Culture – the Embodiment of Civilisation
Culture is a natural reflection of the society in which it thrives. The level of development of a society can be measured through the evolution of its culture, which in turn reflects the identity of its people as well as the spirit of the age.
It is on the basis of this belief and as the embodiment of the words of HH the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, “He who has no past, has no present”, that the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage was founded to promote all forms of artistic and cultural expression. The Authority is committed to preserving Abu Dhabi’s tangible and intangible heritage, promoting creativity and intellectual achievement in all forms and championing a culture that is self-confident and yet open to intercultural dialogue. For that reason, the Authority’s programmes include lectures and conferences, as well as poetry recitals, modern art exhibitions, heritage festivals and other artistic expressions of the uniqueness and originality of Emirati Arab and Islamic identity. The Authority has launched a number of cultural projects which exemplify this, such as the Poet of the Million, The Prince of Poets Competition, The Sheikh Zayed Book Award, and Al Majdi Ibn Dhahar Literary Award, amongst others.
Our aspirations are great and our ambitions are as big as our love for our country and pride in our Arab culture. This is what drives us to make every effort to ensure that our activities are informative, enlightening and a true reflection of our culture and heritage; that they not only have an impact on our local and regional society, but also have an international dimension based on an inclusive appreciation of human culture, of which our own culture is an essential component. This has led us to build relations with numerous international cultural institutions as we firmly believe in the importance of working together in order to ensure a better future for our children.
We hope that this website will exceed your expectations from the Authority and update you on all its activities. We look forward to your participation and welcome your opinions and comments as you are the driving force behind everything we do.
H. E. Mohammed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei