How Dubai Culture is Training Heritage Teams to Better Support People of Determination

Across Dubai’s cultural landscape, a quiet but meaningful shift is taking place. Museums, heritage houses, libraries and public art spaces are moving beyond accessibility as an architectural feature and toward accessibility as a lived experience.

At the centre of this evolution is Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, which has just completed a specialised training programme designed to empower heritage site teams with the skills and sensitivity needed to support People of Determination in cultural guidance and visitor engagement.

Held under the community initiative Empowering People of Determination in Cultural Guidance, the programme was developed in partnership with the Taqarrub Centre for Rehabilitation and Generation Preparation, bringing together experts, families and frontline cultural staff. The aim is simple yet transformative: to make every cultural visit in Dubai both inclusive and meaningful, regardless of ability.

Hosted at Hor Al Anz Public Library, the training gathered twenty-two Dubai Culture employees who work across heritage sites throughout the emirate. Together with Taqarrub specialists, parents and companions, participants explored global standards in accessible communication and learned how to recognise and respond to a wide spectrum of needs. The sessions extended beyond theory into practical, scenario-led exercises, inviting trainees to navigate real-world situations inside heritage environments and adapt tours to different abilities while maintaining safety and engagement.

The initiative directly supports Dubai’s wider social vision through the "My Community… A City for Everyone" programme, which aims to make the emirate one of the world’s most accessible cities for residents and visitors alike. It also aligns with the Dubai Code, reinforcing environmental, humanitarian and accessibility standards across public institutions.

More than workforce training, the programme signals a cultural shift in how institutions understand their role. Heritage sites are not static spaces filled with objects and stories. They are living environments shaped by the people who enter them. By building teams equipped with empathy, professionalism and adaptive communication skills, Dubai Culture is redefining what it means to host, guide and educate.

There is also an important reciprocal dimension. As People of Determination gain access to supportive tools and confidence-building methodologies, new pathways open for them to become active contributors to the cultural sector. The initiative gives them the opportunity not only to visit heritage sites but also to lead tours, share perspectives and engage as cultural guides in their own right.

In a city known for rapid innovation, projects like this remind us that progress is not only measured in architecture or scale but in the quality of connection. Bridging gaps in access, expanding representation and reimagining inclusion as a creative process are the building blocks of a cultural ecosystem that sees everyone, welcomes everyone and makes space for everyone.

More on Dubaiculture.gova.ae