuring collaborative partnerships with a wide range of institutions, organisations and government entities, and setting a roadmap to attract more business events to the city. These MoUs will further strengthen DBE’s Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme, which has grown to become a strong network of over 320 members and continues to play a vital role in elevating Dubai’s status as a knowledge hub in key sectors and industries.
The entities to have signed the MoUs are Professional Communication Corporation (Nedaa), Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Award for Medical Sciences, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Emirates Medical Association and Dubai Sustainable City. Meanwhile, MoUs with University of Dubai and Canadian University Dubai have been renewed.
Speaking about the MoUs, Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: “These latest MoUs signed with key entities across Dubai reinforces the importance of collaborations across the public and private sectors in the city, and the power these can have in driving benefits of our economy. At Dubai Tourism we understand that business events can not only drive further visitation to the city, but also contribute to the growth of the knowledge economy and the evolution of important economic sectors and fields of expertise.”
The Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme is a DBE initiative that aims to tap into the expertise and network of UAE-based key opinion leaders and government representatives to help attract international business events to Dubai. The MoUs signed through the Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors Programme fall in line with DBE’s overall commitment to elevate local entities and help enhance their global networks. These partnerships also serve as a mutually-beneficial relationship to DBE and member partners, offering knowledge sharing and networking opportunities, in addition to driving new event bids and attracting international business events to the city.
His Excellency Mansoor Juma Buosaiba, Chief Executive Officer of Professional Communication Corporation (Nedaa), said: “This MoU underlines our shared vision with Dubai Tourism to enhance collaboration with government entities, achieving our common goal of promoting Dubai as a regional and global business hub. This partnership will help Nedaa and Dubai Tourism implement shared projects and initiatives that will build up the Emirate’s repute and endorse Dubai’s strategic approach. Dubai offers lucrative and attractive prospects for businesses. As a communications provider and business partner Nedaa is honoured, and sees immense potential in this partnership for conducting activities and conferences that have a positive impact on the city’s economic, social and scientific development. We are confident that the MoU will play a vital role in identifying new opportunities for attracting conferences; increasing the Emirate’s ranking in the world's most attractive destinations for business events.”
Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Mehairi, Secretary General of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance said: “The Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance (HBRF) has sought to strengthen its partnership with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in order to achieve national visions and aspirations of both sides in the manufacture of prestigious global events that will push the UAE and Dubai to excellence in organizing educational conferences as well as other areas. Furthermore, these international gatherings will necessarily enrich the development of projects and programs on which institutions and organizations are working to become strategically a global reference in attracting innovative initiatives that will positively reflect the global trends in the quality of education.”
DBE has continued to leverage the power of the Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors Programme to bid for and secure leading international business events in 2019. A total of 22 major international association conferences have been secured this year, including: the 5th World Academic Congress of Emergency Medicine – WACEM 2019, the Space Generation Congress 2020, the Pacific Asia Conference on Information Systems 2020, the World Hospital Congress 2021, and the AIPPI World Intellectual Property Congress 2025. These wins alone are expected to attract over 15,000 delegates into the city over the coming years.
Issam Kazim, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, added: “We would like to thank all the ambassadors for their continued commitment and hard work in driving Dubai’s growth and evolution. Through leveraging the power of successful public-private partnerships, the Al Safeer Congress Ambassador Programme is truly helping Dubai accelerate its journey towards becoming a global knowledge hub, built on a foundation of strong networking ties with experts and the local community.
“The Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors community is set to further grow in 2019 as the Programme continues to target government entities, key universities and other organisations in Dubai to join and support in the city’s success. There are also plans in the pipeline set to further build on the ever-expanding network we have created through setting up relevant local events as well as trainings.” added Kazim.
For more information on The Al Safeer Congress Ambassadors Programme, please visit https://www.visitdubai.com/en/business-in-dubai/event-planning/ambassador-program.
Mia Khalil
Account Manager, Reputation
office: +971 4 455 3800 • mobile: +971 56 216 2133
Edelman #701, Level 7, One JLT Building, P.O. Box 49422, Dubai, UAE
Supported by the Union of International Associations (UIA), the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO) and the Interel Group, the global public affairs and association management consultancy, Headquarters Magazines serve the needs of international associations organising worldwide congresses.