Abu Dhabi, February 11: The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is witnessing a distinct cultural and artistic mobility, thanks to the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) to boost the Emirate’s position on the world’s cultural map and make it a hub for major cultural and artistic events and activities, and a destination for artists and creators from around the world.
Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, ADACH Chairman, said in the occasion of ADACH’s fourth anniversary “that the Authority seeks to develop an ambitious strategy to promote and support culture and arts and has made a huge investment in order to achieve its numerous initiatives.
“The year 2009 was a crucial year in the work of the Abu Dhabi Authority of Culture and Heritage (ADACH). It marked its first step in the implementation of its comprehensive Strategic Plan 2008-2012. 2009 witnessed the transformation of ADACH’s projects into continuous institutions, in the uncompromising signs of well chosen projects, success, and a positive reception from the audience both locally and internationally,” said Sheikh Sultan.
Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Director General of ADACH, said that the Authority has, since its establishment, succeeded to a large extent in engraving its position on the world’s artistic and cultural map, thanks to the great and continuous support of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and his vision of Abu Dhabi as a global cultural hub which is becoming a reality.
“This strategic vision, through the hard work of ADACH’s staff, is becoming a milestone of pride for each employee” Al Mazrouei added pointing that the year 2009 was important to both ADACH and the public.
ADACH continued its efforts to preserve Abu Dhabi’s heritage in all its forms, tangible or intangible, and persistently maintained its efforts to develop and preserve it; in 2009 ADACH achieved a lot in this regards such as rehabilitate historical buildings in the Abu Dhabi Emirate and it launched initiatives to renovate existing museums and to build new ones.
The inauguration of Al Jahili Fort was a step forward in the effort to rehabilitate the civil heritage of Abu Dhabi and an important stage in its aspirations to develop museums.
In addition to that , ADACH produced “Zayed and the Dream” play: a memorable artistic creation to commemorate the life and times of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of modern UAE.
Last year, the Authority organised Zayed the Great Centenary, a year long event to recall the achievements of one of the Abu Dhabi founding fathers in a step to highlight the bright history of fathers and pass it to the new generations. The event is still going on in cooperation with number of governmental authorities in Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi Heritage Village in the Falconry Festival in England marked the important presence of ADACH and helped to promote Abu Dhabi and its heritage on the world stage.
The UNESCO Intangible Heritage Meeting hosted by ADACH last year with participation of 114 countries, was another effort to bridge cultures and the heritage of nations, especially the intangible ones. Result: Abu Dhabi Declaration of Safeguarding World Intangible Heritage.
ADACH led the efforts to present the file to register falconry as a Humanity Heritage with UNESCO, along with twelve other Arab and foreign countries.
In arts, ADACH continued its efforts in support of creativity in music, art, cinema, and theatre through interaction between UAE people and the world such as Abu Dhabi Classics: a non-classical success of a classical event in its first year, in a region thought to be far removed from world classical music.
WOMAD Abu Dhabi: The best of world pop music and dance are shown in this international festival, hosted on Abu Dhabi Corniche.
Sounds of Arabia: Arab singing (tarab) and music take their place in the art interest of Abu Dhabi.
“Richard III: An Arab Tragedy” play: a projection of Shakespeare’s masterpiece onto modern Arab affairs.
“Islam: Faith and Worship”: a view on the best of Muslim heritage shown in Turkish museums.
Al Ain Islamic Music Centre: a preliminary step towards the celebration of music in the Islamic World.
The Middle East International Film Festival: a marked participation of cinema, its makers, stars and critics, with a good presence for “The Emirates Film Contest”.
The Circle Conference: ADACH draws a roadmap to invest in the film and content industry.
Abu Dhabi Platform in Venice Biennale: The modern visual arts of Abu Dhabi shown in the world’s most prestigious art festival.
ADACH launched Hamdoun, a thematic character, to assist in communicating with children using different forms of media.
In the age of popular culture, ADACH attracts the attention of people belonging to their own culture, through contests and festivals:
Million’s Poet Contest: the Arab World’s most popular poetry contest and TV show, now in its fourth year. Never in the history of Arabic shows did a program manage to attract the attention of tens of millions of viewers as the Million’s Poet for Nabati poetry.
Prince of Poets Contest: bringing to life the interest in classical Arabic poetry after its decline in the face of Western pop art.
Al Dhafra Camel Festival: A third year of celebrating the Bedouin culture and a vital step in making Al Gharbia (the Western Region) a heritage tourism destination. There are many interesting activities: a camel beauty contest, camel races, a traditional market, poetry, dates, and photography. Result: history’s biggest ever gathering of camels and breeders.
Liwa Date Festival: a cultural, economic and tourism carnival in one of Abu Dhabi’s most interesting cities. A celebration of date palms and everything related to it: diet, cloths, culture and traditions.
International Exhibition of Hunting and Equestrian, Abu Dhabi 2009: another astonishing success for the world’s most important hunting exhibition. The British Royal Cavalry had an outstanding level of participation. Result: participation of 573 companies from thirty-seven countries.
ADACH achieves great leaps forward in the world of book publishing. Here are few highlights:
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: the fair changed the concept of book fairs in the Arab World. No more book bazaars. Result: participation of 650 publishers from 53 countries.
ADACH continued efforts to host the International Publishers Association (IPA) Copyright Symposium for the first time in Middle East. Result: the Executive committee of the IPA praised ADACH’s relentless efforts to be a professional forum for copyright both in the region and worldwide.
Sheikh Zayed Book Award consolidated its world-class position and expanded its international relations with other leading prizes and awards, such as the Nobel Prize.
The National Library continues with its publications, especially through its publishing projects Qalam and Travelers of the Orient Series.
Kalima: The Arab World’s most important translation project transforms itself into a translation institution that attracts the works of world renowned writers.
The Abu Dhabi Poetry Academy continues to attract students from the Arab World, publishes more poetry and literature books and paves the way for young poets to show their talents to a wider audience.
—Agencies