Paolo Petrocelli

Paolo Petrocelli is an internationally recognized cultural leader, executive, and academic shaping the global intersection of performing arts, cultural diplomacy, and international development. He currently serves as Head of Dubai Opera, a flagship cultural institution at the heart of the Middle East’s evolving creative ecosystem. With over 15 years of leadership across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and the United States, Petrocelli has built a distinctive global profile advancing culture as a strategic driver of societal and economic transformation. He is the Founder and President of EMMA for Peace, a leading international platform promoting peacebuilding through music diplomacy across Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East, and Founder and Honorary President of the Italian Youth Association for UNESCO, the largest youth organization within the UNESCO system. Paolo is a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, a UNESCO Intercultural Leader for Peace, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He has been selected by Friends of Europe among the 40 most influential young personalities in Europe and nominated European Young Leader. In 2025, he was awarded the title of Knight of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, in recognition of his contributions to culture, the arts, and international cooperation.