Award-winning singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and global humanitarian Sami Yusuf will perform a special concert at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi on April 25 as part of the second Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Festival (OICF), which will take place in the UAE capital from April 24-27.

Held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance, the four-day festival - taking place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) - is designed to highlight the inherent positivity of Islam and promote global awareness of Islamic culture and celebrates the work of the OIC in fostering cultural diversity through elements such as art, music, and talents.

Running under the theme ‘One Nation Unified by Benevolent Cooperation, Justice & Tolerance’, the festival will unite nations from across the Muslim world in a tailored platform that sheds light on the cultures, traditions and values of the Islamic faith.

Yusuf, an Elite Ambassador for the UN World Interfaith Harmony Week and United Nations Global Ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme, will contribute to spreading the festival message of tolerance and unity and celebrate the beauty of cultural diversity when he brings his lyrics, widely acclaimed for bringing communities together through inclusive spirituality, to the UAE capital stage for a special performance in line with the Year of Tolerance.

A multi-skilled musician and composer, Yusuf rose to fame with the launch of his first album, Al-Mu’allim, and he has sold more than 34 million albums worldwide. Preferring to use traditional instruments over modern ones, Yusuf’s music draws much of its structure from traditional musical systems while his lyrics are inspired by mystical poetry.

Tickets for the special Sami Yusuf concert Emirates Palace start from Dh100 ($27.2) and are available online at Ticket Master.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Festival is free to enter and will run at Adnec, Hall 7, on the following dates:

April 24: 14:00 - 20:00
April 25: 12:00 - 20:00
April 26: 16:00 - 22:00
April 27: 12:00 - 20:00.   - TradeArabia News Service