Cultural Diplomacy Initiative : UAE Embassy Supports Multaka-Museum as Meeting Point
Promoting intercultural dialogue through refugee-led museum programs in Berlin
July 07th, 2025
In a compelling display of cultural diplomacy, the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Berlin has reinforced its commitment to intercultural understanding by supporting the long-standing initiative Multaka – Museum as Meeting Point. Originally launched in 2015 by the Museum für Islamische Kunst (Museum of Islamic Art) in collaboration with Berlin’s State Museums, the program has grown into a cornerstone of cultural participation for Arabic- and Persian-speaking refugee communities in the German capital.
With the active backing of the UAE cultural institute and other international partners, Multaka continues to train Syrian and Iraqi refugees as cultural guides. These guides lead museum tours in Arabic and Persian, offering not only a linguistic bridge but also a personal and historical connection to the artifacts and collections on display. The program promotes cross-cultural learning and positions migrants not as passive recipients of culture, but as educators and facilitators in their new host society.
The initiative spans four major institutions in Berlin: the Museum für Islamische Kunst and the Vorderasiatisches Museum within the Pergamon Museum, the Bode Museum, and the Deutsches Historisches Museum. Through this network, Multaka delivers guided tours, school workshops, and collaborative exhibitions, all centered on themes of displacement, memory, and shared heritage.
The UAE’s diplomatic and cultural presence in this project is particularly significant. As a nation actively expanding its cultural diplomacy footprint across Europe, the Emirates provide logistical and promotional support, co-organize multilingual programs, and contribute to the broader narrative of integration and cultural exchange. Their involvement helps elevate the initiative to an international level and underlines the importance of intercultural competence as a tool of soft power.
In recognition of its innovation and impact, Multaka has received several awards since 2016, including the “Landmarks in the Land of Ideas” award and the UK’s Museum & Heritage Award. Throughout late 2024 and 2025, the program has continued to flourish, with weekly guided tours and special exhibitions drawing participants from across Berlin’s diverse communities.
Multaka stands as a leading example of how cultural institutions, in collaboration with embassies like that of the UAE, can help shape inclusive narratives of migration, identity, and mutual respect. It demonstrates the power of cultural diplomacy not just to bridge nations, but to empower individuals through dialogue, recognition, and shared historical consciousness.
References
- https://multaka.de/en/awards/
- https://www.museumsassociation.org/campaigns/museums-change-lives/creating-better-places-to-live-and-work/multaqa/
- https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2016/09/20/berlins-museums-use-culture-as-a-means-of-integration-for-refugees
- https://www.museumsportal-berlin.de/en/events/multaka-meets-world-heritage/
