War puts the Gulf’s once‑packed conference calendar on hold

As war grounds flights and threatens to destabilize the region's carefully built future, events from cultural to crypto have been quietly rescheduled.

Before the Middle East war, the Gulf had positioned itself to become one of the world's busiest hubs for conferences, exhibitions, and high‑level events.

The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have each worked hard to be seen as the crossroads for business, politics and innovation, hosting global sporting events from Formula 1 to high-stakes boxing championships and top-tier golf tournaments.

The Gulf has also welcomed global CEOs, home to major business gatherings like the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Web Summit in Doha and Abu Dhabi Finance Week.