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The reorganization of ministries in 2006 led to the dismissal of the Ministry of

Information and Culture and the establishment of a National Media Council and a
new Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development .
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MEDIA AND CULTURE
MEDIA
FOLLOWING A REORGANIZATION OF MINISTRIES in 2006, the Ministry of Information an
d Culture was closed and a National Media Council and a new Ministry of Culture,
Youth and Development of local resources have been created . The main organizat
ions that depended on the former Ministry of Information and Culture, namely the
Department of Press and Publication, the Department of external information and
Emirates News Agency (WAM), were placed under the supervision of the National M
edia Council. The reshuffle was designed to streamline the various functions pre
viously handled by a single ministry. In addition, noting that culture and the m
edia knew a rapid development, the government decided it was necessary to recons
ider the support of the State Government to make it more effective.
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF MEDIA
The National Media Council was established in order to oversee the development o
f media in the UAE and to support certain media initiatives. The Council is empo
wered to cancel or suspend the broadcasting licenses for violations of condition
s of use. All jurisdictions and responsibilities relating to media incumbent bef
ore the Ministry of Information and Culture have been transferred to the Media C
ouncil. In July 2006 the Council of Ministers appointed Chairman Sheikh Abdullah
bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, while Mohammed Abdullah Al Ge
rgawi, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, was chosen as vice-president.
The UAE's printing industry is currently experiencing an annual growth of 15-20%
, and represents a total of between 8 and 10 billion dirhams.
EMIRATES MEDIA
Emirates Media Inc. Company. (EMI) is a pioneer of multimedia in the Arab world.
His appearance in the television industry, radio and the press was in 1969 with
the creation of the daily Al Ittihad, the UAE TV channel Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhab
i Radio. Television and radio were incorporated under the name Emirates Broadcas
ting Corporation (EBC) in
The National Media Council was established in order to oversee the development o
f media in the UAE and to support certain media initiatives.
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The media operations include the UAE currently three satellite TV channels (Abu
Dhabi TV, the sports channel Abu Dhabi and the Emirates channel) and six radio s
tations (Radio Abu Dhabi, Emirates FM Holy Qur'an, Sound of music, FM1 and FM2 E
nglish English).
1996, and three years later, the EBC has been reconstituted under the name of EM
I, including television and radio have been complemented by the newspaper Al Itt
ihad and Al Khaleej magazine Zahrat and Majed. Today, the diversity of EMI is a
unique advantage that allows it to reach millions of Arabs around the world. Its
outreach activities cover the Middle East, Europe and North America, and EMI ar
e currently three satellite TV channels (Abu Dhabi TV, Abu Dhabi Sports Channel
and the Emirates Channel), six radio stations (Abu Dhabi Radio, Emirates FM, Hol
y Qur'an, Sound of Music, Français FM1 and FM2), in addition to the mentioned p
ublications. EMI also offers electronic services, including a number of Web site
s, and plans to create more. The website of the newspaper Al Ittihad (www.alitti
had.ae) and the main site of the company (www.emi.ae) were among the first sites
in the Arabic region, and the new media division of EMI has considerable intern
al capabilities in information technology. Satellite transmission of the latest
world events has earned a solid reputation EMI internationally. Since its inaugu
ration, EMI has received prestigious honors in all its sectors. Given the number
of people who travel to work by car, the radio plays a very important place amo
ng the UAE's media.€The management of English-language stations Radio 1 and Rad
io 2 for ERN has recently been entrusted by Emirates Radio Network, a subsidiary
of EMI, at Al Nisr Publishing Company LLC, which also launched a new station in
English. The management contract covers the operations of writing and publicity
on Radio 1, Radio 2, as well as those of the new station, to be called Radio 3.
It also provides for the reorganization of Radio 1 and Radio 2, but does not ad
dress the Arab-language stations ERN.
recently introduced a code of media ethics, to help businesses implement the hig
hest standards of transparency, credibility and objectivity. In his speech at th
e launch of the Charter, the General Manager of DMI explained that ethical crite
ria are focused on customers, and aim to better understand their needs and incre
ase their numbers. These goals will be achieved through programming and marketin
g quality, and the charter provides a framework that promotes innovation and dev
elopment of new services on all media platforms. The charter also requires emplo
yees of DMI they conduct their business with honesty, integrity and professional
ism in order to avoid any conflicts of interest in transactions on behalf of DMI
.
The EMIRATES NEWS AGENCY
The Emirates News Agency (WAM or Wakalat Anba'a al-Emarat) was founded in 1976.
Respected source of information on the international media scene, it disseminate
s information on current national, regional and Arabic. The WAM is a member of t
he GCC news agencies, the Federation of Arab News Agencies (FANA), the Union of
Islamic news agency, the Pool of News Agencies of Non-Aligned Movement and Organ
ization News Agencies in Asia-Pacific (OANA). Its head office is based in the UA
E capital, Abu Dhabi, but it also has offices in Dubai Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qa
iwain, Ra's al-Khaimah, Fujairah, Al Ain and Madinat Zayed. Since mid-2006, the
news agency was placed under the authority of the National Media Council. The WA
M has 25 reporters assigned overseas and has offices in many Arab cities includi
ng Cairo, Beirut, Rabat, Riyadh, Damascus, Sanaa, Algiers, Jerusalem, Gaza, Khar
toum, Amman, Baghdad and Tunis. Other offices and reporters are based in London,
Paris, Brussels, Geneva, Moscow, Washington, New York, Tehran, Islamabad, New D
elhi, Istanbul and Canberra. The agency also operates a bilingual website in Ara
bic and English (www.wam.ae). Since its inception, WAM has been able to adapt to
rapidly changing technologies, and is now broadcasting its news and images via
satellite and Internet, local and international levels. Over 90% of his images a
re available in digital format, which speeds up performance and reduce costs.
Respected source of information on the international media scene, the Emirates N
ews Agency disseminates information on current national, regional and Arabic.
DUBAI MEDIA INC..
Dubai Media Inc.. (DMI) is a parastatal that owns the main radio and television
stations in the Emirate of Dubai and is responsible for their management. Founde
d in 2003, it replaces the Department of Dubai Media, and currently operates fou
r television channels: Dubai TV, ONE TV, Sama Dubai and Dubai Sports. Eager to p
romote excellence, quality and reliability in the emerging market of UAE media,
DMI
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WAM receives news of 30 Arab news agencies, international and Gulf entered into
cooperation agreements and exchange news with 20 news agencies Arab, Asian and i
nternational.
The WAM provides daily coverage of news events, whether formal or not, the count
ry and represents a major source of information for all media establishments in
the UAE. It covers between 85 and 90% of the official activities and the activit
ies of official delegations sent abroad. WAM also plays an important role in gat
hering information on the development of the country it communicates with resear
chers and other interested persons. WAM receives the news of 30 Arab news agenci
es,€international and Gulf entered into cooperation agreements and exchange new
s with 20 news agencies Arab, Asian and international actions to strengthen the
collaboration between the media from the UAE and other countries. Also present,
WAM transmits its information services daily to over 3,000 newspapers, televisio
n and radio stations worldwide, via a news portal run by the central IPS. The po
rtal (www.ipsnews.net) transmits information from the WAM in various languages (
English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Swahili) to more than 1000 newspapers a
nd 2000 radio transmitters around the world. The agency recently added to its se
rvices a topical summary of the new UAE in Japanese. The WAM news are broadcast
daily in English on the Internet, while some services are delivered in Spanish,
Portuguese, Swahili and Japanese.
Terrestrial radio offers better signal quality and faster throughput, which allo
ws you to have more channels. To match the planned migration to digital over the
world in 2009, the regulator plans to expand its range of services using the op
portunities offered by the new system.
RADIO STATIONS
The UAE have more than 20 radio stations, more than any other country in the Ara
b world. In addition to EMI stations mentioned above, some of which are managed
in cooperation with Al Nisr, there are several radio stations based in Dubai, Um
m al-Qaiwain and Ajman. And all the radios do not target only the listeners UAE.
The station Channel 4 Radio Network, based in Ajman, started broadcasting in mi
d-2006, from the premises of the first Arabic music radio from Iraq, 98.8 FM Cha
nnel 4 Radio Network, which is part of a joint venture has obtained a license to
broadcast in Iraq. The UAE company will manage the operations of the station, w
hich will initially cover a population of 8 million listeners within a radius of
100 km around Baghdad. Over time, the promoters hope to cover all of Iraq. A si
milar station, broadcasting Arabic music, has also been launched recently in Kha
rtoum, Sudan. Competition between the various radio stations is very healthy and
has generated a strong improvement in quality. Emirates Media, which includes s
even radio stations, is the largest broadcaster in the UAE, but other stations a
re also expressed on the airwaves. The newcomer Arabian Radio Network (ARN) has
quickly proved. Just as Emirates Media, NRA covers topics of interest to various
categories of listeners, groups and cultures, through a program focused on gend
er. In 2001, RNA has established Al Arabiya 98.9 FM, a station broadcasting musi
c and news 24 hours 24. Shortly after, he launched a service in English City FM
(101.6) and Free FM (96.7 FM). In 2003, the Network launched Al Khaleejiya, crea
ting a new platform for music Khaleeji (from the Arabian Gulf), giving it a wide
r audience and reflecting the roots traditions of UAE. Then came the turn of HIT
96.7 FM, which addresses the largest group of expatriates from the Gulf, namely
the Malayali.
Competition between the various radio stations is very healthy and has generated
a strong improvement in quality. Emirates Media, which includes seven radio sta
tions, is the largest broadcaster in the UAE, but other stations are also expres
sed on the airwaves.
TRANSITION FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL
The telecommunications regulator (ART) has recently acquired the rights to 225 d
igital channels at the Regional Radiocommunication Conference of ITU (DRR), held
in Geneva from May 15 to June 16, 2006. This conference focused on establishing
a technical basis for planning the distribution of digital terrestrial televisi
on and radio to Europe, Africa, Middle East and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Th
e 2006 conference was rescheduled channels of digital broadcasting in the freque
ncy band 174-230 MHz and 470-862 MHz frequency band to prepare the way for the g
rowth of digital. Digital broadcasting is roughly six times more efficient than
analog, which allows for more channels to a smaller number of waves. Digital Vid
eo Broadcasting by
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Broadcasting is an area where technology is evolving and continually improving.
Several strategic alliances have been established to ensure that stations UAE re
main at the height of progress. RNA has recently connected with KLOTZ, main radi
o system, to improve the performance of software solutions for RNA.
THE TELEVISION CHANNELS
There are more than 40 television channels in the UAE (see box). Again, the comp
any Emirates Media plays a predominant role in the country, since it has three m
ajor satellite channels. The well-known chain of Dubai, CH33, stopped broadcasti
ng at the end of 2004 to be replaced by 'One TV', a new channel which is charact
erized by a more modern and Western-style programming. Featuring 27 films a week
, including blockbusters like Harry Potter, The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, A
ustin Powers, Rush Hour and X-Men, TV One's mission is to entertain people and i
s open in its approach. The international news channel CNN has offices in Dubai
Media City (DMC), which are equipped to produce reports and provide local servic
es to regional reporters. CNN also operates a website in Arabic, www.cnnarabic.c
om, from its offices in the DMC.
More than 40 television channels broadcasting from the UAE
the waiting list in the hope of obtaining premises. The DMC is currently divided
into eight sectors of media, including marketing, distribution and publishing a
re those who have experienced the most rapid development. More than 900 million
dollars have been spent on advertising in the UAE in 2005, the figure was 700 mi
llion dollars in 2004. Advertising spending in newspapers increased by 70.43% fr
om 1.26 billion dirhams (345 million) in 2004 to 2.15 billion dirhams (588 milli
on dollars) in 2005. Among the main sectors affected by the advertising include
automotive, banking, telecommunications and real estate. The mobile handset manu
facturer Nokia and the large real estate company Emaar Properties are two compan
ies that have spent the biggest advertising budgets in 2005, with nearly 8 milli
on dollars of annual expenditure, just before the Dubai Shopping Festival and Da
mascus group, which spent 6.7 million respectively and $ 5.8 million during the
year. Advertising expenditure in the Gulf rise 15% per annum and should reach 5
billion dollars in 2006. The UAE has approximately 400 advertising agencies, but
the activity is controlled at 90% by the top 20 companies, some big names in in
ternational advertising.
The UAE is the regional hub of the publishing industries, printing and advertisi
ng.
PRINTING, PUBLISHING AND ADVERTISING
The UAE's printing industry is currently experiencing an annual growth of 15-20%
and represents a total of between 8 and 10 billion dirhams. Nearly 500 printing
presses running in the country, and many of them increase their capacity due to
the proliferation of local and foreign publications. The UAE is the regional hu
b of the publishing industries, printing and advertising. It is estimated that b
y 2008, revenues generated by these sectors in the Middle East will amount to 1.
7 trillion dollars, and the UAE are likely to benefit most from the expansion of
these activities. Dubai Media City (DMC) has attracted many renowned internatio
nal media companies, while the number of associates increased 20% from 880 in 20
04 to about 1077 in 2005 and many companies have registered on
THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
According to figures from the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the software pir
acy rate declined in 2005. In fact, and this decade, the UAE registering the low
est rate in the region and are the only countries in the Middle East to be inclu
ded on the list of 20 nations to piracy rate the lowest. Amounting to 34%, it is
lower than several European countries including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal,
Greece and Ireland, and ranks among the rates observed in the United Kingdom (
27%), Netherlands (30%) and Australia (31%). Not happy with this situation, the
UAE authorities have increased their efforts to further reduce this problem, str
engthening their cooperation with the BSA.€Suggested measures include awareness
campaigns about the harm that can arise from software piracy and stringent enfo
rcement of intellectual property rights and copyright laws.
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PUBLICATIONS
Each year the UAE government supports the publication of a number of books. In a
ddition to the publications prepared by the various departments dealing with spe
cific topics of interest, it publishes every year the Annual Review of UAE which
is now produced in cooperation with the National Media Council. This unique ser
ies, which includes the present volume is published in Arabic, English and Frenc
h. The book covers many topics concerning the UAE and focuses primarily on news
of the last 12 months. The Annual Review of UAE is accompanied by a DVD-ROM cont
aining many media resources on the country, plus a number of electronic books.
UAEinteract
A study on this subject showed that reducing piracy by 10%, 667 new jobs could b
e created and the country's GDP could increase by $ 357 million. With such a red
uction, the computer industry could be nearly 2.3 billion by 2009, thereby creat
ing new jobs and new business opportunities for entrepreneurs. The website offer
s information www.uaeinteract.com English updated daily on the UAE, and links to
other sources of information on the country. Online since the beginning of the
Internet era (1997), the website stores its information, photographs and other d
ata in a searchable database, searchable by users in different ways. This featur
e is of particular interest to researchers interested in a particular aspect of
the recent development of the UAE, the number of users UAEinteract steadily incr
easing each year. The results show that in 2006 the site was accessed by 2.6 mil
lion users, generating 64.8 million hits, whereas in 2005 these figures were 1.9
million visitors and 51 million, representing increases of 37% and 27%. The num
ber of pages viewed has also increased in 2006, reaching 8.4 million against 6.7
million in 2005, an increase of 25%. This Annual Review lists the web pages UAE
interact where regular updates are made during the year, and the two media produ
cts are therefore linked.
MEDIA AREAS
The first areas of the UAE media has been the Internet City and Dubai Media City
. These have been so successful that demand for space in zones far exceeded the
number of places available. The work of the new international zone for media pro
duction (IMPZ) have begun the first phase is one billion dirhams (272 million do
llars). This area, covering 4 million square meters, which is reserved for compa
nies working in the fields of printing, packaging and publishing, should be comp
leted in 2007. The investment during the second phase, focusing on the construct
ion of offices, should approach the 700 million dirhams (190 million dollars). I
t is expected that the printing companies and packaging invest 1.5 billion dirha
ms (408 million dollars) in IMPZ when settling in the area.
UAE Interact is one of the main websites of the country. Each year, it is viewed
by more than 2.6 million visitors and generates over 64 million queries.
CULTURE
Culture and heritage play a fundamental role among the priorities of development
of UAE government. In this relatively new country, home to a growing population
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young people, older generations fear very much that the character and identity o
f the country, fed by the lifestyle, customs and traditions of the past do not d
isappear as a result of growing wealth and globalization. This concern is probab
ly legitimate, particularly with regard to the influence of the sprawling satell
ite TV and Internet, but the reasons for optimism are also considerable: the con
text may have changed, but the core values have been preserved .€Any visit to a
local school or an activity center will confirm: the local traditional culture
remains alive and continues to speak through music, dance, poetry, oral historie
s and art UAE, as well that in some sports such as falconry, camel racing and sa
iling. This process requires in particular to protect the physical traces of the
rich heritage of the UAE The priority has been given to the preservation of man
y archaeological sites and unique architectural and manuscripts. The literature
and customs occupy a prominent place in the curriculum, while the museum display
s, heritage villages and reconstruction of vanished monuments (from photographs
and memories of people and documentary evidence) helped rebuild the context and
atmosphere of this heritage. Recognizing that the preservation of culture is not
only a social obligation but it is also a business necessity, the UAE shall als
o be given to the cultural richness of place in their modern development, includ
ing regards tourism. Many more contemporary activities such as theater and cinem
a, also play an important role in the UAE's cultural life, nurturing the soul an
d the increasing sense of well-being enjoyed by both the UAE nationals as expatr
iates. Although much has already been made, it was felt it was time to make a ca
reful assessment of the role of government in cultural enrichment. The Ministry
of Culture, Youth and Development of local resources, recently introduced, estab
lished clear links between the three main areas of social development which cont
ribute to the climate of the UAE culture
Priority was given to the preservation of many archaeological sites and unique a
rchitectural and manuscripts of the country.
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The UAE is determined to protect their intangible cultural heritage and continue
to sponsor the Sheikh Zayed prize for the oral and intangible heritage of human
ity.
THE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE
In mid-2006, the UAE has been elected member of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Commi
ttee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The elections of
the committee of 18 members took place at the general meeting of the Convention
for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (CSICH). The UAE is det
ermined to protect their intangible cultural heritage and continue to sponsor th
e Sheikh Zayed prize for the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. They are
also trying to do falconry, which is practiced in over 70 countries, a tradition
of world heritage. Unesco has set a series of conditions for inclusion of falco
nry on the list, including the creation of a national body to implement the Conv
ention. The UAE has fulfilled this requirement with the introduction of the Abu
Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (see below).
the emirate. Its mission includes including direct promotion of cultural heritag
e of Abu Dhabi, the development and implementation of policies, plans and cultur
al programs, consideration of cultural heritage projects, and organizing exhibit
ions and conferences on cultural heritage. The Authority is empowered to conduct
the following activities: managing conferences and cultural performances, organ
ize symposia, seminars and meetings with artists, scientists and intellectuals,
published studies and outcomes research; preserve the archaeological treasures,
monuments and historic sites; locate archaeological sites, to organize searches
and issue the necessary permits and restoring archaeological sites and heritage
buildings, supervise scientific and archaeological expeditions, set up a departm
ent with function is to manage, develop and supervise museums and other building
s housing cultural artifacts, recommend legislation and regulations aimed at pro
tecting, promoting and preserving cultural heritage, to support training and edu
cational activities in the areas of Honours Committee, and develop resources in
the areas of documentation, classification, archiving and preservation of cultur
al heritage;€if necessary bring legal action against anyone damaging the cultur
al heritage and monuments of the Emirate, to support organizations working in th
e field of conservation, manage and promote cultural heritage; control assets of
cultural and heritage whether public or private, to manage the National Library
for the enrichment and promotion of intellectual, artistic and scientific works
in Abu Dhabi and participate in the writing of national history through the col
lection of documents, the Emirates Heritage Inventory and the publication of wor
ks relating thereto. The Committee is managed by a board consisting of a chairma
n, a vice president and seven members, whose five-year term is renewable. The Au
thority has its own budget, which must be approved by the Executive Board.
ADMINISTERING ABU DHABI FOR CULTURE AND HERITAGE
In October 2005, a law establishing the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heri
tage was adopted in Abu Dhabi. Based in the emirate, this organization is respon
sible for sponsoring artistic and intellectual activities and preserve the cultu
ral heritage
THE GUGGENHEIM ABU DHABI
Abu Dhabi has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Guggenheim Foundatio
n, based in New York to establish a museum devoted to world class modern and con
temporary art. The museum, called the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (GAD) and will be des
igned by renowned architect Frank Gehry, will make the UAE a destination
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The UAE encourage artistic development, UAE and many artists are beginning to be
known internationally. This painting was done by Abdul Qader Al Rayes.
major cultural internationally. Covering 30,000 square meters, the museum Abu Dh
abi will be the only Guggenheim museum in the region and the largest museums in
the Guggenheim Foundation. Construction is expected to take five years. The muse
um will form its own collection of contemporary art and will also exhibit major
works that are already part of the international collection of the Guggenheim Fo
undation. It will be built in the Cultural District of Saadiyat Island, a natura
l island lying 500 meters offshore the UAE capital, which is becoming an interna
tional tourist destination. The Cultural District will also house a national mus
eum, classical art museum, a maritime museum, a performing arts center, and a la
rge park that will also be a cultural center. The museum will be owned by the Ab
u Dhabi Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC), which manages the touri
sm capital of the Committee. The Guggenheim Foundation will establish and manage
the program of the museum, which will focus on collection development, exhibiti
ons and educational initiatives. The museum in Abu Dhabi will be the sixth Gugge
nheim Foundation, whose other five are in New York, Las Vegas, Venice, Bilbao an
d Berlin.
OPERA DUBAI
At the end of 2005, the decision was to build an opera house in Dubai, a museum
and cultural center. These three cultural poles ultramodern welcome people inter
ested in art, culture and aesthetics. They reflect the passion of the UAE for pe
ace and cultural interaction. The opera, which will cover an area of 280,000 squ
are meters, will be built on an artificial island in the middle of the Dubai Cre
ek and will host 2,500 spectators.
MUSEUMS
In addition to all the forts and historic buildings now housing museums, the UAE
also have many modern museum built specially devoted to particular themes, such
as the discovery of oil, archeology, natural history, science , folk medicine,
astronomy, numismatics, philately, Islam, traditional jewelry, police and aviati
on. The Al Ain Museum, managed by the Department of Antiquities and Tourism of t
he Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi, now under the leadership of the ADACH, houses an
impressive collection of archaeological and ethnographic, including a spectacul
ar gold pendants
second millennium and a large collection of coins. The discoveries made during e
xcavations at Umm alNar Qattarah and are exposed and the museum also features a
reconstruction of the large tomb Hili with its remarkable rock carvings.€All ar
e equally fascinating reconstructions of traditional majlis and other aspects of
life before the oil era. Sharjah is known for its museums, heritage and environ
mental centers, which house several exhibitions of international standing. These
have not only an interest of local perspective, but also include wider culture
and science in the Islamic world. The Emirate has now established a special depa
rtment devoted to museums as part of its effort to strengthen the role of Sharja
h as a cultural destination-based entertainment. The new department is empowered
to initiate collaborations with various museums and research centers of interna
tional renown. It may also hire experts and seek help from other local agencies
to assist him in his administrative and technical functions. The planetarium Sha
rjah specializes in astronomy and celestial navigation. Its the police museum co
ntains a diverse collection of arms, riot equipment, and combat, as well as mode
ls of ancient walls and forts. Its Archaeological Museum traces the history of S
harjah from ancient times. Modern and interactive, it features a halter of gold
of great beauty,
Dubai is building an opera, a museum and cultural center.
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Exhibition of dinosaurs in the Natural History Museum in Sharjah
found alongside a horse sacrificed in a tomb near Mleiha. The museum library con
tains a series of books, magazines, journals and special reports on the archeolo
gy and history. The Museum of Science has 50 excellent interactive exhibits cove
ring physics, chemistry, biology and astronomy. As for the Discovery Centre is t
he first interactive museum for children of the UAE and it attracts many visitor
s. There is also the Desert Park in Sharjah, which is 25 kilometers from the tow
n, at Exit 8 of the Sharjah-Dhaid road, which includes the Natural History Museu
m, a children's farm, the Wildlife Centre Arabic and breeding center for wildlif
e Saudi endangered. The Natural History Museum opened its doors in 1995 and its
modern exhibits made it immediately popular. Living displays using light effects
and sound as well as interactive videos, have habitats, animal and plant life,
geology and marine life in the region. Outside you can admire the gardens of wil
dflowers, as well as more traditional gardens. The Arabian Wildlife Centre is an
impressive modern zoo that presents the local flora and fauna in their natural
habitats. Most exhibitions are located inside a huge air conditioned building. A
mong these include a reptile room, a huge aviary where birds frolic freely and w
here badgers jump from rock to rock, a room containing many nocturnal mammals of
the desert, a "mountain goats, which provide the restaurant windows, and a corr
idor with huge windows overlooking the pens containing hamadryas and large preda
tors like wolves, cheetahs and the Arabian leopard. The breeding center is focus
ing its efforts on breeding endangered species Arab in the hope of reintroducing
some of the rarest in nature. Here, for the first time in UAE, we managed to ra
ise the Arabian leopard. For obvious reasons, this center is not open to the pub
lic. On the east coast, in Kalba, Sharjah enclave, the former residence of the l
ocal ruling family has been carefully restored, like the Islamic rectangular box
nearby. Restoration work is also underway on a larger fortress located at Khor
Kalba, which thinks it could have been erected at the site of a fort built by th
e Portuguese in the fifteenth century. The former home of the Dubai Municipality
has recently reopened after having been transformed into a museum of history
Local. The reopening took place following a renovation program involving traditi
onal methods and materials. This two-story building is located near the old souk
in Deira, overlooking the sea branch built in the 50s, it originally had three
stores on the ground floor. A floor was added later,€welcome to visiting dealer
s. Dubai Municipality, formerly under the supervision of the customs administrat
ion, has its offices on the first floor of the building in 1957.
The breeding center in Sharjah Arab wildlife has succeeded in breeding Arabian l
eopard, a species endangered in the wild.
CULTURAL FOUNDATION
Located in the center of Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation, which is now under the a
uthority of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), occupies a
central place in the cultural life of the capital, is frequented by both young
and old alike by, whether UAE nationals or foreign. Surrounded by gardens and de
corated with an open courtyard with fountains, the main building is a spectacula
r white building with arches and columns and hosting conference rooms, libraries
and meeting rooms. With its three floors, it offers space to mount exhibitions.
The most important element of the Foundation is probably the National Library,
which contains well over one million books, mostly in Arabic but also in various
languages
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Shelves of books in the National Library.
foreign. The majority of them can be viewed by the public upon registration. How
ever, some rare books, including a superb collection of Korans, can be examined
by special permission. The section for children is particularly popular and many
events are organized for them, especially during school holidays. The ground fl
oor is largely occupied by a large exhibition hall is regularly used for exhibit
ions of old photographs of the Emirates, paintings, crafts, archaeological and a
n array of other objects. The first floor houses other rooms used for smaller ev
ents. Along the corridors are several small windows which outlined various items
reflecting the culture and history of the UAE Among these are stamps, coins dat
ing from a time before the creation of the UAE, Bedouin jewelry silver, rugs, wo
od doors, richly decorated and many other items yet. In the two major theaters a
re held various cultural events, like concerts of classical music, some of which
are organized by the Foundation in Abu Dhabi for the music that brought to his
city of artists and orchestras of Europe and elsewhere. The Foundation also pres
ents film screenings and regularly organizes film festivals with themes of count
ries or individual directors, as well as plays, she also hosts gatherings held b
y external organizations. It is 20 years and the Natural History Group of the UA
E's oldest non-governmental organization in UAE environmental protection, public
meetings held in the premises of the Cultural Foundation twice a month. Other v
olunteer groups also meet there, including a gardening club and an association o
f chess enthusiasts. Moreover, the small restaurant Foundation, tastefully decor
ated, has become a popular meeting place. Beside the building is a place where i
s held each spring the Book Fair in Abu Dhabi. The event, held under the big top
, attracts dozens of publishers in the UAE and other Arab countries and further
afield, who come to promote their publications and offer their securities prices
.
THE HERITAGE CLUB OF EMIRATES
The Emirates Heritage Club (EHC) was founded in 1993 with the primary purpose of
preserving the country's heritage and make it known to younger generations who
would otherwise not be as familiar with the customs and traditions their ancesto
rs. The EHC organizes exhibitions, manages heritage centers and collaborates wit
h all institutions UAE pursuing similar goals. The activities organized by the C
lub for all age groups covering not only traditional sports (racing camel racing
and falconry) and traditional techniques (construction of tents and brewing), b
ut also contemporary activities such as sailing, equestrian,€shooting and other
sports. The EHC is involved in the organization of competitions in these discip
lines, as well as summer camps for youth on the island of Al Sammaliah, north-ea
st of the city of Abu Dhabi. The research on the property are made by the Zayed
Centre for Heritage and the history of Al Ain, while the Department of Environme
ntal Research (DER) Al Sammaliah is responsible for studies on environment. The
IAB focuses on biodiversity and coastal conservation, and sustainable developmen
t of coastal habitats. The EHC has founded the Amateur Astronomers Group (AAG) i
n May 1998 in order to educate all social classes in astronomy. Another affiliat
e, the Emirates Sailing School (ESA-ESS), was born in July 2000.
UAE CENTER STUDIES AND STRATEGIC RESEARCH (ECSSR)
The ECSSR, founded in 1994, is an independent research institution dedicated to
the promotion of professional research and educational excellence in the UAE and
the Gulf region. The ECSSR serves as a center for research on political, strate
gic, military, environmental, economic and social related to the UAE, the Gulf a
nd the Middle East in general and sponsors research and studies that are conduct
ed by scholars worldwide. Its main activities are to identify and analyze key is
sues, anticipate future trends and develop management strategies that will addre
ss these issues. The center not only has its own team of investigators specifica
lly trained for these activities, but it also organizes conferences, symposia, w
orkshops and lecture series known for its reputation of participants, quality
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The thrust of the work ECSSR is to identify and analyze issues of vital signific
ance, predicting future trends and develop management strategies to cope with su
ch problems.
benefits and for their influence. The success of the research program of the ECS
SR based in particular on the Trend Assessment Reports (assessments of trends),
prepared every year by various departments of the center and by determining the
major international and domestic trends and their potential impacts constitute a
powerful tool for priority setting to achieve the following year. Through its p
ublications, the ECSSR has become a major source of academic specialty of the re
gion. In addition to his collection of monographs International Studies Series,
publishes reports of conferences, symposia and lectures in English series entitl
ed Emirates Occasional Papers and a series entitled Strategic Studies in Arabic.
In addition, the ECSSR translated into Arabic works of interest to the center a
nd its audience. Among recent publications include: The Gulf Oil and Gas Sector:
Potential and Constraints (Sector Oil and Gas: Potential and constraints) Arab
Media in the Information Age (The Arab Media in the Information Age); Educationa
l Technologies and Their Impact on the Educational Process: A Case Study of the
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSC), UAE University (The technology
education and their impact on pedagogy: a case study in the Faculty of Letters
Social Science, University of UAE), Governance and Globalization: An Economic Pe
rspective (Globalization and Governance: Economic Perspective) In the Shadow of
Just Wars: Violence, Politics and Humanitarian Action (In the Shadow of Just War
s: Violence, politics and humanitarian action); NATO's Growing Role in the Great
er Middle East (The growing role of NATO in the Greater Middle East), The Religi
ous Right and U.S. Middle East Policy (The Religious Right and Politics U.S. on
the Middle East and The Role of Water Exports in Iranian Foreign Policy Towards
the GCC states (The Role of Water Exports in Iranian foreign policy towards the
GCC states).
THE STRONG AND OTHER BUILDINGS RESTORED
Abu Dhabi
Qasr al-Hosn (often called the 'White Fort' or 'Old Fort') was founded in 1795 b
y Sheikh bin Shakhbut Dhiyab, Ruler of Abu Dhabi. It is the oldest monument of A
bu Dhabi, even if it has undergone major expansion over the last two centuries.
Official residence of the Supreme Abu Dhabi
until the 1960s,€he has hosted for many years the Centre for Documentation and
government research. Surrounded by palm trees, an old cannon flanking its fortif
ied gate, the Qasr al-Hosn is destined to become a national museum. Al Ain has m
ore than its share of impressive forts and old buildings. One example is the Eas
t Fort, located inside the Al Ain Museum, Fort murabba, who served time for a po
lice station and prison, and Fort Jahili, large building restored to center of t
he city, with a curious corner turret with four levels or terraces. And if we go
back further in time, one finds at Hili Archaeological Park in Al Ain, a grave
Umm al-Nar of the third millennium BC. AD beautifully restored. Under an agreeme
nt between UNESCO and the Director of Al Ain Economic Development and Tourism Pr
omotion [now replaced by the Tourism Authority of Abu Dhabi (ADTA)], a joint act
ion has been launched to protect the rich cultural and historical city. This res
ulted in the development of a strategy for cultural heritage management for the
emirate is implemented by the ADACH, action that was announced at a conference i
n Abu Dhabi in late 2005. This strategy covers all aspects of the rich heritage
of the emirate, whether of origin
Qasr al-Hosn, Abu Dhabi
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The restored fort of Al Fahidi in Dubai was originally the residence of the Sove
reign, and was then an arsenal, and prison before becoming a museum interactive
busy hosting numerous archaeological and ethnographic objects.
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human or natural and aims to promote the sustainable use of its assets taking in
to account the growth of cultural tourism.
Dubai
Dubai has announced its intention to restore more than 300 of its buildings by 2
010, under the architectural conservation plans of the government. Where appropr
iate, these buildings will be submitted to UNESCO for inclusion on the list of W
orld Heritage sites. At least three major historical sites of Dubai: Shindagha,
Bastakia and the Hatta Heritage Village, are already the subject of deliberation
s by the Unesco. The Heritage Area includes Shindagha alone nearly 65 historic s
ites. The area of Al Bastakiya has 55 sites, half of which were renovated in lat
e 2005. Among these buildings restored, we must mention the house of Sheikh Saee
d (an elegant two-storey building decorated with four wind towers, Arab style, d
ating from the late nineteenth century, houses a unique collection of coins, of
photos, stamps and rare documents), Bait Al Wakeel, the first office building bu
ilt in Dubai in 1934, and contains a museum devoted to fishing and maritime trad
itions, and the school Ahmadiyah, the first school Regular Dubai, opened in 1912
, became a museum of education. The restored fort of Al Fahidi in Dubai was orig
inally the residence of the Sovereign, and was then an arsenal, and prison befor
e becoming a museum interactive busy hosting numerous archaeological and ethnogr
aphic objects. In the underground part of the museum houses dramatizations showi
ng an old souk, a Koranic school, houses and a typical Arab oasis. There is also
a reconstruction of the desert at night, which can discover the fascinating wil
dlife. The historic buildings, which are among the most important tourist attrac
tions in Dubai, can also be used for commercial purposes to generate revenue and
fund the restoration work. Thus, a hotel was built in one of these renovated bu
ildings and other buildings house restaurants or cafes. Some are also rented to
individuals.
At least three major historical sites of Dubai: Shindagha, Bastakia and the Hatt
a Heritage Village, are already the subject of deliberations by the Unesco.
Arts District and the Heritage Area of Sharjah has been applauded worldwide. Man
y of these great monuments now house museums on art, Islam and ethnography, incl
uding the first national art gallery in the country. One of them is now the head
quarters of the UAE Society of Fine Arts. Nearby stands the Fort of Sharjah and
Al Husn.€Built for the Sheikh Sultan bin Saqr Al Qasimi in 1820, this carefully
restored fort remained the residence of the Sovereign for many years. It was de
stroyed in 1969, but the present sovereign, himself a renowned local historian,
has been restored along the lines of photographs and old documents from his own
notes and memories of older residents. The fort now provides exhibitions on the
pearling industry, education and trade, but also contains collections of jewelry
, weapons and old photographs. As to Fort Al Mahatah, located at the site of the
old airport in the heart of Sharjah, it contains articles relating to aviation
from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.
THE NORTH EMIRATES
The highlight of the eighteenth century located in Ajman, which was once the res
idence and office of the Sovereign, in 1970 became the seat of the local police
station. He changed positions again in 1981 when it was converted into a museum
and now houses an interesting collection of archaeological artifacts, manuscript
s and ancient weapons and reconstructions of traditional life.
The rehabilitation and restoration of old buildings by the Sharjah architectural
value and recognized an old bazaar in the Arts District and the Heritage Area o
f Sharjah has been applauded worldwide.
SHARJAH
The rehabilitation and restoration of old buildings in Sharjah architectural val
ue and recognized an old souk in the
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The fort of Umm al-Qaiwain has also served at a police station. This fort, which
is one of the most atmospheric of the UAE, is located along the inlets of Umm a
l-Qaiwain, and its main doors are flanked by two cannons very impressive. After
having taken the place of commission, the fort has been restored and converted i
nto a museum. On the top floor of this building is a majlis (meeting room high c
eiling, where it also received the guests), elegantly decorated with carved wood
en balconies. On the floor below, there are kitchens and storage rooms. Located
behind the police station, along the Al Hosn Street in Old Town, Fort Ra's al Kh
aimah, magnificently restored, was the residence of the royal family until the e
arly 60s. It now houses a fascinating collection of archaeological and ethnograp
hic objects, but it is planned to transfer these collections in a museum built s
pecially. A large series of studies have been undertaken in recent years in the
emirate of Ra's al-Khaimah, to gather information on mountain villages, towers,
mosques, old houses of palm groves and Al Nakheel Shamal, and more recently the
traditional buildings of the city of Ra's al-Khaimah. Archaeologists from the Na
tional Museum of Ra's al-Khaimah are studying and cataloging all the traditional
buildings, the most important will be restored. The museum has already started
the restoration of the old souk.
FUJAIRAH
The emirate of Fujairah is not left behind in old buildings and has particularly
impressive forts and other defensive structures along the coast, as well as for
mer railway crossing major rivers. Restoration work started in the castle of Fuj
airah by the Department of Archaeology and Heritage in the late 90s were complet
ed in 2000. At the same time, many adjacent buildings, including houses courtyar
d once occupied by members of the family of the Sovereign, have also been restor
ed. The entire complex will be surrounded by a new wall inside which will be bui
lt on the heritage buildings of Fujairah. Among these new buildings are planned
a three-story museum, an amphitheater, a souk, a mosque, a restaurant and a play
ground.
The Emirate of Fujairah has a large number of historic buildings, including impr
essive forts and other defensive structures along the coast, as well as former r
ailway crossing major rivers.
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The Department recently completed the renovation of another important site at Aw
hala in the south of Fujairah, where a strong end of the period of Islam is buil
t on the foundations of a fortress dating from much larger age iron.€Restoratio
n work has also commenced on the palace dating from the late Islamic period loca
ted in Wadi Hayl, about 13 km west of the city of Fujairah and the surrounding b
uildings. Formerly the residence of a younger branch of the royal family, this s
ite is one of the best preserved of its kind on the whole UAE.
LINKS
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............... ......... www.cultural.org.ae Community Center Art and Theatre D
ubai: www ...................... . dubaitheatre.org Drama Troupe Dubai: ........
.............................. .... www.dubaidramagroup.org ECSSR: .............
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............ www.emirates heritageclub.com-Emirates News Agency: ...............
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