In the era of Khalifa.. Culture is a bridge of openness to the world

Saad Abdul Radi (Abu Dhabi)

Solid and strong cultural bridges, formed by the United Arab Emirates during the era of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, bearing in their meanings its high values ​​system, and the principles of its inherited humanity, established by the late founder Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. May God rest his soul.” The message of these cultural bridges, in their lofty content, consolidates tolerance, coexistence and peace, and spreads everything that would enhance these values ​​and establish solid and deep human relations, which made the state a unique human model that has received unique global praise, given all the high-level models of progress that the state presents to the world. Civilization and openness along with valuing and preserving its identity and its authentic Arab heritage.
In its relations with other countries of the world, the UAE establishes cultural bonds that link its high human values ​​system with the values ​​of its partners in the global humanitarian scene. advanced world.

The Emirates and France.. Dialogue of Civilizations
The cultural partnership between the UAE and the French Republic has witnessed a great growth over the past years. The year 2018 was declared the year of cultural cooperation between the UAE and France. Accordingly, a French-language radio was launched in the UAE, presenting its contents three times a week. In the same year, the UAE also became an associate member of the International Organization of Francophonie, and 2018 witnessed a major cultural event, which was the opening of the Louvre Museum in Abu Dhabi, becoming the first international museum in the Arab world and the largest French cultural project abroad, which made the French president, the moment of its inauguration. , confirms that the opening of the Louvre is a universal message to promote dialogue among civilizations.
It is also worth noting that in 2006, an agreement was signed to establish the Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi. The cultural cooperation between the UAE and France also contributed to the establishment of an international alliance to protect heritage in conflict areas. The two countries provided $45 million for this purpose, in cooperation with UNESCO. The UAE provided 5 million euros to support the Arab World Institute, located in the French capital, Paris, in 2017, and in the same year opened the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Hall at the Louvre Museum in Paris. In addition, the UAE’s contribution to the restoration of the Imperial Theater of the Palace of Fontainebleau near Paris with an amount of 10 million euros, and the name of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, was given to this ancient theater.

The UAE and America.. solid relations
The cultural relations between the UAE and the United States of America are well-established and solid, with an extended and diverse history, which is difficult to enumerate in these lines. These days, the Smithsonian Folklore Festival, which is held annually in the American capital, Washington, celebrates the UAE and introduces its ancient history, and what is rich in It has cultural, artistic and creative achievements, and highlights its role and position in embracing many prestigious cultural events that gather the world and its intellectuals on its land.
The festival, which raises the slogan “The United Arab Emirates: A Vibrant Scene and Immortal Memories”, and is held at the “National Shopping Center”, presents a cultural and artistic program to celebrate with the American and international audience in the UAE. More than 80 craftsmen, creators and musicians from the UAE. Through it, they learn about a great and ancient heritage of Emirati and Arab arts and culture, and the official representation of the country is led by the Ministries of Culture and Youth, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, as well as the UAE Embassy in Washington, DC.

The Emirates and Britain.. Extended cultural ties
In terms of the extended cultural relations between the UAE and Britain, 2017 witnessed the program “The Year of Creative Cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates (UK/UAE). The program was celebrated in a manner that embodies the depth of these relations, the strength of cultural exchange between the two countries, and the celebrations of the extended relations between them, as well as to promote Established bilateral cultural and economic ties. It also had the support of the Great Britain Campaign. The program, which was held throughout 2017, included many events and events, including musical performances, exhibitions of handicrafts, lessons by experts and educational workshops.

UAE and Germany.. Joint projects
Cultural relations between the UAE and Germany also witnessed a wide development during the era of the late Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, so the German Cultural Center “Goethe Institute” was opened in Abu Dhabi in 2006, to be a platform for teaching German in the country. The Emirates and a center for the definition of culture, identity, literature and art in Germany.
There are also many joint cultural projects between the two countries to highlight the civilized identity of each, including cooperation in managing book fairs, and the announcement by the Department of Tourism and Culture – Abu Dhabi to choose Germany as the guest of honor for the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair in 2021 and 2022, after signing a memorandum of understanding with the Frankfurt Fair. The International Book Fair is the largest and oldest exhibition in the book and publishing industry in the world. In 2007, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage launched the “Kalima” project, which aims to translate human knowledge in literature, thought and science from different languages ​​of the world into Arabic. An agreement was signed between the Abu Dhabi Authority and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in 2009 to translate books from German into The Arabic language, as the University of the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Linguistics and Translation (FTSK) is one of the most prestigious European academic and research institutions in the field of translation, and the last two editions of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair witnessed many of these translations between books in the two countries.
With regard to museums, a declaration of intent was signed between the Sharjah Museums Authority, the Berlin State Museums Authority, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, the Faculty of Technical Sciences and Economics in Berlin, and the Goethe-Institut in the Gulf region in 2013, and according to this agreement, the SAWA Academy was established as a joint initiative. To train students in the field of museum studies and specialists in this field from the Middle East and Germany.
The UAE and Italy… the depth of relations
On the level of cultural relations between the UAE and Italy, the year 2019 witnessed the meeting of Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, with her Italian counterpart, Alberto Bonisoli, where they discussed areas of joint cooperation between the two countries and ways to enhance Emirati-Italian cultural relations through the establishment of joint cultural and artistic projects. Noura Al Kaabi with the Mayor of Venice, Luigi Bonnaro, and the President of the Venice Biennale, Holo Barata, to develop the cultural partnership between the Emirates represented by its national pavilion in the Biennale, and the city of Venice with its cultural institutions and ancient tourist monuments on the map of global tourism in general, and cultural tourism in particular. The meeting dealt with the role that cultural diplomacy plays in bringing the two countries closer together, spreading the values ​​of tolerance and openness to the other, and learning about and appreciating their culture, through international cultural forums such as the Venice Biennale.
Recently, the Sharjah Book Authority announced the selection of Italy as the guest of honor for the 41st session of the Sharjah International Book Fair, which will start in November 2022, so that the audience will meet with a group of Italian writers, thinkers, artists and publishers on the land of Sharjah, emphasizing the depth of the historical relations that Linking the two countries, and in appreciation of Italy’s role in the renaissance of arts, letters and sciences worldwide. Last March, in the presence of diplomatic figures, representatives of major cultural institutions, and European literature and art figures, the Italian city of Bologna raised the UAE flag, announcing its celebration of the Emirate of Sharjah, the guest of honor of the 59th edition of the “Bologna Children’s Book Fair”, praising the emirate’s experience and its cultural project.

The UAE and South Korea.. the meeting of cultures
With regard to cultural relations between the UAE and South Korea, the year 2020 was announced as the “Year of Emirati-Korean Cultural Dialogue”, under the slogan “Convergence of Cultures”, to represent a new shift in bilateral relations, including events and initiatives that vary between the fields of culture, literature, art and creativity, on the grounds that the country The UAE pays special attention to the cultural and creative industries sector, supporting youth and talented people in the cultural field, and arts education. Among the areas of the Emirati-Korean cultural dialogue, in 2020, was the preparation of distinguished creators, leaders of culture and arts, and young talents capable of representing the two countries in various artistic, cultural and creative forums and platforms.

UAE and Japan.. Strengthening communication channels
The cultural relations between the UAE and Japan have witnessed continuous development over the past years, as Japan was the guest of honor at the Sharjah International Book Fair in 2018, to celebrate the exhibition’s distinguished civilizational achievements, in which the book was a major factor and motivator in building culture, as Japan has a history full of achievements and great literary and cultural names. , in terms of novels, cinema, music, etc.
The Japanese Club at Zayed University also organizes “Days in Japan” events annually to introduce Emirati students to Japanese culture and explore it closely. The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery also organized the “East to East” exhibition, which unveils the methods used by young talents in the Emirati art scene, in order to enhance cultural channels of communication with Japanese arts. An exhibition “Inspired by Japan: Pioneers of Modern Art” was also opened at the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which provided an opportunity to view the works of 12 artists, including artists of the “Nabi” movement, and major teachers of the Ukiyo-e movement from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Emirates and China..a civilized communication
In order to promote and encourage cultural exchange between the UAE and China, the first school of its kind in the region was opened in the region to teach the Chinese language in Abu Dhabi, which aims to prepare a national base of cadres specialized in Chinese affairs, as a bridge to enhance civilizational and cultural communication. The University of Dubai also established the Confucius Institute, a non-profit institute, which aims to help students and business owners interested in learning Chinese language and literature, and contributes to strengthening educational and cultural relations with the People’s Republic of China. The two countries attached great importance to cultural events that would bring the two peoples closer. In 2015, the Chinese Spring Festival Festival, which the Chinese consider an important folk event in their country, was held, and an unprecedented number of Chinese tourists and residents attended. The popularity of this festival in Dubai is that it embodied an aspect of the developed relations between the two peoples. It also aimed to strengthen cultural relations between them, and in order to strengthen these extended relations, a distinguished national pavilion for the UAE was established at the 2010 Shanghai International Expo. The UAE-China cultural cooperation 2018 also constituted a rich material for the China-Arab channel, which is based in Dubai, where it contributed The channel aims to enrich the cultural message through its programs aimed at exploring both local and Chinese societal and cultural values.