ITU innovation award winner Dubai Culture celebrates palm and piano

Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has been honoured with the ‘Innovate for Impact’ award in the Smart Home/Cities category at the Artificial Intelligence for the Public Good Summit, organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations’ specialised agency for digital technologies.

- Muhammad Yusuf, Features Writer

The award recognises the Authority's pioneering efforts in applying artificial intelligence to cultural heritage preservation through the project ‘Al-Enhanced Detection and Prediction at Saruq Al Hadid Archaeological Site.’ Developed in collaboration with Khalifa University of Science and Technology, the project harnesses remote sensing technology, Al Applications and Geophysical Survey technology such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), magnetic surveys and high-precision mapping, to explore one of the region’s most significant Iron Age sites.

The research has led to the identification of over 2,500 anomalies that indicate the possibility of the presence of artifacts and features of archaeological significance. “Receiving this award affirms our commitment to adopting forward-thinking technologies to preserve and promote our cultural heritage,” said Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture. “By applying Al and other noninvasive methods, we not only safeguard the past but also strengthen Dubai's cultural voice on the international stage.” Muna Al Gurg, CEO of the Museums and Heritage Sector at Dubai Culture, said that “this recognition is a reflection of our belief that heritage and innovation are not mutually exclusive, they are complementary forces. Projects like Saruq Al-Hadid allow us to lead regionally and globally in redefining cultural heritage preservation.” The collaboration with Khalifa University was instrumental to the success of the project, as the university is the original developer of the cutting-edge noninvasive surveying technology used in the study.