- 17:30
In her home-museum in Abu Dhabi—a haven of tranquility and beauty—Huda al-Khamis-Kanoo embodies a living culture, delicately interwoven with art and memory. Founder of the Abu Dhabi Festival, she blends the grace of commitment with the power of dreams. This is Beirut is in Abu Dhabi to cover part of the festival and was invited into the quiet intimacy of her home for a deeply personal conversation. This first part, shaped by an open-hearted exchange, sketches the portrait of a radiant woman. The second will unveil, through her responses, the driving forces of her work in service of creation.
This is a house that speaks. Every object is a poem, every piece of furniture a memory. In Kanoo's home, one does not merely enter a dwelling, one steps into an intimate museum where arts, civilizations and stories from across the world converge in conversation. Amid Abu Dhabi's cityscape of architectural marvels and sharp lines, this house is a treasure trove of soul and culture.
The lady of the house herself embodies a rare fusion of refinement and commitment. Kanoo is the founder of the Abu Dhabi Festival, now in its 22nd edition, a tireless patron of the arts and a passionate advocate for art and cultural transmission. She is far more than a leading figure in the Emirati cultural scene. Above all, she is a woman of conviction, driven by a vision of a world where beauty serves a higher purpose: to connect, heal and elevate.
“I was born in a country that is culture itself,” she reflects. And therein undoubtedly lies the key. The daughter of a Saudi father and a Syrian mother, she grew up in Lebanon, a crossroads of poetry and dialogue between civilizations. At home, poets were welcomed, literature was discussed and music was not just heard, but lived. She recalls Baalbeck, Beiteddine and Umm Kulthum. But beyond that, she remembers a childhood filled with love, encounters and a generous and open Lebanon, where everything seemed possible. Summers were spent between the Lebanese mountains and the golden light of Cannes. Then came Paris, where she pursued her higher education. The 1980s were a period of intellectual and emotional growth—museums, readings and debates. “It is not one thing, but a multitude of experiences that define who I am,” she confides. For Kanoo, identity is multifaceted and composite—a rich tapestry of affiliations that defies rigid categories.
The Grace of a Vocation
From her multifaceted childhood, Kanoo shaped a vocation, not born of ambition, but of an inner necessity. Philanthropy, the creation of a festival and the education through the arts all blossomed from an organic impulse, an early love for beauty and those who embody it. “Perhaps we are destined for it from the moment we are born,” she murmurs. And perhaps she’s right. What is most striking about her journey is its fluidity. Nothing is forced, nothing is calculated. Everything seems to naturally flow from a profound listening to the world.
What does she seek? “A conversation.” This word often resurfaces in her thoughts. For Kanoo, culture is not a mere showcase, it is a bridge, a dialogue between people, disciplines and generations. The Abu Dhabi Festival, which she founded in 2004, was conceived as a space for encounters. With over 200 nationalities residing in the Emirates, her commitment to forging meaningful relationships has become a mission.
“The dream is carried by the artists,” she affirms. And she pursues that dream with contagious enthusiasm. With each festival edition, she invites global prominent figures of the international music and art scene, while placing emerging voices and young talents at the forefront. For Kanoo, the future of the arts lies in active transmission. These aren’t empty words. Reflecting on Lebanon's presence at the festival, she recalls with emotion the Lebanese National Orchestra, invited abroad for the first time, alongside performances by Walid Hourani, Abdel Rahman El Bacha and Charbel Mouhanna.
She quotes Rabelais, “Science without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.” Then, she adds, “Today, we face artificial intelligence. We must build together to keep the soul alive.” This is Huda al-Khamis-Kanoo: deeply rooted in the humanities, yet future-oriented, cautious of technological pitfalls and confident in humanity’s capacity to create meaning.
A Festival Born of an Encounter
The Abu Dhabi Festival wasn’t conceived at a roundtable discussion or through a strategic plan, it was born from an encounter. That of a young Emirati, elegantly dressed in traditional attire, lingering at the entrance of a concert hall he had been invited to—an exclusive, private evening.
He didn’t have a ticket, but he was determined to attend. Kanoo did everything in her power to make it possible for him to experience the concert, and eventually, he did.
During the intermission, she approached him and asked, “Why were you so intent on attending this concert?” In a soft, hesitant voice, he replied, “I attend a public school. I adore music. I want to learn more, to see more.” That moment left an indelible mark on her, it was the spark that ignited her journey. It wasn’t a plan, but a revelation. From there, she met other young individuals and heard other stories. “At the time, there was no foundation, no festival—nothing,” she reflects. Yet, she began laying the groundwork for what would unfold.
Her relationships with artists, collaborators and journalists are marked by a rare kindness. During our conversation, she held my gaze and said, “There’s nothing but curiosity in your eyes. There’s also love. A silent question: Huda, how do you do it all?” She was right. The strength she radiates, this inexhaustible energy, is not simply the result of a busy schedule, it embodies a profound belief in the power of culture. And the gaze fixed upon her was not merely loving, it carried admiration.
Huda al-Khamis-Kanoo is as strikingly beautiful as she is passionate, spontaneous and endowed with a contagious sharpness of mind. Her laughter is genuine and frequent, her words infused with a touch of light humor that dissolves any formality. There’s an extraordinary balance of grace and authenticity in the way she connects with others—a quality that draws people into her world, not by imposing, but always by sharing.
She holds a steadfast belief in the media not as mere conduits for information, but as full-fledged cultural actors. “You are the voice. You are our voice,” she told me. For her, journalists, critics and writers—those who shape narratives—carry a sacred mission: to circulate stories, stir emotions and shine a light on those who create. She asserts that the media must return to what it has always been when guided by integrity: conveyors.
A Rebirth in the Present
“Rebirth is now,” she declares. In a fractured world plagued by successive crises and identity tensions, she believes in a resurgence, not of static museums, but of a living culture, rooted in youth, creativity and dialogue. She trusts that art can serve as the foundation of a new civilization—more human, more open and more conscious. Perhaps her most remarkable achievement lies in transforming Abu Dhabi, a 21st-century metropolis, into a global cultural epicenter—without ever abandoning its roots or surrendering its soul to ostentation. Through the Festival, through her home and every deliberate gesture, Kanoo restores culture to its rightful place: a vital heartbeat at the very core of our societies.
If asked about her “madeleine de Proust,” she would unhesitatingly reply: the scent of Turkish coffee her mother prepared each morning in the kitchen—a fragrance that instantly whisks her back to Lebanon, to childhood, to maternal love. A lingering nostalgia that is gentle, enduring and quietly insistent.
Yet, in her Abu Dhabi home, incense is offered—sublime, enveloping fragrances released like a silent blessing. It is her way of welcoming guests, wishing them peace and casting each encounter in the light of grace.
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