President Erica Muhl Delivers Keynote Address at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi Berklee community members participated in both the three-day summit and an event at the Berklee Abu Dhabi Center.
By
Daniel Pesquera
December 5, 2022
Berklee President Erica Muhl speaks at the 2022 Culture Summit Abu Dhabi.
Image courtesy of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism
Berklee President Erica Muhl delivered an address as a keynote speaker at the 2022 Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, a three-day gathering of world leaders, creative thinkers, artists, and CEOs from a wide swath of industries and global communities that influence culture and the arts. Hosted by Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism, the fifth-annual summit, which took place at Manarat Al Saadiyat October 23-25, combined discussion-based activities with performances and participatory workshops centered around the theme A Living Culture.
President Muhl addressed participants on the third day of the program, which focused on the arts and culture through the lens of diversity, and empowering communities by engendering a more inclusive society that reflects and amplifies the strength of different cultural perspectives.
Imagine what the world could be, what we could accomplish, if the creativity at the center of each and every one of us was nurtured from a very early age, carefully developed and allowed to grow, and then harnessed in a collective mission toward societal transformation, shared President Muhl in her address, Educating Change Makers Through Arts and Culture. [Berklee's] vision is to create an interconnected network of campuses, centers, and partnerships that foster and inspire new artistic expressions . We also seek to learn from our partner communities, and to distinguish these programs and offerings in ways that are enhanced by the work of local artists and arts organizations, local industries, and most importantly, by local traditions and practices.
Mayssa Karaa, artistic director of Berklee Abu Dhabi Center, performs with Danilo Perez's Global Jazz Project at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi.
Image courtesy of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism
In addition to President Muhl, several additional members of the Berklee community contributed to the summit. Mayssa Karaa, artistic director of Berklee Abu Dhabi, moderated the panel discussion Integrating Cultural Diversity Through Music. Among the panelists joining Karaa were Danilo P rez, founder and artistic director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI); BGJI alumnus George Lernis; Berklee faculty member Patricia Z rate P rez; and Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, who shared their respective personal experiences and insights on building a borderless global community through music and the arts.
The BGJI offered audiences a taste of their eclectic sound with a closing performance that featured P rez, Lernis, Z rate P rez, vocalist and Berklee instructor Nadia Washington, bassist Ciara Moser, and violinist ngela Varo, with special guest Charbel Rouhana, an acclaimed oud performer and composer. In a separate performance, Berklee Abu Dhabi instructors Yarub Smarait (violin) and Samvel Gasparyan (piano) treated attendees to a harmonious blend of Arabic-influenced world music.
Immediately following the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, the Berklee Abu Dhabi Center hosted the Berklee Abu Dhabi Music Summit October 26-27, which focused on the theme of Emerging Technologies in the Music Industry. The two-day event convened industry professionals and artists to learn, network, and reimagine the world of creative arts in the Middle East through immersive discussion panels, interactive workshops, and high-energy performances.
Danilo Perez, founder and artistic director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, participates in a panel discussion at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi.
Image courtesy of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism
We are extremely honored to be able to have President Muhl, Danilo P rez, the Global Jazz Institute, and so many other members of Berklee Abu Dhabi be a part of this critical cultural event, said Gael Hedding, director of Berklee Abu Dhabi and a speaker in the summit's Mentoring for Impact panel, which discussed the impact mentoring in the arts can have on younger generations. One of the many strengths of Berklee is our ability to connect across cultures and create safe spaces for creative minds to share ideas. Culture Summit Abu Dhabi and the Berklee Abu Dhabi Music Summit harness that connective energy, and we are proud that Berklee has played such an important role in pushing toward those ideals.
During her visit, President Muhl joined the Berklee Abu Dhabi leadership team for a tour of the state-of-the-art center, where she was able to connect and engage with the programs talented students and faculty. The Berklee Abu Dhabi Center represents a significant commitment by Berklee to the advancement of arts education experiences and public performances, not only in Abu Dhabi but across regions in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia. Programs offered at the center serve local and regional students of all ages with instruction in voice, piano, DJing and turntablism, production, songwriting, film scoring, music business, dance, and more.
About Berklee Abu Dhabi The Berklee Abu Dhabi Center is a hub that ignites and inspires creative industry professionals poised to impact the growing and thriving cultural, educational, and performing arts industries in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Through sustainable and innovative educational experiences, the center builds bridges between the Middle East and Berklees global ecosystem.
In addition to hosting major performances each year, the center offers the PEARL (Performance Artistry and Leadership) certificate program, a competitive, pr
Most recent headlines
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Announces 2026 Noel Schajris Scholarship The scholarship will cover tuition and housing for one Berklee College of Music stud...
01/01/2026
New year, new games, all with RTX 5080-powered cloud energy. GeForce NOW is kicking off 2026 by looking back at an unforgettable year of wins and wildly high fr...
31/12/2025
Back to All News
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-V...
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things By the Numbers: How the Global Phenomenon Shap...
23/12/2025
Experience the power of WO Automation for Radio's newest service, the System Effectiveness Review. Designed to help you achieve more, a System Effectiveness...
President Erica Muhl Delivers Keynote Address at Culture Summit Abu Dhabi Berklee community members participated in both the three-day summit and an event at the Berklee Abu Dhabi Center.
