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Information and Culture
H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan has drawn up an
information policy depending on honesty, love, cooperation,
logic, right and justice. This is so aptly expressed by his
saying: "Brotherly dialogue only, and not media campaigns,
should be adopted in solving problems between brothers. The
Arab World is in need of media of such a kind - media that
help to realize reconciliation and cooperation, and to bring
brothers and friends together. This is the kind of media I
believe in and support; I mean media that do not sow enmity
between brothers."
Institutions and Centers for Scholarly Studies and
Scientific Research
If one looks at the young age of the Federation and the
standard the media has attained, one sees a picture of
success. Six dailies are issued in the UAE - Al Ittihad, Al
Khaleej, Al Bayan, Al Fajer, Al Wahda, and Akhbar Al Arab.
Although it is the quality and not quantity that truly
matters, this is a substantial number of newspapers for the
relatively small population.
As for quality, the form of these newspapers in terms
of paper quality, color photographs, the number of pages,
which is fifty pages in some cases, and their content -
inviting the best writers in the Arab World to write in all
fields of knowledge - give a clear idea of the progress which
has been achieved by the press. The supplements issued with
these newspapers also reflect the extent of progress achieved
by the press. The supplements in point are the cultural, Al
Sayim, the economic, and the science and medicine supplements.
On October 20, 1969, Al Ittihad was issued as a weekly
newspaper by the Information and Tourism Department in Abu
Dhabi. It became a daily newspaper on April 20, 1972. Al Wahda
newspaper was issued on August 16, 1973, and is owned by Mr.
Rashid Awaidha who is also the Editor-in-Chief. Al Fajer
newspaper, owned by Mr. Obeid Al Mazroui, was first issued on
March 17, 1973. The daily Al Khaleej was reissued on April 15,
1980 in Sharjah. The Al Bayan newspaper was issued by the
Dubai Information Department in 1980, using modern equipment.
A Pioneering Experience in Achieving the Balance between
Tradition and Modernization
The leader, Sheikh Zayed, emphasizes encouraging the
press to promote culture, science and knowledge and to bring
into focus the bright image of the modern UAE, as well as
acquainting the reader with what goes on in Arab and
international circles. It is to be noted that the press has in
many ways contributed to the development of individual
creative talents and to bringing into the spotlight people
with creative abilities in the fields of literature, culture
and arts. We must refer here to the role of English newspapers
in addressing foreign expatriates and carrying the voice of
the UAE beyond its borders.
The UAE press adheres jointly to a set of precepts that
govern their editorial policies. These are the consolidation
and support of the Federation and the policies of the State
with respect to progress, development, civilization and
development initiatives in all fields. In addition, it adheres
to the policy of enlightenment and creating a profound
awareness of Islam as a top priority, and local and national
issues as second priority. Furthermore, issues that concern
locals and expatriates are covered in a way that leads to
understanding the developments taking place in the Gulf, the
Arab World and the world at large. We must refer to the fact
that there is no censorship on the press, thanks to the
self-monitoring exercised by the newspapers through the Chief
Editors or their deputies.
Universal Cultural Development
As for magazines in the UAE, these are numerous. All of
them reflect the development and civilization in the country.
All of them strive for high quality. Some of them are
specialized, while others aim at satisfying a broad range of
interests. These magazines address and reflect visions,
horizons of knowledge, current issues and studies. Moreover,
they cover important developments with experience and
conscientiousness, so much so that many believe that the UAE
is first among Arab countries with respect to the press. These
are some of the magazines:
Shioun Adabia, Shioun Ijtima'iya, Al Muntada/ Al Shurooq/ Al
Muntada Al Adabi (ceased publication), Zahrat Al Khaleej,
Durrat Al Emarat, Kol Al Osra, Awraq (ceased publication),
Majid, Al Shurtha, Al Ayam, Shioun Thaghafia, Ras Al Khaimah,
Al Ain Al Sahirah, Al 'Aasimah, Ghorfat al Tijara, Al Riyada
wa Al Shabab, Manar Al Islam, Al Mo'alim, Al Marma, Al Majala
Al Tibiya, Dir'i Al Islam, Al Ightisad Al Islami, Al Computer,
Al Ghowat Al Jawia, Al Nas, Abu Dhabi, Al Tijara, Al Emirate
Al Yom, Al Tijara wa Al Sina'a, Al Rowlah (ceased
publication), Al Rafed, Al Jundy, Dir'i Al Watten, Al Islah,
Al Fan wa al Torath Al Sha'abi, Afaaq al Torath, Sawt Al
'Asafir (ceased publication), 'Alam al Handasa, Al Sada,
Shioun Thaghafia.
Some of these magazines are able to compete with other
magazines in the Arab World in both form and content.
Information institutions have
played a vital and significant role in highlighting the gains
and the achievements of the State on the international level
and in developing national culture by encouraging
intellectual, literary and creative production and cultural
programs, in order to keep pace with science and knowledge and
their attendant techniques in various countries of the world,
while preserving those values which represent the pillars of
Islam, heritage and inherited traditions.
The State warrants the principle of the freedom of the
press and considers it one of the pillars of its information
policy. The outcome of this has been a balanced and sensible
policy, and qualitative strides on the path of progress,
civilization and prosperity. The Ministry of Information and
Culture was awarded an international prize on May 22, 1997,
from the Union of Software Developers, in appreciation for its
distinguished role in protecting copyright since the
promulgation of the Law of Protecting Intellectual Property
Rights.
The UAE was one of the first countries to join the
World International Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
in 1975, and thus help preserve and encourage literary,
scientific, and creative works. In 1998, the Ministry of
Information established a website on the Internet for the UAE,
in the Arabic, English, French, Spanish, German and Portuguese
languages. The site is updated on a daily basis and visited by
millions of people throughout the world. The site uses
audio-visual and video technology and the Ministry
participates in international exhibitions.
The media in the UAE is indeed a source of pride. It
must be said that it has played a vital role in building up
the information system of the country. Its institutions are:
Emirates News Agency, Information Documentation Center, Press,
and cultural institutions such as: The Cultural Department of
the Ministry of Information and Culture, Department of Public
Libraries, Public Culture and Public Relations Division,
Plastic Art Section, Music and Folklore Section, Heritage and
Local Poetry Section, Archaeology Section, Writing and
Publication Section, Creativity and Intellectual Property
Section. It also includes The Emirates Center for Strategic
Studies and Research, The Cultural Foundation, Culture and
Science Symposium, Culture and Information Department of
Sharjah, The UAE Writers Union, Al Awais Cultural Award,
Studies and Documentation Center of Ras Al Khaimah, Aushah
Cultural Arcade, prizes for competitions on Arab Children
Stories given in the names of the children of H.H. Sheikh
Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and many more.
Television
There are four TV stations in the UAE, namely, Abu
Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman. The UAE, under the leadership
of H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has given special
care to these stations as they represent the most significant
means of communication with the public, especially after the
introduction of satellite channels, which can be seen in many
Arab and foreign countries.
In Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah there are several TV
channels to maintain communication with expatriates. The
United Arab Emirates Television started to transmit in black
and white on October 6, 1969, and the PAL color transmission
on January 4, 1974, through Abu Dhabi's main transmission
station and the relay stations in Al Ain, Umm Al Quwain,
Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Habshan and Jebel el Dhana.
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Dubai TV was opened on December 2, 1974, and began
regular transmission in 1976. Sharjah TV was inaugurated on
February 11, 1989. The Law provided for the cancellation of
Federal Law No. 1 of 1995, concerning the establishment of the
Television and Broadcasting Corporation, and the Federal
Decree No. 25 of 1977, concerning the establishment of Al
Ittihad Corporation for Press and Publication, because of the
merger of the two corporations.
These TV stations have succeeded in covering the most
important political, cultural, social and economic events, and
in presenting high quality entertainment programs as well as
general programs on science and knowledge. In addition to
this, they have participated in national and Arab events and
followed up all world developments in all fields. They have
also produced focused TV serials and have been diligent in
providing the best services in the realms of news, culture,
entertainment and economics.
The establishment of the Emirates Media Inc. by virtue
of Federal Law No. 5 of 1999, which was promulgated by H.H.
Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United
Arab Emirates, was a complementary step aimed at upgrading the
standard of information and media in the country, with
emphasis on national culture within the framework of the
general policy in these two areas, and consistent with the
elements of this policy which derives from Arab-Islamic
civilization.
One of the tasks of the Emirates Media Inc. is to
convey the information through audio, visual and print media
and to train and qualify interested Emirati youths for
different departments in the corporation, and to give
incentives to the talented. The corporation will assume
responsibility for all activities relating to the radio, TV
and press, including production, publication, marketing and
publicity. The corporation may establish other institutions
wholly owned by it.
Broadcasting
The Abu Dhabi Broadcasting Station and the rest of the
radio stations in Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al
Quwain have succeeded in establishing vibrant contacts with
the community and in realizing the objectives for establishing
them. They have conveyed official messages and ideas to the
citizens and foreign audiences, thus enabling the listener to
keep up with events and motivating him to take an active part
in the community and to contribute to nation building,
development and progress. Broadcasting stations have also
played an intermediary role between citizens and government
officials and have opened a window on the most significant
political, social, economic and cultural issues via news,
debates and related programs. They have also paid particular
attention to children's programs, addressing children's issues
in an attempt to lay the foundations of a policy drawn by the
State, whose goal is to make childhood a happy stage of life,
full of rapture and imbued with love for the homeland and
humanity in general.
Dubai Broadcasting Station is the oldest in the State;
it was previously called "Voice of the Coast." It has
transmitted from Sharjah since 1966. Later on, the name was
changed to Dubai Radio. Ras Al Khaimah Broadcasting Station
started transmitting on September 1, 1972, while Umm Al Quwain
Radio started official transmission in March 1978.
The transmission of these stations has developed
qualitatively and quantitatively and the number of
transmission hours has increased. The broadcasting stations
are modern in terms of the nature of programs and the kind of
technology used in order to cope with the times and to keep up
with the pace of development that the State is going through
in all fields.
The Press
Al Ittihad Corporation for Press and Publications
This is a public corporation that issues 4
publications. These are Al Ittihad daily newspaper, Emirates
News daily English newspaper, and two weekly magazines, Zahrat
Al Khaleej and Majid. The first edition of Al Ittihad
newspaper was issued on October 20, 1969, in Abu Dhabi. It
remained as a weekly newspaper until April 22, 1973, when it
began to be issued as a daily newspaper in eight pages. The
number of pages was increased to twenty-four, in addition to
some weekly supplements, the most important of which were the
political, Arabic and cultural supplements. It was the first
Arab newspaper to publish photographs in color. Then it was
followed in this by a number of local and Arabic newspapers.
As of the year 2000, it started issuing a daily supplement
titled 'Dounia' comprising cultural and literary files.
Emirates News was issued on October 30, 1969, in eight
pages. The first issue of Zahrat Al Khaleej was published on
March 31, 1979, and it is among the foremost Arabic women
magazines, enjoying widespread popularity. The first issue of
Majid magazine was published on February 28, 1979, and it is
considered one of the best children's magazines in the Arab
world and the most widely distributed.
The Arab and International Studies Center at Al Ittihad
Press Publishing issues a monthly file containing the most
significant issues and articles published in Arab and foreign
magazines and newspapers and which are of special interest to
top executives and businessmen. In a step whose goal was to
build a comprehensive information institution in the State,
the Council of Ministers approved in its meeting on June 22,
1998, the memorandum submitted by the Ministry of Information
and Culture, requesting a merger of the Broadcasting and TV
Corporation with Al Ittihad Press and Publication Corporation,
under one name, with the aim of establishing an institution
capable of competing in Arab and international circles.
Al Bayan Corporation for Press and Publications
This is also a public corporation. It issues the Al
Bayan newspaper and a weekly Sports and Youth magazine. The
first issue of Al Bayan was produced in Dubai on May 10, 1980.
Al Bayan issues a multi-feature weekly supplement. The weekly
Sports and Youth magazine is very successful. Its first issue
was produced on March 25, 1981. The first issue of the
specialized weekly economics magazine, Emirates Today, was
produced on January 2, 1996. In recent years the newspaper has
shown an interest in issuing daily supplements addressing
single issues. A case in point is the supplement titled Bayan
al Kitaab - a literary supplement reviewing new books - in
addition to the cultural supplement which it issues in the
middle of the week.
Dar al-Khaleej for Press and Publications
This is a private corporation that produces the Al
Khaleej newspaper, a newspaper distributed widely both locally
and in Arab countries, along with a weekly magazine Al
Shurouq, the women's magazine Kol Al Osra and a number of
periodicals. The first issue of Al Khaleej newspaper was
produced in Sharjah on October 17, 1970. The first issue of Al
Shurouq magazine was produced in June 1970. Al Khaleej ceased
publication after one year, while Al Shurouq did so after six
months. Al Khaleej was reissued on April 5, 1980 and Al
Shurouq on April 9, 1992.
On March 2, 1996, the corporation issued the first
edition of the weekly magazine Economist and, on April 16,
1996, the English daily newspaper Gulf Today, which is the
fourth English daily in the United Arab Emirates.
Al Wahda Newspaper
The first issue of Al Wahda newspaper was produced on
August 6, 1973, by Dar Al Wahda for Press and Publications. It
is a private corporation which issues the weekly magazine Al
Dhafra and the monthly social magazine Hiya.
Al Fajr Newspaper
The first issue of Al Fajr newspaper was produced on
March 17, 1975, and continued as a weekly newspaper till May
15, 1978, when it was reissued as a daily newspaper.
Khaleej Times
The first issue of the English daily newspaper Khaleej
Times was produced in Dubai on April 15, 1978. It also issues
a weekly magazine, a special supplement, the children's
magazine Young Times and a sports magazine in Arabic called Al
Hadaf.
Gulf News
first edition of the English daily newspaper Gulf News
was issued in Dubai on September 30, 1979. It also issues the
Gulf Weekly magazine and the weekly children's magazine Junior
News.
Akhbar Al Arab
Although it is a very recent publication, this daily
newspaper has asserted itself. It is published in Abu Dhabi
and addresses all spheres of life: cultural, social, economic
and knowledge-related issues.
In addition to all these newspapers and magazines there
are about sixty magazines and periodicals issued by official
institutions and authorities, professional societies and
sports, cultural and scientific clubs.
More than 3467 newspapers and magazines are circulated
in the UAE markets from all over the world, comprising 469
magazines, and 107 newspapers from the Arab countries, 1698
and 30 English magazines newspapers, 7 and 143 French
newspapers and magazines, 83 and 26 Pakistani magazines and
newspaper. 526 and 102 Indian magazines and newspapers, 85
German newspapers and magazines, 16 Italian magazines and
newspapers, 48 Russian newspapers and magazines, and 114
Filipino newspapers and magazines.
Emirates News Agency
The Agency (WAM) was established in the late 1970s and
began to work officially on June 18, 1977, by virtue of a
decree issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture in
November 1976. The Agency, together with the rest of the
audio, print and visual media, contributed to concretizing the
ultimate goal of the Ministry of Information in establishing
these media, namely, presenting a true picture of the efforts
exerted by the government and the people.
The Emirates News Agency has a broad distribution
network that depends on the latest and most sophisticated
systems and techniques to convey information via fax, telex
and satellites. The number of recipients of the Agency's live
transmissions exceeds 300 institutions, mainly news agencies,
newspapers, TV and radio stations as well as the UAE embassies
abroad.
The Cultural Movement in the UAE
Since culture is the heartbeat and brilliance of the
nation, and the element that indicates its prosperity, H.H.
Sheikh Zayed has been very keen on advancing culture in the
UAE to achieve, through it, a balance between material
development and enriching the intellect of the individual. On
countless occasions his voice resounded, repeating: "The
progress of nations is not measured by material wealth alone;
but the degree of originality a nation shows with respect to
achievements in the realm of civilization."
Culture, as a process, began through contact with
educational missions whose goal was to follow up the work of
teachers of religion. The writer Abdul Hameed mentioned that,
initially, the theatrical arts, story and novel writing, and
works of plastic art were very few and rare, relying on some
individual contacts with the outside world. But as the means
of transport progressed in the early thirties, the cultural
movement began to take shape and flourish, thanks to the
efforts of those Emirati youth who dedicated themselves to
meeting the demands of civilization, renaissance and
modernity. However, achievements in the field of culture
remained subject to highs and lows, subject to variations in
accordance with individual efforts since cultural institutions
were not known then. In this respect, we can refer to Ibrahim
Al Mudf'a, the founder of the Tamimiah Library, the great
poets Salem Al Awais, Mubarak Al Aqaily, Abdulla Al San'i and
Ali Rasheed.
The cultural institutions of the fifties and sixties
came to fruition with the foundation of the Federation through
the establishment of cultural committees, sports clubs, wall
magazines and bulletins which, in the fifties, were often hand
written.
There are many prizes allocated for science and culture
in the UAE, such as Khalifa Prize, Rashid Prize for Scientific
Excellence, Rashid Bin Humaid Prize for Culture and Science,
Khalid Prize for Students Cooperation and Excellence, Sultan
Al Awais Prize, Sheikha Fatima Bint Haza' Bin Zayed, the
prizes of the competitions of the children Sheikh Haza' Bin
Zayed Al Nahyan for Arab Children Culture, Sheikha Latifa Bint
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Prize for Children Innovations,
and so forth. There are many cultural competitions in the UAE
aimed at injecting vitality into the cultural atmosphere and
encouraging creative individuals. Examples are the Arts
Competition of the Ministry of Information, Girls Clubs
Competitions in each Emirate, the Competition of the
Dramatists Society, the Ghanim Ghoubash Competition for story
writing and many more.
There is at least one theatre in each Emirate usually
affiliated to the Ministry of Information and Culture, in
addition to public and private libraries. As for the theatre
in the UAE, there is no doubt its development has been
hindered so often since its dawn in the fifties. However, it
has succeeded in eventually occupying a prominent position in
the Gulf region and the Arab World. In the UAE today, there
are splendid directors and actors and elegant theatre shows.
Obaid Sandal says that the first play was shown in the
Omani Club in Sharjah, in 1958. It was titled Tawil Omr wa
Ashba'a Tamasha (The Longer You Live, The More You See).
Between 1958 and 1999, there were many shows and festivals
which manifested great advances in quality. The credit for
these goes to the government and its support for the theatre,
to the training sessions it holds and to programs to send
Emirati youth on study courses to Arab countries to obtain
qualifications in the field of theatre. If we study the UAE
theatre arts in the context of The Gulf Drama Festival or
Sharjah Theatre Days, we will be reassured about the extent
and quality of the theatre movement in the UAE. In what
follows we give a short résumé of the activities of the
cultural movement in the UAE over the period of a year.
1998: The Cultural Year of the United Arab Emirates
The year began with the Abu Dhabi Book Fair and was
closed by the Conference of Arab Ministers of Culture. The
crowning moment was the distribution of the Rashid Prize for
Scientific Excellence in Dubai.
The UAE closed the Year 1998 with a significant and
distinguished cultural event. That event was the Conference of
Arab Ministers of Culture in its 11th Session in Sharjah,
which was attended by all Arab countries. The conference
accomplished many objectives and made many recommendations,
which included establishing an Arab Satellite Channel, an Arab
Fund for Cultural Development, and issuing the Al Sharjah
Cultural Declaration, which confirms that Jerusalem is an Arab
city and calls for rejecting fanaticism and isolation and
taking a positive attitude in the dialogue going on between
cultures and civilizations on the grounds of mutual respect.
Sharjah: The Cultural Capital of the Arabs
The apex of the conference was another landmark
cultural event in the Arab cultural march, namely, the
selection of Sharjah as an Arab cultural capital for the year
1998 by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), in appreciation of Sharjah's cultural
achievements made in a few short of years and the success it
demonstrated in simultaneously blending aspects of tradition
and modernity. This intensive and distinct activity qualified
Sharjah to be chosen 'The Arab's Cultural Capital' for 1998 by
the Arab League. Mr. Frederico Mayor, the Director-General of
UNESCO, asserted that the decision to select Sharjah as the
cultural capital of the Arab World for 1998 was an auspicious
one because of its importance to the region. He explained that
the selection was not only based on the rich heritage of the
city, but also on the kind of cultural radiance it emits and
the role it plays in cultural milieu.
In November 1998, Arab Ministers of Culture held their
11th Conference in Sharjah, in response to a request by the
Ministry of Information and Culture, and a kind invitation by
H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, member of the
Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
Abu Dhabi Book Fair
The UAE began that year with another significant event,
the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, which was inaugurated
by H.H. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of
Information and Culture. The Fair comprised more than 60,000
titles displayed by more than 400 Arab and international
publishers. The Book Fair was commended by the cultural
circles, the participating institutions and the publishing
houses for the freedom that had prevailed in all matters
pertinent to book display and sales.
The UAE New Website on the Internet
Establishing a new website on the Internet for the UAE
came as crowning moment for the cultural drive which gained
significance during the year 1998. The site provides daily
information services in six languages to millions of users.
The importance of information came to prominence during the
UAE participation in the EXPO Exhibition in Lisbon, where the
UAE stand attracted more than two million visitors and became
the focus of the press and information media.
Production for Motion Picture "Media City"
Events of import came in succession. A case in point
was declaring the establishment of a "Media City" in the Al
Qouz Industrial area in Dubai, and The Cultural Foundation
announcing during the Book Fair the introduction of the "Nobel
Books" series, books that won the Nobel Prize, and a series
titled "All Time Books" whose aim is to publish world
masterpieces in the fields of the novel, poetry and other
literary genres.
Conference on Information and Technology
At the time of announcing the establishment of the
"Media City", the UAE hosted the 'Conference on Information
and Technology', which was organized by Al Ittihad Press and
Publications Corporation, the Lebanese newspaper Al Nahar and
the International Press Services and Information Technology
Association. International and Arab media experts described
the conference as an activity synonymous with the demands of
modern civilization and said that it had offered an
opportunity to develop "Media City" in such a way that would
make of it a motion picture producing city, equipped with
state-of-the-art cinema technologies in order to attract Arab
and foreign producers and to promote the Arab Cinema Industry.
In addition to this, the first Emirate Plastic Art Exhibition
was held in Paris to serve as a cultural rally whose aim was
to introduce the creative works of the UAE to the world.
Sharjah Book Fair
In November, H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al
Qassimi, member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah,
opened the 17th Sharjah International Book Fair which is
considered one of the most important Arab book fairs. It has
remained over the past years one of the most significant
cultural events in the region. The Fair presented, through its
functions, a bright image of the UAE, with respect to culture,
civilization, interest in intellectual activity, creativity
and books. During the period of the Fair, tribute was paid to
seven cultural institutions specializing in publishing and
distributing books. These were: the Abu Dhabi Cultural
Foundation, Dubai Culture & Science Symposia, Association of
Sociologists, Kuwait Scientific Advancement Establishment, the
Lebanon Library and Nahdat Misr. It was a good opportunity for
participants to exchange experiences, and to become acquainted
with the latest theories and information technologies, and to
keep pace with scientific progress.
Discussion on the Information Policy
The last week of the month witnessed one of the most
significant local cultural events, namely, members of the
Federal National Council discussed the policy of the Ministry
of Information and Culture in delineating national culture
through visual media, raising the level of citizens'
awareness, supervising the tourism sector and cultural
activities, and Emiratizing jobs in the media sector. H.H.
Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Information
and Culture, was present at the session. The most important
recommendation was the establishment of the Higher Council for
Culture & Arts, which was praised by and attracted the
attention of the press.
Multi-Media & Information Symposium
H.E. Saqr Ghoubash, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of
Information and Culture, opened the proceedings of the
symposium on printing, publishing and distribution media.
Rashid Prize for Academic Excellence
The last month of the year did not fade into
insignificance. There was the paying of tribute to 212
nationals who had shown academic excellence and won the Rashid
Prize for Academic Excellence in its eleventh session. The
ceremony was organized under the patronage of the Vice
President and Prime Minister, H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai. Prizes were distributed by H.H.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and
Minister of Defense.
Thus, the year was full of significant projects and
cultural events, doing justice to it being called "The UAE
Year of Culture." There were many achievements during the
year: the new Information and Culture Building in Ajman was
completed at a cost of two million dirhams, the UAE led the
world in the field of combating software piracy, the country
was able to make a significant achievement in protecting
intellectual property rights, Sharjah announced an award for
literary works, the first session of the Arab Universities
Forum was held, the awarding of the prizes of Sheikha Fatima
Bint Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was accomplished, and many
other goals achieved.
Sheikha Fatima Bint Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Arab
Children Story Award
Through the directives and support of His Highness Sheikh
Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the President of the State, the
Sheikha Fatima Bint Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan's Arab Children
Story Award came into existence. This award derives in no
small measure from the great vision and perceptiveness of His
Highness. The outcome has been the active interest that
Sheikha Fatima maintains in the field of child development
with a focus on equipping coming generations with Islamic
values and ideals through the encouragement of children's
literary production and through the contribution to the volume
of Arab classic literary works in this particular genre.
The Beginning:
The idea flourished on a beautiful morning in Abu
Dhabi, in early January 1996, when His Highness Sheikh Zayed
hinted at Sheikha Fatima's intelligence and sharp wit. Only a
few days passed when this hint gave birth to an award, which
was followed-up by H.H. Sheikh Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and
his wife Sheikha Mozeh Bint Mohammed Bin Butti Al Hamed. The
year 1996, which witnessed the first session of the award, was
devoted to planning the strategy of the award and to making
preparations for its launch.
Achieving the Target:
When the year 1997 dawned, the award was set to
establish its position, with unlimited support from H.H.
Sheikh Zayed, the President of the UAE, the patronage and
blessing of H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, and with the
encouragement of H.H. Sheikh Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the
close supervision of the author of this book.
In that year, there were six prizes and the winners
were paid tribute in a splendid ceremony. Similarly, the
winning stories were published in high quality volumes
illustrated by famous artists in the field of children's
drawings to enliven the events and animate the characters.
The First Stage of Development:
In 1998 the Award developed and the number of prizes
grew to ten. Moreover, a Higher Authority of the Award was
formed to promote it, enhance its objectives and bestow on it
the prestige it deserved.
That year, all the stories were printed and the Higher
Authority followed the award ceremony with a tribute to a
famous male or female literary writer. Also, in 1998 the
Chairperson of the Higher Authority of the Award, Sheikha
Mozeh Bint Mohammed Bin Butti Al Hamed, gave instruction to
publish a story by a well-known writer in the field of
children's stories that was not taking part in the
competition. She announced that the proceeds from the sales of
the published books would go to people with special needs in
the UAE and abroad. In response to this, the story titled
Waseem Goes Up into Space by Haith Yahya Al Khawaja was
published.
The Second Stage of Development:
In 1999, the Higher Authority of the Award announced
that in addition to the above, a critical book on children's
stories had been printed. It also announced the distribution
of an audio-cassette containing children's songs by the famous
Arab poet, Suleiman Al-Eissa, and started an extensive project
of converting the winning stories into cartoon films.
Moreover, the Higher Authority made a decision to publish a
number of stories by famous writers not taking part in the
competition. It also recommended that the stories should be
chosen from among the ones that took part in the competition,
received praise from the referees committee, but did not win
prizes.
A qualitative leap forward in development and
advancement took place in the great ceremony held under the
patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister
of Information and Culture, during which prizes were given to
the winners of the fourth session, 1999. The Award developed
into something greater and became known as Prizes of The
Children of H.H. Sheikh Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Competition
for Arab Children Culture. The prizes now include the
following categories:
* Sheikha Fatima Bint Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the Arab
Child Story
* Sheikha Salama Bint Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for
biographies written for Arab Children
* Sheikh Zayed Bin Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for Arab Children
Theatre
* Sheikha Mira Bint Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for Arab
Children Poetry.
By 2001, the Higher Authority for the Awards had
participated in more than forty exhibitions in Arab and
European countries, including Book Fairs in Abu Dhabi,
Sharjah, Tunisia, Cairo, Syria and Lebanon. The Higher
Authority also participated in the Bologna International
Children Book Fair in Italy and a book fair in France.
Development: Horizons and Highlights:
* In the Second Competition in 1997, the great Arab Poet,
Suleiman Al-Eissa, was honored. In the Third Competition in
1998, the great Arab Poetess, Fadwa Touqan, was honored. The
writer Salma Al-Haffar Al-Kuzbari was honored in the Fourth
Competition in 1999. In the Fifth Session which was held in
2000, tribute was paid to Dr. Jaber 'Asfour.
* The panel of judges was selected from different Arab
countries and from among critics, researchers, and those who
have a special interest in children's literature.
* The Higher Authority adopted in its assessment the process
of initial selection. After this, the stories that meet the
prescribed criteria are referred to the panel of judges
carrying serial numbers instead of the author's name, to
ensure an unbiased approach.
* The Higher Authority signed contracts with certain
publishing houses in the Arab World to print the stories in
luxury volumes.
* A cultural festival will be held every year to accompany the
ceremony of the Higher Authority for honoring the winners, in
which lectures will be given as well as debates held on
children literature and culture, in general.
* The Cultural Festival of 1999 was accompanied by the staging
of a play addressed to children, namely The Three Musketeers,
by the playwright Haitham Yahya Al Khawaja.
* The Higher Authority has participated in numerous book fairs
inside and outside the UAE.
* In the 1997 session of the Award, the first prize was AED.
8,000, the second prize was AED. 7,000 and so it followed.
* In 1998, the first prize amounted to AED.10,000 while the
second prize amounted to AED. 9,000 and so it continued.
* In the year 2000 the Higher Authority issued a low cost
edition, so that the publications could find their way to the
greatest possible number of children.
* In the same year the publications were subject to a notable
development. A page was devoted to the heroes of the story and
stickers were given for children to use when reading the
stories. The child uses a sticker upon completing the reading
of each page. Also, an appreciation certificate is attached to
attest to the fact that the child has finished reading the
story.
* When the Award became The Prizes of the Competitions of The
Children of H.H. Sheikh Haza' Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for Arab
Children Culture, the prizes acquired consistency with each
particular genre of creative work.
Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award
for Child Creativity
The Award reflects the deep belief of the Dubai
Women's Development Society in the fact that a child's
creativity is inextricably linked to the vitality of society
and to the way it views children. The award manifests a new
perspective on creative phenomena, which views the creative
works of children not as an echo of familiar sounds in
society, but as the sound itself in the present and the
future. The aim of the award is to develop the creative
faculties of children and to encourage the talented ones. The
award promotes competitiveness and scientific and objective
thinking. It also focuses on the enhancement of services
provided by different institutions for children by means of
encouraging superior performance.
By focusing on the creativity of the child, the UAE is,
as it were, using its many cultural pillars to lay down the
foundations that are indispensable for meeting the challenges
of the new century. In doing this, the UAE is building on
successes already achieved in the fields of information and
culture.
The UAE exerts efforts in pursuit of collective
culture, a comprehensive culture whose benefits are enjoyed by
Arabs everywhere in the Arab World and whose echo resounds in
countries across the world. The UAE is seeking a qualitative
transition to go into the new century equipped with strength
and confidence. This is important because the future is always
subject to variables. To maintain the identity of the Arab
individual intact, the UAE must arm itself with its
traditional culture, with deep knowledge, and strong immunity
against the invasion of alien elements. All this must be done
in accordance with the great principles of Islam.
In this context, observers note the attention given by
H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the
State, to these efforts and the way he emphasizes the
importance of building the individual in the UAE. To give
substance to this and avoid a descriptive narrative, I will
give some examples. These include the fact that the
transmission of Abu Dhabi satellite channel reaches Europe and
the USA; the "Sound of Music" is the first radio station to be
wholly devoted to heritage; and there are 21 theatrical groups
in the UAE. Moreover, Sharjah TV has been chosen as an Arab
cultural satellite channel by ALESCO. In addition to this, the
UAE is famous for the number and quality of activities it
hosts: symposia, conferences and festivals in the fields of
medicine, science, culture, knowledge, environment, etc.
In short, the UAE has provided an appropriate
infrastructure for progress, growth, and development and a
cultural life characterized by diversity and a variety in
terms of ideas, form and direction. Under the aegis of
governmental authorities, institutions and departments,
festivals and carnivals of music, folklore, the cultural arts,
and literary production are held regularly, as are exhibitions
of painting, art and sculpture and other forms of applied art.
The press has flourished, publication activities are
widespread, and a variety of information media has been
established. As for the UAE policy on freedom of the press,
the only condition is conformity to ethical and spiritual
criteria, and respect for heritage and social customs.
Sheikh Khalid Bin Saqr Al Qassimi Prize for Student
Excellence and Cooperation
This prize is awarded to students who excel. It
contributes positively and actively to the process of taking
care of such students in order to build the country. Every
year the prize widens its scope in an attempt to be more
comprehensive and to become an established academic tradition.
The prize proved to be useful and important, thanks to the
support and directives of H.H. Sheikh Khalid Bin Saqr Al
Qassimi, Ras Al Khaimah Crown Prince, who thinks that youth
and students embody the hope of the nation in the fields of
civilization, progress, and prosperity.
The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research
The Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research
(ECSSR), which celebrated its 4th anniversary on March 14,
1998, is considered one of the most important scientific and
research institutions in the UAE.
The Center plays a pioneering role in conducting
studies and scientific and analytical research on various
political, economic, social and strategic issues pertinent to
the UAE, and the Gulf region, in particular. It deals also
with the most significant issues and latest developments in
Arab and international circles, with the aim of being able to
deal with the present effectively and anticipating future
developments. This provides decision-makers with a perspective
based on quality information, accurate strategic forecasting
and detailed scientific analysis.
Under the directions and patronage of Lt. Gen. H.H.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chief of Staff of the
Armed Forces and President of the Center, the ECSSR has
organized dozens of international and local specialized
conferences, which have tackled many pertinent issues such as
energy and oil, Arab Gulf security, Iran and the Gulf, the
Information Revolution, development of human resources and
education. Prominent scholars and top officials from the UAE,
the GCC and the Arab World, in addition to foreign and
international experts, have participated and submitted
research papers.
Up to the time of writing this book, that is the year
2000, the Center had organized several symposia, more than
eighteen workshops, and seventy one lectures, dealing with
diverse and crucial subjects that concern the UAE and the
Arabian Gulf in particular, such as crisis management,
deterrence essentials, oil industries, negotiation techniques,
defense issues, border disputes and leadership.
During the year 1997, the ECSSR organized its second
conference entitled "Gulf Security: A National Perspective"
which was held in London in April 1997, and "Asian
Perspectives Towards the Arab Gulf" conference, which was held
in November 1997. The 4th annual conference under the title
"Challenges of the Next Millennium: Education and the
Development of Human Resources," was held in Abu Dhabi in May
1998.
Since its establishment and until March 1998, the Center
issued more than 86 publications, including specialized books
in the series International Studies, Strategic Studies,
Emirates Occasional Papers and Emirates Lecture Series, in
both Arabic and English.
The Center contains a very large and comprehensive
library that provides researchers and decision-makers with the
necessary information covering all fields of general study
(political, economic, and military sciences, history,
strategic studies, statistics, labor and demographics). The
Library uses an electronic index in both Arabic and English.
All services are provided for researchers, including
cataloguing of books and periodicals. Services such as lending
books and references and the selective search of information
are also provided. The Library maintains special archives on
the GCC countries and is linked to major international data
banks via the Internet.
In 1996, the Center established the largest and most
comprehensive database about the UAE on the Internet, through
which all the latest information is provided from the national
information sources. The existing database is considered as a
first stage, which will be followed by further stages, with
the aim of containing more than ten thousand pages in the near
future.
The Center has enriched the process of scientific
publication by means of producing distinguished works
comprising books and documented studies. During the first half
of 1998, the Center issued 17 new publications, including
books and scientific studies. Most important among these were
Gulf Security in the 21st Century; The Beginning of the
Cultural Renaissance in the Arabian Gulf Region in the first
half of the 20th Century; The Role of the Banking System and
the Central Bank in Developing Stock Markets in the Arab
Countries; Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of
Prosperity; Strategic Positioning in the Oil Industry: Trends
and Options; The Middle East Project: Its Dimensions, Pivots
and Inconsistencies; Arab Oil through the Prospective Future:
Milestones on the Path; The Concept of International Order
between Science and Theory; and The Information Revolution and
the Arab World: Its Impact on State and Society.
In 1998, the Center published a number of scientific
studies such as Transformation in the Middle East and Africa;
Sustainable Industrialization; Iraq in the Next Decade: Will
Iraq Survive until 2002?; US Foreign Policy after the Cold
War; and The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership: The Barcelona
Framework.
Important Cultural Institutions
Ministry of Information and Culture
The Cultural Department at the Ministry of
Information and Culture is concerned with the development of
State cultural institutions, especially those in charge of
cultural and theatrical activities, writing, publishing,
music, singing, public libraries (numbering 11 and containing
93,321 books), and cultural foundations, in addition to the
activities of the national folklore society and more that 27
other folklore societies. The national theater and folklore
groups have actively participated in many Gulf and Arab
festivals such as the Cairo International Experimental
Theater, the Damascus Theatrical Arts Festival, the Gulf
Theater in Kuwait, the Carthage Theater Festival in Tunisia,
the Gulf Theater Festival in Qatar, the GCC Theatre Festival
in Kuwait and the Palestine International Festival, held in
the Palestinian city of Bir Zeit, in July 1998.
The Ministry of Information and Culture offers annual
financial support to the theatrical and folklore groups. The
allocations to some active societies have been increased by 50
percent.
The Ministry maintains close cooperation with all the cultural
institutions in the State, such as the Cultural Foundation in
Abu Dhabi, the Information Department in Dubai, the
Information and Culture Department in Sharjah, the Culture and
Science Symposium in Dubai, the Juma Al Majid Center and other
institutions, which are concerned with the promotion of
culture.
External Exhibitions
Although the Fairs and Exhibitions Department of the Ministry
of Information and Culture has participated in more than 250
Arab, regional and international exhibitions since its
establishment in the early seventies, the participation of the
UAE in EXPO '98 in Portugal, from May 2 - September 30, 1998,
was outstanding and innovative because the department utilized
modern technology to display a blend of heritage and
modernity. The UAE pavilion covered an area of 1400 m2 in that
Exhibition which was the last world-wide exhibition to be held
in the twentieth century. The pavilion was designed in a shape
of a huge trading dhow, which was once used for traveling,
fishing and diving. Inside, there was a cinema showing a 3-D
film on the UAE, and its heritage and civilization. The film
was shot using the latest technology in the field of cinematic
3-D photography.
Outstanding Shows:
The UAE live shows concentrated on a number of main subjects
which were consistent with the slogan of the exhibition "Seas
and Oceans: A Heritage for the Future." The shows covered the
age of pearling, highlighted the biographical and evidential
materials relating to the discoveries of the Arab navigator
Ahmed Bin Majid, as well as the United Arab Emirates'
experience in using saline water in irrigation, its efforts in
the preservation and protection of the marine environment and
the establishment of marine natural reserves. The United Arab
Emirates' pavilion also contained a set of rare archaeological
pieces which were brought from different museums in the United
Arab Emirates, in addition to the ancient artifacts which were
used by man in times past, such as domestic tools, attire,
ornaments and jewels.
The quiz, which was organized as a
support activity for the first time during the Exhibition,
contributed to the process of introducing the UAE's
achievements in various fields and attracted the attention of
over 3.5 million visitors, placing the UAE in second place
among the 152 participants in EXPO ' 98. The idea of the quiz
was to set questions in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French,
Arabic and German, relating to information about the UAE, its
history, civilization, heritage and achievements and then feed
these questions into the computer. This encouraged visitors
from different nationalities to engage in reading the
publications issued by the Ministry of Information and Culture
in Arabic, English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. The most
important of those publications was the book titled Waves of
Time: The Marine Heritage of the UAE, which documented the
relationship between man and the sea in the UAE for more than
five thousand years. There was also The Abu Dhabi Island
Archaeological Survey, which was the first archaeological
documented study of the UAE islands of Seer Bani Yas, Delma
and Merawah. Moreover, there was a third book titled
Four-Fifths: The Ocean Planet. It contained rare pictures of
the deep parts of the different seas of the world, which were
taken by renowned photographers. In addition to these books,
there were also other introductory books issued by the
Ministry of Information and Culture, from 1997 to mid 1998.
The Cultural Foundation
The Cultural Foundation is located in the heart of Abu Dhabi
city and represents the apex of the cultural pyramid. It is a
distinguished cultural institution by virtue of the diversity
of its cultural, artistic and scientific activities that aim,
in their totality, to preserve the originality of local
culture and develop it through assimilation into Islamic, Arab
and international cultures.
The Cultural Foundation, which was opened in 1981, consists of
four main institutions: the National Archives, the Arts and
Culture Establishment, the National Library and the Center for
Documentation and Research.
The activity of the Center for Documentation and Research,
established in 1998, concentrates on the collection of
historical documents pertinent to the UAE, the Arab Gulf
region and the historical presence of Arab Gulf countries in
East Africa. The Center managed to collect more than 7,840,000
documents from British, Indian, Portuguese, French, German,
American and Ottoman documents and archives. In one of its
studies, UNESCO considered the Documentation and Studies
Center of the UAE as one of the leading Arab institutions in
matters relating to the documentation of events relevant to
the history of the country in an organized and chronological
manner.
T he Arts and Culture Establishment supervises intellectual and
creative activities by organizing lectures, symposia, art
exhibitions, poetry recital programs, cultural festivals,
concerts and cinema weeks and all other cultural and artistic
activities, such as the Art Workshop that organized more than
35 training sessions in painting during the year 1998, which
saw over 900 participants of both genders.
The National Library is, for all intents and purposes, the
cornerstone of the Cultural Foundation. It consists of more
than 400,000 Arabic books covering all fields of knowledge, as
well as 120,000 books in foreign languages. More than 135,000
readers visit the library every year.
The National Archives section, which preserves the national
documents of the State, contains more than six million
documents.
A new publishing section was established by the Cultural
Foundation in 1998, and it has been engaged, since September
1998, in publishing one book per week in the different fields
of education and knowledge, and at very reasonable prices.
The Foundation planned to establish a permanent model hall for
the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, within the 'Celestial
Sphere' project, at the cost of $30 million. This project aims
to highlight the role of Arab Heritage in Astrology and other
sciences. By the end of 1998 the Cultural Foundation had
executed the first scheme of its kind by issuing the Arab
Poetry Encyclopedia in CDs. Thus far, more than 7300 poems
written by some 38 poets from pre-Islamic times and until the
modern age have been compiled.
Cultural and Scientific Forum in Dubai
The Dubai Cultural and Scientific forum was founded in 1978.
It is concerned with the promotion of the cultural process and
the organization of different cultural events, specialized
exhibitions and book publication. Since 1988, it has also been
concerned with the organization of the Rashid Prize for
Academic Excellence to honor the Masters and Ph.D degree
holders, and students of the UAE University who occupy first
positions in their respective groups, as well as those
national students who occupy first positions in the general
secondary school certificate examinations. This is done on an
annual basis in order to support education and culture in UAE.
The first ceremony was held in 1989. On November 20, 1997 the
10th session of this Prize celebrated the honoring of 250 male
and female graduates state-wide.
The forum carries out an all-year intellectual program
comprising evening activities involving poem recitals and
important symposia to discuss all things relating to the
problems of intellectuals and their concerns, as well as the
kind of vision that sets them apart from the others.
The forum issues a set of scientific and literary books in the
field of human thought and some translated books too. The
scientific activities' committee of the forum takes special
care of amateurs in the field of science who have talent and
supervises the club devoted to activities in the fields of
Computer, Astrology, Electronics, Photography, and Carpentry.
A number of literary and artistic prizes have been introduced
recently.
Sharjah Department of Culture and Information
In the Emirate of Sharjah there are many active cultural
institutions. Foremost among these is the Department of
Culture and Information which was founded on April 30, 1981,
to help, with the assistance of other institutions, in laying
a strong foundation for cultural structuring in the State.
This Department has made great cultural achievements in the 15
years since its establishment. These include, for instance,
the Sharjah Book Fair, which has now become one of the most
important Arab Book Fairs and a very significant annual
cultural event. The Department also has organizes a big
cultural and technical festival for children every year, in
addition to the Sharjah Arts Biennial, an international event
which attracts hundreds of local, Arab and foreign artists.
The Department organizes a local theater festival under the
name the 'Eight Sharjah Theater Days,' with the aim of
supporting and activating the theatrical movement. In this
festival many competitions in different areas are organized to
create an atmosphere of friendly competition between the UAE
theaters as a means of encouraging distinctive theatrical
works. The 'Eight Sharjah Theater Days' festival has
established itself as a regular occurrence, as it continues to
attract audiences every year and presents novel and useful
works.
The Department has been effective in establishing affiliate
cultural and artistic centers. These include: cultural and
artistic centers such as the Cultural Center, Theater Hall,
Exhibitions Hall, Africa Hall and Children Cultural Centers in
the residential areas.
The Department has also established specialized museums such
as the Sharjah Art Museum, the Heritage Museum (Naboodah
House), Sirkal House, the Celestial Sphere and the Natural
History Museum.
The Department has established public libraries in Sharjah,
Khor Fakkan and Kalba, which contain thousands of books in the
various fields of human knowledge.
We also find in Sharjah the permanent venue of the UAE Writers
Association, the UAE Women Writers League, the UAE Plastic Art
Society and the Arab Cultural Club. Sharjah hosted the 14th
Conference on the Archaeology and Heritage of the Arab
Civilization on February 21, 1998.
During the year 1998, the Information and Culture Department
in Sharjah organized the 14thsession of the Child Culture
Festival. The Sharjah Intellectual Creativity Center was
founded in 1994 and began its production in November 1995 by
publishing and distributing the Encyclopedia of Islam.
In May 1998, the Department organized the 5th session of the
Child Culture Workshop, and, in November 1997, the Sharjah
Award for Arab Creativity to support creative male and female
writers in the UAE and the Arab World. In July 1998, the third
session of the cultural harvest festival was organized. It
continued for three months during which many exhibitions and
art, literary, scientific and information activities were
held. Moreover, 600 Arab and foreign publishers from 25
countries participated in the Annual Book Fair in its
fifteenth session.
Documentation and Studies Center in Ras Al Khaimah
The Documentation and Studies Center in Ras Al Khaimah is seen
as an important center for promoting the history, thought and
culture of the State. It is also considered one of the firmly
established cultural institutions, having been established in
early February 1986, and has been set the task of collecting
and preserving historical documents and publishing scientific
studies as well as providing researchers and learners who are
interested in the history of the State and the Arab Gulf
region with documented resources.
The Center has paid special attention to the task of
correcting misrepresentations and falsifications that are
found in some studies and books written by foreigners on the
history of the region. To serve this purpose, the Center has
held numerous conferences and historical symposia with the
ultimate goal of rewriting the history of the Arab Gulf
region. During the past ten years, the Center has published
many documentary studies. The most important ones include:
"British Colonialism in the Gulf," "The Relationship Between
the Arab Gulf and East Africa," "The Three Islands of Abu
Dhabi: A Historical Perspective," "A Comparative Legal Study
of the Iranian Occupation of the Three Islands," "Landmarks in
the History of the Qawasim," and "Ibn Majid and His Voyages in
the Indian Ocean," in addition to four volumes about the
famous navigator Ahmed Bin Majid.
At present, the Center is working on another collection of
important historical books, including the proceedings of the
symposia organized by the Center. The most important of these
include: "The Relationship Between the Arab Gulf and the
Indian Sub-continent," "The Historical Relations Between the
Ottoman State and the Arab Gulf," "The Search for Jalphar,"
"Al Qawasim Relations with the Local Powers in the Arab Gulf'"
and "East India Company and Its Relation with the Gulf
Region." The Center's Library contains more than ten thousand
very precious books.
Sultan Al Owais Award
The Al Owais Cultural Award was established in 1998 by an
initiative from the owner, the Poet Sultan Al Owais, with the
dual aim of encouraging youth to engage in serious scientific
research that would serve the cause of the UAE community, as
well as honoring and giving tribute to outstanding Arab and
Islamic personalities who contribute to literary, cultural and
humanitarian efforts in the Arab World.
These prizes offered by the Al Owais Foundation are among the
highest prizes offered in the literary and intellectual fields
in the Arab World. Since the first award session in 1990, a
distinguished group of pioneer artists have won the award,
such as the poets Abdul Wahab Al Baiatti and Mohammed Mahdi Al
Jawahri, the literary writer Edward Kharat, Dr. Nasir el Dean
Al Assad, Dr. Mohammed Khanim Al Rumahi, Dr. Awatif Abdul
Rahman, Dr. Yomna Al Eid, Nazar Qabani, Sa'ad Allah Wanos,
Sa'adi Yusuf, and other pioneers in the field of literary
works, poetry and Arabic criticism.
On June 12, 1996, the Al Owais Cultural Foundation celebrated
the 6th session of the Award, which was devoted to studies and
scientific innovation, with emphasis on the sector of
education in the UAE. The prizes were won by a number of
nationals of both genders who work in the field of education.
In the same session, the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies
and Research won the prize of the Cultural Institution of the
Year in appreciation of the role it plays in conducting
research and studies in the fields of science, politics,
economics, and social affairs relating to the UAE and the Arab
Gulf region, in particular, and the Arab World in general.
In July 1997, the Foundation paid tribute to the winners of
the prizes of the 7th session of the Award in which the Umm
al-Mou'meneen Women's Development Society of Ajman won the
prize allocated to the Cultural Society of the Year. On June
9, 1998, the institution celebrated the 8th session of the
award by honoring the winners, more than 66 researchers
participated in the session. The subject of the session was
the march of the GCC along various economic, political,
social, and cultural tracks.
The UAE Writers Association
The UAE Writers Association received the biggest support since
its establishment in 1984, when it moved into its new building
in Abu Dhabi. The building was allocated to the Association by
H.H. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of
Information and Culture, and was inaugurated in March 1998.
The building is located near the National Theater in the
Ministry and consists of an auditorium with equipment to suit
lectures, symposia, cinema shows, in addition to
administrative offices.
The Association's aim is to raise the standard of UAE writers
in terms of cultural repertoire and techniques, to defend
their rights and their property rights, to publish their work,
to strengthen relations with Arab and World Writers'
Associations, and to give guidance to talented youth and
activate the cultural movement in the UAE.
During the past years the Association has issued more than one
hundred titles for works by local writers and men of letters.
It has also organized many symposia and cultural forums in
collaboration with the national institutions of the State. The
most important of these include the scientific symposium for
reviving the legacy of Ibn Majid, three forums on writing
stories and novels in the UAE, and a symposium on literature
in the Arab Gulf, in addition to the first poetry week in the
UAE.
For six years the Association has been taking part in the
organization of the Ghanim Ghoubash Prize for short stories,
in addition to assessing many local competitions. The
Association has two branches: one in Abu Dhabi and the other
in Ras Al Khaima. The Association has joined the Arab Writers
Union and the Afro-Asian Writers Union. Moreover, it maintains
bilateral cooperation agreements with a number of Arab and
regional writers' associations.
The UAE Women Writers League
The UAE Women Writers League was founded in Al Mutanazah Girls
Club in Sharjah in January 1990, with the aim of contributing
to the organization of literary and cultural functions and
activities and bringing to the foreground the role of women in
the field of cultural and literary production. The League
publishes a periodical titled Ashri'a on a regular basis. This
periodical focuses on the writings of Arab women. The League
also organizes poetry recitals and story reading evenings by
local women poetesses/story writers or Arab women residing in
the UAE. The League has also organized a number of forums, the
most important of which is "Women and the Press in the UAE,"
the "Women Culture in the Gulf" week and "A Critical Overview
of Books by Arab Women."
Ausha Bint Hussain Cultural Arcade (Riwaq)
Also, one of the most significant cultural institutions in
Dubai is the Ausha Bint Hussain Cultural Arcade. Its program
comprises many activities, such as cultural and intellectual
events and prize presentation. The most important prizes are
the Ideal Mother Prize and the prize given for literature on
motherhood.
On November 14, 1997, the Ausha Bint Hussain Cultural Arcade
celebrated its 5th anniversary, an occasion on which HE Sheikh
Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and
Scientific Research, was given the Award of Gratitude of the
First Order. The award was also given to the late Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Khalid Al Nahyan.
During the ceremony, four mothers were awarded the Ideal
Mother Prize and another four mothers were honored for
devoting themselves to the raising of their children. Despite
the brevity of its existence and the fact that the Arcade is
privately funded, the Arcade has invited a great number of
influential Arab personalities in the sphere of culture. It
has also organized two important scientific symposia titled
"Towards a Framework of Modernity for the Arab Society in the
Twenty-first Century" and "The Arab Civilization Project," in
addition to a poetry festival titled "Let's Unite Through
Poetry."
Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage
To complete the cultural structure of the State, the
businessman Juma Al Majid has established the Juma Al Majid
Center for Culture and Heritage. This Center provides
invaluable services to academic and general researchers alike
by giving them access to all rare and important historical
references and resources as well as manuscripts. Since its
establishment, the Center has held a number of important
symposia, the last of which was a symposium on the writings of
"Travelers and Emissaries to the Arab Gulf Region Through the
Ages" which was held on February 8, 1996, in collaboration
with the UAE University and Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation. The
symposium included a book fair that consisted of 400 books by
travelers and emissaries and the letters they had sent, in
addition to a rare collection of ancient geographical maps.
The representatives of more than 50 regional, Arab, and
international scientific and cultural institutions
participated in the symposium. Furthermore, in 1997, the
Center organized a symposium on the history of Arabic printing
that incorporated an exhibition consisting of more than 200 of
the first Arabic publications.
The Juma Al Majid Center for Culture and Heritage has been
linked to UNESCO by a cooperation agreement since 1992. Dr.
Frederico Mayor, Director-General of UNESCO whose task
concentrates on collecting and preserving documents and
manuscripts and cataloguing them for the benefit of
researchers and those who are interested in heritage and
culture on the local and international levels, visited the
Center on May 20, 1996.
Moreover, the Center has signed a number of agreements with
Arab and international cultural institutions, such as the Al
Assad National Library in Damascus; the Research Center in
Istanbul - Ariska; the Book General Authority in Cairo; The
Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization in
Rabat; and the Russian Academy for Oriental Studies.
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