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The National Archives establishes Its Preservation and Restoration Corner at the “Memory of the Nation” pavilion at Sheikh Zayed Festival

The National Archives has established its preservation and restoration corner at the “Memory of the Nation” pavilion at Sheikh Zayed Festival. The corner fully briefs visitors on the National Archives role in preserving and restoring documents, the role which its Preservation and Restoration Center is already performing as it restores various types of vulnerable or aging documents at risk of damage to safeguard and utilize their valuable content.

The preservation and restoration corner aims at spreading awareness among the public about the importance of maintaining and ensuring proper storing conditions for historical documents or preserving them at the National Archives as part of the Memory of the Nation to support academics and researchers’ efforts to document the UAE history. If a document’s condition deteriorates, i.e.  starts getting poor and vulnerable to damage, it should be preserved rather than disposed of, and concerned parties should seek the National Archives’ professional help for its restoration since historical facts depend mainly on historical documents and records.

The Preservation and Restoration Corner acquaints visitors with proper methods for documents preservation and restoration in case of damage. The corner has the main important tools for document restoration including adhesive material, brushes and document cleaning solutions.

The corner emphasize to visitors that preservation of historical documents is a separate science in itself, with its own techniques that prolong the document lifespan. Specialists at the corner educate visitors about the main document or record damage causes; namely: poor storage or handling and frequent and improper use. In case of damage, restoration is deemed the primary stage in preserving documents employing sterilization, disinfestation, disinfection and mould treatments. The restoration process might be undertaken partially or fully based on the size and extent of document damage, through which process necessary measures are taken including the filling in, as well as other refurbishing and repairing techniques used for treatment of documents missing parts and thickening of paper density.

Furthermore, Shaikha Al Sawafi from the National Archives Center for Preservation and Restoration practically demonstrated to the visiting public successful and simple restoration process of some damaged newspapers, where she pointed out the importance of cleaning the documents to be restored following which, she added that glue and acid free adhesive tapes are used during restoration process to patch tears and holes. Al Sawafi presented a number of papers used in restoration such as the Japanese paper made from kozo, insulating paper that protect the document during treatment and cleaning materials such as ethanol, distilled water and acetone. She also pointed out the importance of preventive precautions during that document cleaning and restoration process; namely, using gloves and masks for hand and face protection. She also showed the audience the glue brushes and other dusting brushes used in the process.

The National Archives enlightens a Spanish academic delegation about history of the UAE



Within the framework of the Tolerance Program for Cultural Exchange, the National Archives received a delegation of students and professors from three top universities in Spain. This academic visit aimed at learning about important aspects of the history and heritage of the UAE, and its pioneering unification experience.

This visit, which was organized by the Islamic Culture and Religious Tolerance Foundation in Madrid, came to enhance communication between various cultures, disseminate the example of the UAE’s tolerance to peoples across the world and publicize its role and efforts to spread the values of tolerance and to build bridges of communication and understanding.

The members of the delegation were briefed on the foundations, principles and values of coexistence and tolerance, based on which the United Arab Emirates was established through the efforts of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his fellow Founding Rulers. This reflects the original interest of the UAE in disseminating the culture of tolerance across the world and in promoting acceptance of others and cultural pluralism.

The twenty-one-member delegation attended a lecture delivered by Dr. Aisha Bilkhair, Research Advisor at the National Archives, in which she shed light on the values of solidarity, tolerance, love and altruism in the UAE.  She pointed out that these values prompted the youth to achieve human rapprochement, build bridges of tolerance and love, and support efforts to establish a human society where peace prevails, and the UAE perfectly embodies these inherent values that were acquired from customs and traditions and the past of the great fathers and forefathers.

The lecture pointed out that the Year of Tolerance was full of events aimed at spreading the national principles and ethics of Sheikh Zayed, who successfully turned the UAE into a model that applies the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence. In fact, the UAE is home to over 200 nationalities, enjoying decent life and respect, and it criminalizes hatred, radicalism, and any causes for division or divergence.

The lecture reflected optimism and great hopes for the year 2020, as the UAE will host Expo 2020 Dubai. Indeed, this great international exhibition offers a great opportunity for expertise and cultural exchange and for perception of the future.

The Spanish delegation toured the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall, Emirates Library, and the Customers Happiness Hall, and it also watched a 3D documentary film on the UAE in the past and present.

The National Archives increases the Young Historian Award budget allocations and attracts Cycle 2 students

As the Young Historian Award entered its second decade of achieving its targets for students, the National Archives has announced the increase in the budget allocated for the 11th edition of the award and the expansion of its scope to include the UAE school students of Cycle 2. This is due to the award role in enhancing national education, encouraging research in the history of the UAE and developing historical awareness among students. Moreover, the National Archives aims to attract more participants in the award which is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

The National Archives is keen to attract Cycle 2 school students to enhance the sense of belonging to the homeland and loyalty to its wise leadership, foster national identity among young people, instill the concept of good citizenship in them and increase historical awareness. Additionally, it seeks to encourage students to use innovative research methods in order to preserve the history and heritage of UAE by collecting the unrecorded history and to study the genealogy of tribes and elements that reflect happiness, tolerance and dialogue of civilizations.

Having held its meeting at the National Archives, the Young Historian Award Committee identified the procedures and stages of the 11th edition of the award, which will be launched in January 2020 in coordination between the National Archives and the Ministry of Education. The committee will receive the students’ submissions in the second half of April; however, judging and award ceremony will be in June.

The Young Historian Award Committee for 2019-2020 has specified four categories for the award: Oral History, Geographical History, Economic History and Social History.

The new edition of the award covers a number of historical and national topics such as the Year of Tolerance, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan’s values, deeds and national principles, How the UAE’s society honors Martyrs of Duty and their families, Studies of genealogy, Tribes and personalities, Oral history narratives, Poetry, Folklore, Proverbs, Old correspondences, Photographs and holdings; traditional trades, crafts and markets; historical and archeological sites and traditional architecture, marine life including pearl diving and fishing, traditional medicine, lessons in moral education, studies on the role of the Emirati women, celebration 50th anniversary of the UAE and the ancient civilizations of the Emirates.

It is worth mentioning that the National Archives, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, will organize a number of introductory workshops, which aim to promote awareness about the Young Historian Award after launching the new edition.

Following His Visit to the National Archives

The Saudi Minister of Health praised the role of the National Archives in strengthening the ties between the UAE and Kingdome of Saudi Arabia.



His Excellency Dr. Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, the Saudi Minister of Health, commended the National Archives and its role in preserving the memory of the nation.

During His Excellency’s visit to the headquarters of the National Archives, he was informed of the National Archives’ activities and projects both inside and outside the UAE. His Excellency had also been briefed on the history of the brotherly relations between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, and he viewed a large number of historical documents that reflect the depth of the bilateral relations which witnessed a great development in various fields and became an ideal model of brotherhood, friendship and solidarity, thanks to the guidance of the two wise leaderships.

In the presence of His Excellency Jumaa Ali AlRumaithi, Chairman of the Executive Committee, HE Dr. Abdulla Mohammad Alraisi, Director General of the National Archives, received the Saudi Minister of Health and gave him a detailed description about the National Archives, which was established fifty-one years ago upon the directives of the founding leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan for the purpose of preserving the documents of the UAE. Dr Abdullah drew the honorable guest’s attention to important milestones in the history of the National Archives, such as organizing the archives of the UAE’s government bodies and taking huge steps in electronic archiving. He also informed him of the Congress of the International Council on Archives which will be held in Abu Dhabi from November 16th -20th under the theme of Empowering Knowledge Communities, pointing out that thousands of archivists from all over the world are expected to participate to discuss fundamental future archival issues related to the field of archiving and documentation.

Alraisi enlightened the guest about the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive (AGDA), which is a portal displaying the historical and cultural materials related to the documented and interesting history of the Arabian Gulf and the UAE, in addition to providing free digital materials in both Arabic and English. The National Archives continues its efforts to enhance the content of AGDA in the coming stage by providing it with more historical documents related to Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Director General of the National Archives stressed the importance of the memorandum of cooperation that documents the relations and cooperation with King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives, and the Arabic Union Catalog in Saudi Arabia.

During his visit, the Saudi Minister of Health took a tour of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall, the Emirates Library, and the Presidential Archive. In the Customers Happiness Hall, His Excellency reviewed a large number of historical pictures and documents that document the deep historical relations, the strategic partnership and solidarity between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.  

The National Archives organizes an intensive guidance and information awareness activity.

The Emirates Library of the National Archives organized an intensive guidance and information awareness activity that included training workshops on information ethics, free access, authority control, the online catalog of the Emirates Library, and methods to access UAE legislations and treaties.

The Emirates Library considers this intensive activity fundamental to the ongoing training and education that enriches employees’ skills, and broadens their intellectual and cultural knowledge. This comes as part of its awareness and guidance mission which enhances constructive communication in terms of exchanging ideas and free access to research results which in turn paves the way and provides suitable conditions for professional advancement and scientific progress.

Given the National Archives’ genuine belief in the importance of reading in enhancing skills and knowledge, free books were given away to participants during this two-day activity. Besides, the Emirates Library of the National Archives offers staff members the opportunity to choose the book that suits their interests and positively contributes to shaping their personality and enhancing their social relationships.

The specialists at the Emirates Library informed participants of the necessary information and ethics beneficiaries need to have in order to freely and easily access and benefit from Emirates library various repositories of information.

The workshops organized by the Emirates Library acquainted the beneficiaries with the Emirati legislations and treaties service and methods for its online access. They also introduced the Emirates library online catalog searching and browsing methods and easy access to its collections and database.

by an exhibition of old photographs, a lecture on historical relations and historical documents confirming the depth of relations,

The National Archives participates in the celebrations of the UAE embassy in Kuwait of the 48th National Day



The National Archives has participated in the celebrations of the 48th National Day held by the UAE embassy in Kuwait. It organized an exhibition of historical photographs that documented the union establishment stages and presented a bright picture of the UAE and its development and prosperity under its wise leadership that has constantly followed in the footsteps of the founding leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. In the presence of H.E. Saqr Nasser Al Raisi, the UAE Ambassador to Kuwait, H.E. Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, Director General of the National Archives, delivered a lecture on the historical relationships between the UAE and Kuwait.

In his lecture delivered at the College of Art of Kuwait University, H.E. Dr. Abdulla Alraisi emphasized the fact that the UAE-Kuwait relations are historical, as evidenced by a historical document dated back to 1907 and held by the National Archives. The document pointed out that Sheikh Zayed the First gave Sheikh Mubarak the Great a number of race camels as a gift.

The relationships between the two states remained close. Pearl traders from both states were frequently meeting and travelling between the UAE and Kuwait. His Excellency shed light on the common bonds between the UAE and Kuwait such as kinship, traditions and customs; history and interests; visions and aspirations,; religion and Arabism.

H.E. Dr. Abdulla Alraisi has appreciated the efforts of Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, Amir of Kuwait, ever since he was the Minister of Media as he launched Al-Arabi magazine, which documented the stages through which the Union went and the development of the UAE. In fact, his remarkable efforts and major role in bridging the gaps during the formation of the union are noteworthy.

H.E. Dr. Abdulla Alraisi has pointed out the high regard in which Kuwait has always held the UAE quoting the late Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah as saying: “Since the dawn of its development at the hands of the wise man of the Arabs, its founder, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE has been a strong supporter of humanitarian work. H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Their Highnesses the Sheikhs have followed in his footsteps.”

The National Archives participated in the celebrations of UAE embassy in Kuwait by an exhibition of historical photographs, which documented the stages through which the establishment of the Union went, thanks to the efforts of the founding leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his fellow rulers. The exhibition provided the public in Kuwait with the opportunity to learn about Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s values and deeds as well as his efforts in establishing and developing the UAE.

With a speech delivered by Al-Raisi, and photo exhibitions documenting the stages of establishing the union

The National Archives celebrates the 48th National Day and the anniversary of the founding of the Union

On the occasion of the 48th National Day and the anniversary of the establishment of the Union, His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Muhammad Al Raisi, Director General of the National Archives, delivered a speech in which he affirmed that since the establishment of the State of the Union, our wise leadership has been working to build a strong state based on justice and tolerance, and at the same time implanting in the hearts of its people the values and principles of love And peace to all, pointing out that in conjunction with our celebrations of the 48th National Day, the United Arab Emirates continues to achieve its achievements thanks to the insightful visions laid by the late founding father - God willing - Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his brothers, the founding rulers of the Emirates, who worked sincerely and were in the interest of The homeland and the people were before their eyes until this vision was achieved and our country reached the ranks of the major developed countries based on science, knowledge and tolerance.

His Excellency said: When Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan - may God rest his soul in peace - assumed the reins of power in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the blessed march towards unity, development and human building began. Since its establishment, the Union has been keen to protect the rights and freedoms of the people of the Union and to achieve close cooperation among the Emirates for their common benefit, for their prosperity and progress in all fields, and for providing a better life for all citizens.

His Excellency added: Today, praise be to God, the UAE occupies a distinguished rank at the global level, and it continues its efforts for further progress and prosperity, and contributes to the service of humanity and is moving steadily under its wise leadership towards a better tomorrow. It launches more major projects to serve the nation and its people.

His Excellency the Director General urged the staff and workers of the National Archives to achieve more, because honesty in work is an expression of the extent of a person's love for his homeland, his pride in his belonging to it, and his loyalty to its wise leadership.

On the other hand, and in celebration of the National Day, the National Archives organized a number of photo exhibitions entitled: "The Stages of Establishing the Union". The other Emirates invited Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan - may God rest his soul - to join the federation.

The National Archives exhibitions were distributed in many institutions such as: Zayed University, Abu Dhabi Center for Follow-up and Arbitration, Latifa Hospital in Dubai, Al Qasimia University in Sharjah... and others.

The National Archives takes advantage of the Sharjah Book Days and supplies its library with the most important specialized books



The National Archives provided the Emirates Library with newly published books, and the sources and references that were featured in the Sharjah International Book Fair in its thirty-eighth edition. The National Archives added more than 3,000 books to the Emirates Library on topics related to its specialties, goals, and tasks. The Sharjah Book Fair Selection Committee was keen to Provided that the books enhance the status of the Emirates Library among researchers, academics, and the beneficiaries as a model specialized library that works to encourage historical scientific research. Some of them documented the news of tribes and clans, and some of them cared about biographies and memoirs, and the Emirates Library paid great attention to encyclopedias, dictionaries and travel literature.

The National Archives has been accustomed to seizing the days of international book fairs, such as the two fairs: Abu Dhabi and Sharjah - based on the fact that each of these two exhibitions is a cultural demonstration that preserves the book’s value, importance and glow - in order to enrich its library with new sources, references, and titles, as well as old, almost rare titles in history and literature. The archive finds NBK's participation is an opportunity to enhance communication with exhibitors and publishing houses, and at the same time present its valuable publications to the exhibition audience.

In view of the biography of the founding leader, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his achievements that know no bounds; The Emirates Library has paid great attention to the publications dealing with the biography of the founding leader, because it clearly embodies the good qualities of Sheikh Zayed’s personality, in addition to his leadership role that distinguished him as he devoted his efforts to the construction and growth of the country, and among the most prominent books that were provided to the Emirates Library In it, it documents aspects of the biography of Sheikh Zayed, his national principles, and his praiseworthy exploits: the book (Zayed the Miracle Maker in the Emirates), the book (Zayed Develops Palm Cultivation in the Emirates), the book (Words of the Leader Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan), the book (The Leader's Words) and others.< br />
The Emirates Library brought many books that dealt with the histories of Arab tribes and lineages inside and outside the Emirates, foremost among them: the book (Al-Shuhuh and the History of the Mountain Heads in the Arabian Gulf), and a number of books on the tribes: Al-Awaleq, Al-Qudra, Al-Balaghy, Encyclopedia of Samarra Clans, and Encyclopedia The noble clans of Iraq, and the shining ray in knowing the news and genealogies of the Kinda tribes, and the tribes of Iraq, the Levant, the Emirates and Oman.

Based on the fact that written history is based on official documents and documents, memoirs and biographies, and since biographies and memoirs can restore the social function of the past; The Emirates Library supported its holdings with a number of memoirs, biographies and translations, such as: the memoirs of Muhammad Kurd Ali in four volumes, the memoirs of Amin Al-Rayhani, and the memoirs of each of the former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, and the former President of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, Ali Nasser Muhammad (Memory of a Homeland).

The Emirates Library in the National Archives is keen to make available to its visitors a number of important comprehensive and specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias and documentaries rich in knowledge. Therefore, I brought from the Sharjah Book Fair a large number of dictionaries and encyclopedias, including: Bahrain Archive in the original British documents 1820-1971 in six volumes, Dictionary of Archival Science Terminology, History of Clothing in the World, Expanded Dictionary of Citations, Encyclopedia of Sociological Terms, Hayamos Trilingual Dictionary, and Lisan The bride, the flags of the women of Mecca, the encyclopedia of orientalists, the encyclopedia of noble scholars, the terminology of the Arabic manuscript book, the dictionary of the flags of the crown of the bride, the thesaurus of intangible cultural heritage in three volumes, and the scholars of Najd in eight centuries in six volumes.

And since travel literature is one of the most important literary arts, as it contains some important information that cannot be dispensed with by writers, historians, geographers, and others, the Emirates Library has paid attention to books related to travel literature. The Journey: The Dialectic of the Self and the Other), the book (Travel Literature and Self-Repercussions), the book (A Yemeni Vision in Travel Literature), (The Hijaz Journey 1102 AH), (Travel Literature by Carl Thompson), and (The History and Culture of the Arabian Peninsula in Light of Indian Journeys). .. and others.

In addition to everything that was purchased; The National Archives enriched the Emirates Library with a large number of publications that were donated by the participants in the exhibition, and the publishing houses donated them to the National Archives Library.

The National Archives receives a delegation from the Colleges of Education and Society in Socotra on a scientific visit



The National Archives received a delegation from the Colleges of Education and Society in the Yemeni archipelago of Socotra, within the framework of the delegation’s visit to the United Arab Emirates, at the invitation of the Khalifa bin Zayed Foundation for Humanitarian Works. The delegation included the deans of the two colleges and a number of faculty members and outstanding students. Within the framework of the deep-rooted fraternal relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Yemen, and within the interest that the United Arab Emirates attaches to the field of education in the Socotra Archipelago.

The visit aimed to review pages of the history of the United Arab Emirates preserved in the National Archives, and the agenda of educational and cultural activities and activities related to the interests of the National Archives, and the role it plays in consolidating the national identity and enhancing loyalty and belonging among the people of the Emirati society.

The Yemeni delegation expressed its pleasure in exchanging scientific experiences in the field of library and education affairs, and in preserving the archives of colleges in the best way, given their importance in the history of Yemen and the educational path in it.

The Dean of the Community College, Dr. Nadim Al-Azibi, and the Dean of the College of Education in Socotra, Dr. Saad Amer, praised the technical development in the National Archives, the great national role in preserving the memory of the nation, the strong relations that link the National Archives with academic institutions inside and outside the country, and the benefits achieved by researchers and academics alike. By training them in the National Archives, or by benefiting from the sources and references in its library from the most important books that represent the cultural and historical heritage of the region and humanity.

The two deans also expressed their admiration for the agenda of the National Archives and its richness in activities, foremost of which are Abu Dhabi’s hosting of the International Council on Archives Congress 2020, which will be held under the slogan “Empowering Knowledge Societies.” Thousands of archivists from all over the world will participate in it, and they will discuss global archival issues in the field of archiving. and documentation.

The Yemeni delegation got acquainted with the website of the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive (AGDA), in which the National Archives of the United Arab Emirates provides thousands of historical documents, photos, and multimedia audio-visual recordings of historical and cultural value related to the United Arab Emirates and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. To present through it the rich and interesting history of the Arab Gulf states over the course of two centuries. This site documents many events with historical documents, introduces many personalities, and presents its contents through many materials that were not previously shown on the Internet.

The delegation's visit included a tour of the National Archives' departments and its most important facilities, where they listened to an explanation about the holdings of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall, which presents to its visitors important pages of the history of the UAE, the establishment of its federation, and the good relations with many brotherly and friendly countries.

The Yemeni delegation toured the Emirates Library, which is one of the most prominent libraries specialized in the history and culture of the UAE and the Gulf region, and is an important reference for researchers because of the sources, references and general books it contains in both its paper and electronic forms.
 The guest delegation watched a high-tech 3D documentary about the history, present and prospects of the UAE in the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Hall for Virtual Reality.

The National Archives enriches the educational package for teachers in a way that enhances loyalty and belonging and consolidates the national identity



The National Archives participates in enriching the training package for teachers with historical materials and documents that introduce the national identity and Emirati heritage and their relationship to social behavior, thus contributing to the transfer of these concepts and knowledge to generations. The National Archives does this based on its role in the national upbringing of generations, and its strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education and education, and to achieve the National Archives’ mission, vision and values in promoting belonging to the homeland and loyalty to the wise leadership and consolidating the national identity.

   (AGDA), which is a source for historical studies and research, and it contains hundreds of thousands of documents, historical images and multimedia of historical and cultural value related to the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.  The importance of enriching the training package for teachers with it stems from its being a digital and historical informational resource available free of charge, and teachers can rely on it to complete the curricula of history and national education because it contains historical documents pertaining to the state and the Gulf region, and students can rely on it in research related to the history of a state Emirates, and this site helps students to identify methods of relying on the historical document in historical scientific research. This website is available to all browsers via the link: https://www.agda.ae. copies of its contents.

On the other hand, the National Archives reaches out to teachers by providing the educational bag with a set of its publications full of documented historical information, which present important pages of the history of the Emirates supported by pictures, maps, documents and statistics that narrate the march of a nation and the biographies of great leaders who were able to elevate people and places to the ranks of most countries in the world. progressive development.

The National Archives provides the educational bag with a number of purposeful short national documentaries that are full of documented information about the history of the establishment of the United Arab Emirates and its ancient heritage, and the great role of the founding fathers in building the country and its renaissance, led by the founding leader Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul.< br />
On the other hand, the National Archives supports the training package for teachers with the programs of its cultural and educational project (For a Promising Generation), which aims at consolidating the national identity, introducing the history and civilization of the UAE, and presenting ideal examples for generations. It should be noted that the project (For a Promising Generation) includes the following programmes: Student Historians Club, A Nation Reads, Educational Games, Educational Kit (National Emirates, March Game, Treasure Hunt Game, KidZania World, Art Workshops, National Curriculum Support. 

 The National Archives’ cooperation in enriching the training package for teachers comes within the framework of its keenness to support teachers and provide them with supportive materials, and to meet the needs and expectations of the educational field in order to improve the services provided in order to achieve the satisfaction of the beneficiaries. National for generations to encourage creativity and innovation.