Asian Lifestyle gets government endorsement

The exhibition aims to celebrate South Asian customs, tradition and heritage, in what organiser IIR Middle East claims will be the biggest cultural festival of the year, attracting more than 30,000 visitors over three days.

Marwan Bin Beyat, DTCM Events Manager, said, 'Dubai is a modern cosmopolitan city and the DTCM supports any initiatives to promote cultural awareness between the various nationalities living and working in Dubai. Asian Lifestyle is a cultural celebration representing Dubai's largest ethnic group and as such we want to help promote their diverse customs and heritage to further enhance harmony and understanding in this multicultural society.'

The show will feature hundreds of exhibitors offering products and services for the South Asian community, fashion shows, cultural performances, celebrity appearances, daily competitions, restaurants and food, with live cooking demonstrations and a bazaar of ethnic Asian artefacts.

As main event sponsor, Gul Khan, Regional Head of Wealth Management, HSBC, commented, 'As a fundamental aspect of our corporate social responsibility, HSBC has always supported community initiatives. Asian Lifestyle is an event that complements our strategic aims and as such, we wanted to lend significant support. Providing a platform to promote South Asian culture is a fine example of how consumer shows can draw the whole community together.'

It is estimated that there are well over two million South Asian consumers in the region and in the UAE alone they represent in excess of 65 per cent of the total population, greater than any other ethnic group. They are well established in Dubai having been major trading partners for centuries and many families living in the UAE are already second generation expatriates. Their influence straddles each echelon of business across all industry sectors.

'Naturally the majority of visitors will be South Asians, but we also expect visitors from other ethnic backgrounds to attend. South Asian culture has mass appeal and therein lies the true essence of this festival, it's a celebration of life for the whole family, irrespective of race, religion or nationality,' added Zeffy Thompson, Exhibition Director, Asian Lifestyle.

Products and services on show at Asian Lifestyle will include, textiles and accessories, health, fitness and beauty, jewellery, home décor, handicrafts and ethnic artefacts, music, property, finance and investment, education, recruitment and travel.

Asian Lifestyle is also supported by the Consulates of India, Sir Lanka and Pakistan