Dubai Culture’s campaign aims to promote the historical legacy of United Arab Emirates for the next generations
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and Chairman of the Ajman Executive Council, has contributed to ‘Let’s Preserve the Legacy’ campaign by donating the personal dagger, passport , official seal, pocket watch, and eyeglasses of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman and Member of Federal Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates at the time, and one of the signatories on the union agreement in 2nd December, 1971.
The contribution by His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi comes in response to the invitation to support the ‘Lets Preserve the Legacy’ initiative by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inviting the community to donate items to establish and build the collections of the Etihad Museum.
His Highness Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi’s contribution was driven by his strong believe in the leading role that Etihad Museum will play in preserving the nation’s history and that the museum will represent a historical and national icon containing documents, pictures, and artefacts from private collections that will benefit the young Emirati generations in their academic, practical and social lives.
His Highness Sheikh Ammar praised the attention that the wise leadership of the UAE is providing to the heritage sector through Etihad Museum, which reflects a true representation of the historical establishment of the UAE Union. This museum will serve to further empower current and future Emirati generations, contributing towards their collective pride and cultural identity, and inspiring them to follow in the footprints of the Union’s Founding Fathers.
His Highness Sheikh Ammar said: “Since the UAE’s inception it has been led by honest men who have stayed true to their words and carried the torch of the Union forward, including the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who first ignited the flame of the Union in the company of the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Successfully following in the same path today is His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates.”
His Highness Sheikh Ammar also praised His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai initiative to launch ‘Let’s Preserve the Legacy’ campaign to support the Etihad Museum’s collections. His Highness Sheikh Ammar encouraged the public to become involved in this vitally important campaign, as it is a true honour for each citizen to contribute towards this national landmark that bears the name, symbol and meaning of the UAE Union. His Highness described how the UAE public should take pride in this museum, which spans from the first dream of becoming one nation to its current status as an exemplary progressive state, that maintains a pioneering role in human and social development, and which enjoys political stability and security.
His Highness Sheikh Ammar added: “The creation of the Etihad Museum is a great celebration of the UAE and recognises the great iconic personalities who played a great role in the history of the UAE, as the museum will document the events and developments of that time.”
His Highness continued: “Our support for the creation of this national landmark stems from our belief in the leading role that the museum will play in documenting the history of the UAE, which reflects the level of development, progress and sophistication that the country has reached today. Museums play an important role in maintaining national culture, and developing and encouraging Emirati culture amongst the public is a national responsibility.”
His Highness Sheikh Ammar emphasised the importance of documenting events that lead to the Union, as the UAE is considered to be a modern Arab world success story, and the subject of a great many academic studies as well as a shining example to follow in the East and in the West.
His Highness Sheikh Ammar added: “The Union has a special meaning for each and every UAE citizen, as it empowers them with feelings of pride and dignity. The date of the Union’s signing marks a pivotal change in the lives of Emiratis, as it represents the foresight, honesty and patience of the Union’s Founding Fathers, who laid the foundations to a modern state, from which we have collectively built upwards to the upper echelons of progress and development.”
His Highness added: “Under the Union’s umbrella, the values of cooperation and collaboration have been leveraged amongst the loyal people of the UAE, who were together able, under the directions of our wise leadership, to establish a stable Union that has stood strong in the face of all challenges. This state, which has gathered and united the thoughts and the efforts of its people, was all made possible due to the coming together of the UAE’s rulers, who sought to establish a landmark for humanity. Furthermore, they created key pillars which have built towards catering to the fundamental needs of their people including culture, healthcare, society, education, sports and security. Through its great achievements, the Union has kept our nation resilient, secure and stable.”
His Highness Sheikh Ammar praised the efforts of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority to maintain the heritage of our fathers and grandfathers, and to showcase their legacy to Emirati citizens and the whole world. His Highness wished the Authority and its management the greatest success with their noble efforts.
The ‘Let’s Preserve the Legacy’ initiative is open to all members of the community. The initiative will accept contributions in the form of historical photos and collections related to the Union of the United Arab Emirates in 1971. Individuals and institutions can contribute their related collections by contacting Dubai Culture on (Etihad.museum@dubaiculture.ae) or by calling the following number (04-5155159).
Through a unique visitor journey, Etihad Museum presents experience-driven exhibitions, interactive programmes and education initiatives that explore the chronology of events that culminated in the formation of the Union of the Emirates in 1971, with a key emphasis on the period between 1968 and 1974. Through interactive exhibits and learning programmes, the museum tells the story of the Union’s creation from the perspective of the country’s leaders. The experience also aims to educate visitors about the nation’s constitution, in particular the rights, privileges and responsibilities that it bestows upon the people of the UAE.
Dubai Culture’s responsibilities include managing and supervising Dubai’s museum and heritage sites, as well as preserving their historical and cultural significance. Furthermore, the Authority oversees the museums’ daily operations, in addition to the development of educational initiatives to enhance the learning experience. For this flagship UAE project, the Authority is responsible for the day-to-day management of the museum, development of educational programmes, and curation of permanent and temporary exhibitions.
About Dubai Culture & Arts Authority:
The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) was launched on March 8, 2008 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in order to drive the growth of the city’s artistic and cultural landscape. The Authority has grown to play a major role in the realisation of the Dubai Plan 2021, to highlight Dubai as a thriving capital for creative industries and further embed the Emirate’s credentials as a city of happy, creative and empowered people.
As part of its mandate, Dubai Culture has several initiatives that are focused on strengthening both the historic and modern cultural fabric of Dubai, including Dubai Art Season – the city’s premier umbrella arts initiative which kicks off with Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and encompasses Art Week including Art Dubai, Design Days Dubai, and SIKKA Art Fair, Middle East Film & Comic Con, SIKKA Art Fair – an annual event aimed at promoting Emirati and local artists in the UAE and the wider GCC region, Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre – an annual festival that fosters the art of theatre in the UAE and that is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2016, and Dubai Next – a dynamic platform that aims to showcase the Emirate’s cultural ethos and its vibrant creative scene on the global stage.
The Authority’s other key initiatives include Creatopia the nation’s first government empowered virtual community that guides and nurtures the creative culture of the nation and provides a platform of information and opportunities that lead to exposure and personal growth.
Dubai Culture also plays a leading role in support of the UAE National Strategy for Reading 2026, in particular by undertaking a major refurbishment of all Dubai Public Libraries branches to transform them into state-of-art cultural and artistic hubs. Across all of its branches, Dubai Public Library also provides children and young adults with a range of educational and entertaining activities that encourage the use of its facilities. The ‘Our Summer is Filled with Culture & Arts Programme’ is a Dubai Public Library initiative which complements the UAE National Reading Strategy, with its activities open to all age groups, and which revolve around four key themes: happiness, reading, family and the future.
The Authority also manages more than 17 heritage sites across the Emirate, and is a key government stakeholder in the development of the Dubai Historical District. As the custodian Authority of Dubai’s museum sector, Dubai Culture will officially launch Etihad Museum in December 2016. The museum will provide a platform to encourage cultural exchange and to connect Emirati youth with their culture and history. As part of the Authority’s mandate to support Dubai’s vision of becoming the focal point of diverse cultural exchange (regionally & globally), all of its museums will provide a catalyst to preserve Emirati Heritage.
