An Israeli delegation representing 11 of the country’s leading museums visited the United Arab Emirates this week to participate in an international conference, underscoring the continued growth of bilateral ties between the two nations.
The Dubai gathering comes as the landmark 2020 Abraham Accords continue to broaden in the wake of last month’s ceasefire in Gaza.
The International Council of Museums 2025 Summit, held for the first time in the Gulf region and focused on “The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities,” drew representatives from the Israel Museum, the Haifa Museums and ANU–Museum of the Jewish People, among others.
“I was pleasantly surprised to see how warmly we were received,” Yifat Levy, marketing director of the Haifa Museums and deputy chair of ICOM Israel, told JNS on Thursday of the global event where Israelis mingled with their counterparts from both Qatar and Oman. “The whole conference dealt with professionalism in the museum world in the world of AI and technology, and we both learned a lot and shared a lot as well.”
In addition to the museum delegations, an Israeli startup specializing in museum innovation, Tema Creative, showcased its state-of-the-art technology aimed at redefining how visitors experience art, history and culture, while offering new opportunities for curators, educators and institutions worldwide.
“The involvement of Israeli museums and an Israeli startup specializing in museum innovation in this historic summit reflects our deep commitment to cultural exchange, innovation and collaboration,” said Yossi Avraham Shelley, Israel’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. “Life goes on after the ceasefire,” he told JNS.
The United Arab Emirates was the first of five Muslim-majority countries to normalize relations with Israel under the landmark Abraham Accords, reached during the first Trump administration, and ties have remained strong despite regional turbulence over the past two years.
Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco, and most recently Kazakhstan have also joined the Accords.
