The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) will organise the fourth edition of the Mother of the Nation Festival (MOTN) in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi from 12th to 23th March 2019, in conjunction with the Special Olympics World Games, which is taking place from 14 to 21 March. More than 7,500 athletes from 192 countries are set to participate in the Games, which are being held in the Middle East and North Africa region for the first time.
To be held along Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, the festival will offer a wide array of high-quality musical and entertainment through performances, art exhibits, workshops, dining and retail offers and activities for the entire family to enjoy over the course of 12 days. Another exciting new highlight of the Mother of the Nation Festival will be a captivating touring show by Cirque Du Soleil, which will make its Middle East debut by appearing in Abu Dhabi for the first time ever.
Presented in collaboration with Alchemy Project, the production titled ‘Bazzar’, with its joyful troupe of acrobats, dancers and musicians, will be a breathtaking and colourful homage to Cirque du Soleil’s legacy, and will premiere on the 6th of March and run until 16th of March on Yas Island.
HE Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary at DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “This year, we are delighted to host the Special Olympics World Summer Games as part of the fourth edition of the Mother of the Nation Festival. This engagement embodies the pillars of the ‘Year of Tolerance’ through the extraordinary athletes who come all from around the world to compete at these Games; it truly embodies the values of the Mother of the Nation, HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, namely honouring people of determination and providing them with an inclusive environment that sheds light on their achievements and capabilities, in line with the unique values that Her Highness continuously instils in our community, such as tolerance, determination, resilience and camaraderie.
The festival pays tribute to the living legacy of the original ‘Mother of the Nation’, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union and President of the Supreme Council of Motherhood and Childhood.
