The National Archives of the United Arab Emirates participates in the new edition of Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival 2016 with “Memory of the Nation Pavilion”.

This year, the Memory of the Nation Pavilion is loaded with bright pages from the UAE history that spans thousands of years. The Pavilion also depicts the march of the Union and some of the glories of the Founding Fathers, led by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in addition to some new sections relating to the wise leadership’s initiatives. The shape of the National Archives’ Pavilion is inspired by Al Muwaiji Castle. It includes eleven sections occupying an area of 2,000 square meters. At the Pavilion entrance, there are the hashtags of: “This is what Zayed Likes”, and “This is how Zayed made us Happy”.

Celebrating the UAE civilization and history, the sections of the Pavilion show the March of the Union and introduce the visitors to the contributions of the Founding Father, and the role of Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak- Chairwoman of General Women's Union, the Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation, Chairwoman of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Mother of the UAE- in the advancement and empowerment of women. The sections also depict the Founding Fathers’ achievements.

Through a new smart application, visitors learn about Al Bu Falah family tree, and honorable pages from the UAE memory and education memory. The sections of the Pavilion also reflect the National Archives’ response to the wise leadership’s initiatives, such as “Tolerance” for which the UAE is known since its establishment, and “Happiness”, which the leadership is keen to achieve for UAE nationals and residents. Visitors may review the content of each section through a touch screen, thus they may access the desired section easily.

The Memory of the Nation Pavilion is set to host a number of national and community events. In addition to the main sections, it includes the visitors’ lounge “Majlis”, the staff lounge and some necessary facilities.

Combining the UAE glorious past and bright present, together with state-of-the-art technologies, the Memory of the Nation Pavilion is in fact the cornerstone of Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival. It enriched the Festival’s activities with cultural heritage, presented to the visitors in an attractive and entertaining fashion. It also highlighted the activities of the Festival with its new ideas that are consistent with the wise leadership’s vision, including pictures and historic documentaries about the march of the Union and the establishment of the State. The Pavilion displays the role that the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan played in founding the Union, in addition to significant historical documentaries that reflect his achievements, timeless quotes, his interest in development, education and other political, economic and social aspects.

The National Archives takes pride in participating annually in this national event, which bears the name of the Founding Father.