Dubai's Syria Festival Draws 55,000 to Zabeel Park

More than 55,000 visitors passed through Zabeel Park in Dubai for the second edition of the Emirates Loves Syria festival, an event built around Syrian culture and heritage that brought together families, entrepreneurs and prominent members of the Syrian community in the UAE.

The practical scale of the operation was central to what attendees encountered on the ground. Organisers laid out 30 stalls operated by Syrian home businesses alongside 40 restaurants and kiosks serving traditional Syrian cuisine, giving visitors a working marketplace of Syrian food and enterprise rather than a purely ceremonial gathering. A photo zone offered interactive scenes from Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia, Tartus and Daraa, while an exhibition traced the country’s history and culture. Singer Assala Nasri performed on stage as part of a programme spanning cuisine, music and heritage.

Recognition was also part of the delivery. Members of the Syrian community in the UAE received awards for contributions to art, media, medicine, business and design, with actors Mona Wassef, Jamal Suliman and Abed Fahd among those honoured.

The event also functioned as a platform for official messages. Syria’s President Ahmad al-Sharaa delivered a televised address to the Syrian community in the UAE. On site, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the UAE’s Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, attended the festival in person. According to the UAE Government Media Office, he said relations between the UAE and Syria rest on historical ties, mutual respect, brotherhood and coexistence. He also noted that the UAE supports initiatives aimed at developing Syria and ensuring security, peace and stability across all its regions.

Held for the second time, the festival drew its audience from the Syrian community in the UAE together with entrepreneurs, prominent Syrians and families, and The National reported on the gathering.