People’s experiences of Dubai to be exhibited on giant #MyDubai screen at Dubai Fountain

In celebration of thecompletion of the first year of the #MyDubai initiative, thousands of residents and visitors who have contributed their stories of life in Dubai will be rewarded with their photographs and videos appearing on a giant screen at the heart of one of Dubai’s most popular tourist attractions.

#MyDubai was launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, on 5^th January 2014, with an invitation for residents and visitors to share their experiences of Dubai and create ‘the world’s first autobiography of a city’. During the initiative’s first year, more than 2.5 million images and videoswere shared with the hashtag, of which more than 1,650 images and videos were chosen to be displayed on the official instagram account, @MyDubai – also known as the #MyDubai e-museum. Commencing tomorrow (5^th January) and lasting throughout January, all1,650+ images and videos will be shown on a 19.2m x 19.2m metre LED screen which has been installed next to the Dubai Fountain, in front of Burj Khalifa.

The #MyDubai Screen is expected to become an attraction in its own right for both residents and visitors to the city, and with The Dubai Fountain which delights thousands of visitors every day, it provides the perfect gallery on which to exhibit the photographs and videos which form the first year of the MyDubai autobiography. From February onwards, the #MyDubai Screen will become a live social wall, showcasing images and stories in near real-time, providing the opportunity for more contributors to #MyDubai to have their stories shared to an audience of millions.

The contributions are also shared on screens in 300 elevators across the emirate, forming a city-wide gallery of #MyDubai images.

Issam Kazim CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing which manages the e-Museum as part of its support for the initiative, said: “Within one year, more than1,650 images and videos have been displayed on the official @MyDubaiinstagram account, and when collectively viewed they create a fascinating portrait of life in Dubai. The aim of the initiative – launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum one year ago – was to show life in Dubai beyond the landmarks, headline and superlatives for which the city is known, and the contributions over the course of the year have demonstrated the breath of experiences residents and visitors enjoy in Dubai. Further, the huge level of participation has shown the passion that exists for our emirate and we look forward to this continuing to grow throughout 2015. We are delighted that contributions are being rewarded by being displayed on this huge screen – in addition to 300 elevator screens – giving those who share their #MyDubai story the opportunity to have their stories seen by millions of people.”

People who wish to share their stories of life in Dubai can do so by using the hashtag #MyDubai on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. A selection of contributions are displayed on the official Instagram account, @MyDubai, and also on the official Facebook account which additionally exhibits a number of films made about Dubai by filmmakers in the emirate. The official MyDubai Twitter account is @MyDubai.

About #MyDubai:

The #MyDubai initiative was created by HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, with a request for residents and visitors to join him in sharing photos, videos and stories on social media and show their experiences of Dubai. The intention is to celebrate the everyday lives of the people and communities of the Emirate and show the city that is beneath the landmarks, headlines and superlatives. A selection of the submissions can be seen @MyDubai on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, while a 2 minute film can be seen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ER6_WRX4BY