In a first, Dubai launched its font, which was exclusively developed by Microsoft for the city and will be available in 23 languages. It is called 'Dubai Font' and was developed simultaneously in Latin and Arabic script and is available to 100 million Office 365 users around the world.

Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed al-Maktoum has asked all government institutions to henceforth, use the Dubai font in all official correspondence. Prince Hamdan who heads the executive council of Dubai, which manages the affairs of the city-state said the font reflects the UAE's vision "to become a regional and global leader in innovation".

Executive council secretary general Abdulla al-Shaiban told a news conference that it is the first font to be developed by a city and to carry its name.

The font supports 23 languages, including Afrikaans, Arabic, Britannic, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Norwegian, Farsi, Portuguese, Spanish and Urdu. Dubai is home to the world's tallest building and the largest shopping  mall in West Asia. In recent years, it has broadened its appeal by investing in technology and culture. The emirate last  year appointed a happiness minister as it aims to emerge as the world's happiest city.

Being the  most liberal of the UAE's seven emirates, Dubai had a footfall of around 14.9 million tourists in 2016. Dubai will host the six-month Expo 2020 under the themes of sustainability and mobility.