International Cultural Event
The Circus at Piccadilly was a cultural event which took place in London on the night of Sunday 2 September 2012. The United Kingdom has a number of cultural events which are celebrated on different days. The circus is one of the oldest events and it has remained popular for centuries.
Although some may view it as a sporting event, it has majorly been regarded as a cultural festival that demonstrates an age-old tradition among the people of this country. In this event, the artists try to defy forces of nature by walking on tight ropes, and making delicate balancing high up in the air to the amazement of the cheering crown. This particular event took place in the city of London when people least expected it (Gardner, 2012). However, it was well attended and people within the city celebrated as the artists engaged in their magic shows.
International Sports Event
Olympic Games are one of the most popular international sporting events. This event involves various sporting activities from track to indoor games. The sporting events take place after every four years, and countries are allowed to bid so that they can be permitted to host the games. Participants from various countries around the world attend this forum to compete in various sports in order to win trophies.
The Olympic Games was started in the ancient Greece. However, the modern day Olympics was shaped by the Great Britain in the 17th century. It was specifically targeting colonies of the Great Britain across the world. However, it has been facing various transformations in terms of the participants and the nature of games presented in such events.
The London 12 Olympic Games was hosted by the United Kingdom and it had well over 13,000 athletes and hundreds of thousands spectators who travelled from various parts of the world to witness the event. The athletes compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals (Scruff, 2012).
International Business Event
World Travel Market is a major tradeshow which is always held in London on a yearly basis. The show targets the players in the field of tour and travel industries. This event was organized to help in addressing the emerging challenges in the field of tourism and hospitality industries (Kinicki, 2011). In this event, top executives in these industries meet to discuss the emerging issues that affect their businesses.
The event is always well attended by the international players who come to create business networks with other corporate bodies in the supportive industries. In this event, there are always topical debate sessions, presentations, and interactive seminars. In such forums, the players are able to discuss issues about the emerging trends in the industries, national, regional and global threats, and other related issues that have direct or indirect impacts on their businesses (Ratner, 2012).
This event has been seen as an important forum for the formation of business partnerships both at regional and global levels. When the companies present in this forum identify the opportunities that can be exploited by forming a partnership with another firm, a deal would be brokered, and if the terms are acceptable, the organizers of the event would help speed up the partnership process (World Travel Market, 2014).
Abu Dhabi/UAE Cultural Event
Abu Dhabi Festival is one of the popular cultural events which take place on a yearly basis. Started in 2004, the event is organized by Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation under the patronage of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince. It has gained a massive following not only in the United Arab Emirates, but also in the regional countries. It has become the biggest classical art event in the country, especially after receiving support from the West for its support for cultural respect and tolerance.
In this event, artists present their creative works that are meant to demonstrate the creativity and cultural understanding of the society. The Ministry of Information and Culture has been working closely with other governmental bodies in other countries to make this event an international forum where Abu Dhabi can exhibit its rich cultural background to the world.
Currently, schools and colleges in the country have been participating in the competitive event. The organizers have targeted the learning institutions as the best forums to inculcate the culture of tolerance among the members of the society (Abu Dhabi Festival, 2014).
Abu Dhabi/UAE Sports Event
Football is the most popular game in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Football League brings together various local teams who compete for trophies at the end of the league. The event, which always takes place in Zayed Sports City, has a large following of the local football fanatics. In most of the cases, the games are scheduled at 9.00p.m on Mondays and Tuesday.
Although the games are managed by the Abu Dhabi Football League, the UAE Football Association has the oversight authority over it. The sport is supported by various corporate bodies within the country. The Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank is the main sponsor of this league. Other regular sponsors include Sport 360 and Wilson. The event is yet to attract the international attention (Abu Dhabi Football League, 2014).
Abu Dhabi/UAE Business Event
The international symposium organized by Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau has become one of the major business events which take place in Abu Dhabi on an annual basis. The symposium is supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture in its attempt to market tourism in the international market (Walker, 2005). The symposium is always attended by the local and international business entities in the field of tourism and hospitality.
In line with Abu Dhabi’s Economic Vision 2030, the government has been working with the stakeholders in this industry to ensure that the international tourists are attracted to the local market. The Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau has been given the mandate of organizing the symposium by the relevant ministry. Funding of the project comes from the government of Abu Dhabi, the contributions of the corporate participants, and other organizations within the country (Convention Bureau, 2014).
Comparison of the Events
The six events described above in the three groups have a number of similarities and differences. In this section of the paper, the researcher will compare the local and international events.
Cultural Event
There are a number of similarities between Circus at Piccadilly and the Abu Dhabi Festival. Both events seek to bring out the rich cultural practices of the societies where they are practiced. In both cases, there is a clear attempt to explain that although the society is diversified, there is a common destiny for all, and cultural tolerance is vital in achieving unity and prosperity.
However, the main difference that comes out between the two is that Abu Dhabi Festivals are well-organized events with clear dates and locations; the Circus is a sporadic event with no clearly defined programs. The Abu Dhabi Festival is sponsored by the government while the Circus is not.
Sports Event
The international Olympic Games and football games in the United Arab Emirates share a number of characteristics. They both have a large base of fanatics. Both games are very attractive to the corporate entities who consider them the best opportunity to advertise their products.
For instance, the Abu Dhabi Football has received financial support from the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and many other business entities that sponsor the games as part of their corporate social responsibility or as a way of creating awareness. Similarly, the Olympic Games have been receiving massive support from large global companies such as Coca Cola and General Motors. Despite these similarities, the two games differ in the number of audience, the nature of games, and the venues.
Business Event
World Travel Market and the international symposium organized by Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau share a number of characteristics in common. Both events seek to promote the national products in the international market (Jha, 2011).
They bring together players in the tourism, travel, and hospitality sectors in a forum that seeks to identify the common solutions to some of the problems they face in the market. These events have a number of differences which are worth highlighting. While the World Travel Market has been able to attract the local and international business entities, the Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau has only managed to attract the regional players (Bowdin et al. 2012).
References
Abu Dhabi Festival: ADMAF. (2014).
Abu Dhabi Football League. (2014).
Bowdin, G., Allen, J., O’Toole, W., Harris, R., & McDonnell, Ian. (2012). Events Management. New York: Heinemann.
Convention Bureau. (2014).
Gardner, L. (2012, September 3). Piccadilly Circus: Review. The Guardian.
Jha, A. K. (2011). Institutions, Performance, and the Financing of Infrastructure Services in the Caribbean. Washington, D.C: World Bank.
Kinicki, A. (2011). Organizational Behavior: Key Concepts, Skills & Best Practices. New York: Irwin Professional Publishers.
Ratner, C. (2012). Macro Cultural Psychology: A Political Philosophy of Mind. New York: Oxford University Press.
Scruff, T. (2012, August 13). London 2012 Olympics close with spectacular ceremony. British Broadcasting Corporation.
Walker, O. C. J. (2005). Marketing strategy: A decision-focused approach. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irvin.
World Travel Market. (2014).
Appendix
International cultural event
Gardner, L. (2012). Piccadilly Circus: Review. The Guardian.
International sports event
Cheer, L. (2014). I wanted to run away to South America and join the circus: Olympic champion Cathy Freeman reveals how she tried to escape the spotlight of fame. Daily Mail.
International business event
Fox, R. (2014). The lure of rare-plant fairs at Great Dixter and beyond. Financial Times.
Abu Dhabi cultural event
Adi, M. (2014). Headline act: Brazilian star Sergio Mendes to perform at Abu Dhabi Festival 7 Days.
Abu Dhabi sports event
Jose, J. (2014). Garcia back in the game thanks to Ahmed Ali. Al-Khaleej Times. Retrieved from
Abu Dhabi business event
Sylvia, M. (2014). Abu Dhabi business events to boost economic growth. Al-Khaleej Times.