10 Apr 2025
This year, the UAE invites us all to reflect on a powerful idea: that community is not only where we belong—but how we move forward.
Under the tagline “Hand in Hand,” President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has declared 2025 as the Year of Community—a nationwide initiative running from January through December.
At ATÖLYE, we’ve long believed that communities are the catalysts of transformation. Whether designing learning journeys, reimagining civic spaces, or convening cross-sector collaborations, we’ve seen first-hand how community unlocks possibility, resilience, and shared purpose.
So when the Year of Community was announced, it didn’t feel like a new direction—it felt like a deep affirmation of the work we already hold close.
Rooted in the UAE’s values of resilience, ambition, and openness, the Year of Community is dedicated to fostering a united and empowered society. It aims to inspire behaviours that strengthen family and social ties, encourage shared responsibility, and unlock potential for sustainable growth.
ATÖLYE wholeheartedly embraces this vision. We believe that the power of communities to transform people, places and experiences—a change process we call community-powered transformation—is key to creating lasting change, and we are committed to empowering communities to come together and build a better future.
In alignment with the Year of Community, we’re building on our long-standing commitment to community-powered transformation with a renewed sense of urgency and intention.
We recently launched Community-Powered Dialogues—a series of curated conversations bringing together impact-driven leaders, community builders, and innovators. The dialogue featured voices such as Dr. Alamira Reem Al Hashimi (M_39), Dr. Sumayah Al-Solaiman (Ministry of Culture KSA), Paula Quintas (BMW Foundation), Kerem Alper (Neol), Fatma Al Khayat (ARKAT), Andreas Sommer (essentials now), and Thomas Swaak (ASML)—alongside other leaders in design, policy, and systems change. The series explores how communities can not only strengthen social fabric but also generate meaningful value for organizations, cities, and ecosystems. Watch the recap and join our Linkedin Group to be a part of the conversation!
We have also soft-launched communitypowered.io, a digital platform designed to connect changemakers, share practices, and catalyze collective action. By making the work of the community more visible and accessible, we aim to empower a broader movement of practice across the region. This moment builds on over a decade of experience nurturing communities that create meaningful change. Here are a few highlights that reflect our ongoing commitment:
Our work across the UAE and beyond reflects our belief that change begins with relationships. A few highlights:
…and many more projects focused on enabling collective impact.
As the Year of Community unfolds, we’re excited to partner with organizations looking to embed community at the heart of their impact. Whether you’re shaping policy, designing experiences, or leading teams—community can be your greatest asset. Here’s how we can support you:
Throughout 2025, ATÖLYE will be hosting flagship events and community activations across the UAE—designed to spark new collaborations, explore emerging practices, and celebrate community in action.
We invite you to join us—whether by attending an upcoming gathering, exploring our work, or reaching out to co-create something new.
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The Year of Community is a call to unite, collaborate, and contribute to the UAE’s collective future. At ATÖLYE, we’re excited to support this vision—and to walk “Hand in Hand” toward what’s next.