Fiker Institute Marks its Fifth Anniversary with a Special Address by H.E. Zaki Nusseibeh

Fiker Institute marked its fifth anniversary on Saturday by hosting a special event attended by His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Advisor to the UAE President and Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University.

The event was also attended by Her Excellency Geraldine McCafferty, British Ambassador to the UAE; Her Excellency Maria Belovas, Ambassador of Estonia to the UAE; His Excellency Liashenko Oleksii, Consul-General of Ukraine; His Excellency Aliaksei Zhaldybin, Consul-General of Belarus, alongside a number of the Institute’s partners, collaborators, and guests.

In a special address, His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh described the occasion as a signficiant milestone for Fiker Insitute, adding: “It is my perception that the Fiker Institute reflects an important conviction. Its fellowships, publications, partnerships, discussions, and library enable the UAE’s active participation in interpreting the world and shaping its future.”

His Excellency underscored the importance of knowldege institutions like Fiker Institute in providing policy research and generating proposals that inform decision-making processes, noting their curical responsibility in preserving intellectual independence, transparency, and integrity.

Looking ahead, His Excellency noted: “At five years, perhaps Fiker Institute’s most important achievement is the community that has begun to form around the habit of serious conversation. Such communities are built slowly. They depend upon trust, intellectual generosity, and repeated encounter. Their influence and value can emerge through the relationships they create, the questions they preserve, and the people they encourage.”

Dubai Abulhoul, the founder of Fiker Institute, said: “The Arab World has a wealth of intellectual ideas and sharp analysts, but regional perspectives remain marginalized in global debates that shape the narratives about our region. Fiker Institute was founded to reclaim the narrative and challenge conventional perceptions about the region. It creates a much-needed space to test ideas, exchange views, and shape policy discussions.”

Ms. Abulhoul pointed to the launch of Al-Khaleej Program last year and the Working Group on Gulf Foreign Policy this year as key initiatives to convene regional experts, bridge perspectives, and encourage dialogue on pressing issues. “The past years have been a journey of building, learning and adapting. It required persistence and patience. Today, we look at our five-year milestone as an opportunity to reflect on what Fiker Institute has become, and how much more we want to achieve. It’s not only about expanding our work but also ensuring that region’s homegrown institutions continue to drive policy discourse”.

The event also featured a moderated session with His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, led by Dubai Abulhoul, under the theme “The Power of Ideas: Why Knowledge Institutions Matter”. The discussion examined the UAE’s successful model of openess to different cultures and forms of knowledge, the opportunities and challenges facing knowledge institutions today, and the importance of preserving libraries in the age of digital platforms. The event concluded with an open reception, where guests received a special edition of Fiker Institute’s five-year report.

Fiker Institute was founded in 2021 as an independent, international affairs think tank. The Institute’s thematic areas span policy and global governance, climate security, and gender equality, while regional programs cover Al-Khaleej, West Asia and North Africa, Europe, and North and South America.

Since its inception, Fiker Institute has published more than 120 research outputs, collaborated with more than 70 guest writers and fellows, convened 110 events and speakers, and hosted 90 diplomatic delegations.

The Institute’s library has a unique collection of over 15,000 books spanning diplomacy, foreign affairs, and culture. The books are curated in themes that invite visitors to rethink conventional categories and geographic assumptions.