Will Smith Captivates Dubai at Middle East Premiere of ‘Pole to Pole with WillSmith’ at The Sustainable City
Dubai, UAE – January 12, 2026: Global entertainment icon Will Smith took to the blue carpet for the highly anticipated Middle East premiere of National Geographic’s original series, Pole to Pole with Will Smith. The event, held at SEE Institute the region’s first net-zero emissions building located within The Sustainable City Dubai, brought together an elite guest list of government officials, regional celebrities, and leading content creators to celebrate the intersection of global exploration and environmental storytelling.
The evening featured a Hollywood-style experience that drew a diverse audience of celebrities, influencers, explorers, and sustainability advocates. Following a private screening of the first episode from the seven-part series, Smith was joined on stage for a live Q&A session alongside Allison Fong, Richard Parks, and Bryan Fry, a few of the scientists and explorers who accompanied him on his 100-day journey across all seven continents. Five years in the making, the cinematic docuseries follows Smith’s extraordinary journey across all seven continents, from the ice fields of Antarctica to the jungles of the Amazon, the mountains of the Himalayas, the deserts of Africa, the islands of the Pacific and the icebergs of the Arctic.
Engineer Faris Saeed, Founder and Chairman of SEE Holding, the developer of The Sustainable City, said: “In an age of rapid technological change, there is a growing need to reconnect with nature and rethink how we live. Pole to Pole with Will Smith reminds us that progress is not only about how advanced we become, but by how deeply we remain connected to our humanity and our planet. The cities of the future must not separate people from nature, but bring them closer, creating environments where technology supports life, communities flourish, and quality of life is elevated for generations to come.”
The event was produced by KS Konnect, a strategic consultancy founded by influential global connectors Kris Fade and Sarah Omolewu, designed to connect global talent, culturally relevant storytelling, and premium sports and entertainment IP with the Middle East. Operating at the intersection of media, culture, and influence, KS Konnect specializes in bringing world-class projects to the region through trusted relationships, local insight, and execution at the highest international standard.
Sarah Omolewu commented, “Hosting Pole to Pole by Will Smith in Dubai is deeply meaningful, both professionally and personally. Having worked with Will and his team for over a decade, it has always been inspiring to see his commitment to projects that combine purpose, curiosity, and global impact. This premiere reflects not only Dubai’s position as a world-class cultural hub, but also what’s possible when long-standing creative relationships are paired with a city that shares the same ambition for meaningful storytelling.”
Audiences in the Middle East can experience the full journey when Pole to Pole with Will Smith premieres on:
- National Geographic: January 13, 2026, at 8:00 PM (UAE)
- National Geographic Abu Dhabi: January 14, 2026, at 9:00 PM (UAE)
- Disney+: Streaming exclusively starting January 14, 2026
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For interview requests, additional commentary or high-resolution images, please contact:
Suhasini Rajpal – [email protected]
Nermin Al Zakhab – [email protected]
Pakinam Saeed – [email protected]
Nikila Zachariah – [email protected]
About National Geographic’s Pole To Pole Series
Five years in the making, POLE TO POLE WITH WILL SMITH follows Will across all seven continents, taking him from the icefields of Antarctica to the jungles of the Amazon, the mountains of the Himalayas, the deserts of Africa, the islands of the Pacific and the icebergs of the Arctic. Inspired by his late mentor to explore life’s big questions, Will throws himself into incredible challenges for 100 days: skiing to the South Pole, catching a giant anaconda, milking a venomous tarantula, climbing mountains, and diving under the ice of the North Pole. Guided by experts, scientists and explorers, Will helps make world-first scientific discoveries and forges profound human connections — from the Amazon’s Waorani community to the Kalahari’s San people — whose knowledge and resilience offer powerful lessons about our future on the planet. Told with a cinematic scale, access, and authenticity only National Geographic can deliver, this once-in-a-lifetime adventure blends cutting-edge science, environmental storytelling, and bold exploration.
About The Sustainable City
The Sustainable City is a resilient, scalable, and globally recognized working model for future cities, designed to significantly reduce carbon emissions while maximizing quality of life. Pioneered by SEE
Holding, it is a live-work-thrive community built on the integrated pillars of social, environmental, and economic sustainability.
Launched in 2015, The Sustainable City Dubai has been named the happiest community in the GCC, reflecting its strong focus on wellbeing, community, and sustainability. Powered by a productive landscape, renewable energy sources, water and waste recycling systems, eco-friendly product selection, and access to clean and shared mobility, the city enables residents to achieve up to a 78% lower emissions footprint while diverting up to 85% of waste from landfill.
Following its success in Dubai, The Sustainable City has been replicated and scaled across the UAE, including Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, and internationally with projects such as The Sustainable City – Yiti in Oman, positioning it as a blueprint for future-ready, net-zero emissions communities worldwide.
