I ended up at this meetup thanks to an invitation from Sasha Kosova from Wonderdom Reality — and I'm really glad I did.
The conversation we were missing
The DZCH community (Dubai of a healthy person) brought people together not for networking and not for pitches, but for a real conversation: what's happening, how are you holding up, what helps.
For a month now, business in the UAE has been living in limbo — the Iranian situation, growing fatigue from uncertainty, the feeling that the ground is shifting a little under your feet. Everyone feels it, but few talk about it out loud.
Here — they talked.
Speakers and a lively discussion
Four speakers: Taras Kozyk, Sasha Kosova, Kristina Furaeva, and Nikita Likhachyov. No one pretended to have all the answers. They shared what actually helps them — and that was far more valuable than any expert talk.
After each talk, the room came alive: people in the audience started sharing their own stories, and the format naturally turned into a panel discussion where speakers and guests spoke as equals.
Overall mood? Nobody knows what will happen. But nobody is exactly rushing to leave either — which in itself says a lot.
DOM Art Projects — an unexpected discovery
After the meetup, we got a tour of the space, and that turned out to be a discovery in its own right. DOM Art Projects is a new private art institute that opened in November 2025 on Al Khayat Avenue in Al Quoz.
It was founded by Anna Pumpyanskaya and Alisa Bagdonayte — with the idea of creating not just a gallery, but a living place: with artist residencies, an educational program, an art bookstore, and museum-level exhibitions.
The name DOM itself — “house” in Russian and “always” in Arabic — says a lot. The space feels exactly like that: not a cold white cube, but a place you want to return to. In April they have a major program — a debut at Art Dubai and a new group exhibition, “Time That Grows Slowly.” Definitely worth following.
About the organization
The meetup was organized flawlessly — Smart Catering, a cozy atmosphere, no corporate stiffness. This is exactly how good gatherings should look: when you leave not with business cards, but with the feeling that you were heard a little.
Vibe check: how does Dubai feel
The DZCH team did something interesting — the Telegram bot “DZCH Vibe,” which measures the pulse of the community in real time. A short questionnaire, and you can see how everyone else answers.
At the time of the meetup, the community's overall vibe was 62%, “pretty normal.” 1% more anxious than yesterday.
A few numbers that speak for themselves:
∙ 87% believe things will work out — but 51% have already cancelled plans because of alarming news
∙ 79% are reading more news than usual, not less
∙ 54% have stocked up a bit on water and groceries
∙ 87% plan to stay in the UAE over the coming year
∙ 100% felt that Eid al-Fitr this year passed more quietly than usual
∙ 81% feel the effects of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz in everyday life
∙ 65% say business has already felt the effects of the escalation
The picture is honest: people are holding on, not leaving anywhere, but the background anxiety hasn't gone anywhere. That's exactly what was discussed at the meetup.
Take the vibe check here → t.me/dzch_vibe_bot
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