The National Library and Archives organizes a national training program for Expo 2020 consuls

The National Library and Archives “NLA” concluded a virtual national training program for Expo 2020 consuls in collaboration with “Hamza” project, which is the link between Expo 2020 pavilions and government schools in the UAE. The NLA’s program aims to instill the UAE’s cultural heritage and principles of national identity and good citizenship among Expo consuls to show these values to the world in a way that is worthy of the UAE’s position at the international level. The NLA launched this program given its strategic role in good national education of generations and its interest in supporting culture exchange and fostering Expo slogan, which calls for connecting minds and creating the future.

The program is directed to Expo consuls who are local students in cycles 2 and 3 who speak English and demonstrate communication skills. It includes national and cultural lectures delivered by experts and specialists from the NLA.

One of the most prominent lectures that were delivered in coordination with Hamza project was “Identity, Loyalty and Belonging: Key National Values”, which enhances these values among participants. The lecture stressed that these national values are basic national parameters to be instilled among all community members as they are a requirement of good citizenship and a means to protect the UAE’s accomplishments and enhance cohesion among citizens. The lecture was supported with sayings of the Founding Father Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and with documents, photos and evidence from the biographies and sayings of great leaders who impressed the world with their achievements.

The second lecture entitled “Tolerance in the UAE” served as a window onto the UAE’s past and present to show the world its real image as an oasis for tolerance and a global example of coexistence and fraternity where more than 200 nationalities live on its land. The lecture emphasized that the UAE keeps raising hope, spreading benevolence, encouraging cooperation and fostering tolerance values. It also tackled tolerance in the perspective of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, stressing that he strived to strengthen the values of Islam and accordingly he adopted equality and tolerance as an approach in life. Furthermore, since the foundation of the UAE, he aimed to open the UAE’s door wide to all nationalities; he made the UAE as a homeland of tolerance, coexistence and love. Finally, the lecture identified the Emirati community characteristics, noting that it is one of the most successful communities that adopted tolerance values.

On the other hand, the third lecture entitled “The 100th Centennial Anniversary of the UAE” foresaw the future in light of the ten principles approved by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for the following fifty years and the directives of the wise leadership to reach the UAE’s 100th centennial anniversary as well as the UAE’s strategy, which we hope to be at the forefront internationally by its 100th centennial anniversary. The lecture assured that it is the responsibility of the youths to play the major role.

In addition, the program provided a lecture entitled “The Protocol”, which aims to enable participants to deal with VIPs and official guests in appropriate manner in accordance with the internationally accepted standards. These tasks are highly sensitive; therefore, Expo consuls have to excel in them as they form a part of the frontline of this amazing international exhibition.

The participants went on a virtual tour of the NLA via interactive platforms, and they got acquainted with its main facilities such as the Emirates Library, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed VR Hall and Customer Happiness Hall.

Characterized by its national, scientific and cultural subjects,

The National Library and Archives begins its cultural season with a symposium “Architecture, An Introduction to Documentation and Chronicling” 

The National Library and Archives “NLA” began its cultural season for 2022 by organizing a virtual symposium entitled “Architecture, An Introduction to Documentation and Chronicling”. The symposium’s topics attracted the attention of the audience inside and outside the NLA due to their importance to the national heritage and its preservation and to the cultural and scientific domains.

The symposium was opened by H.H. Abdulla Majed Al Ali, Acting Director General of the NLA, welcoming the participants one by one. He assured that this symposium comes as a part of the NLA’s interest in the Emirati architectural heritage, which reflects aspects of the civilization and the UAE’s progress and development.

He suggested that architecture is the art of creativity and thinking-based building. Architectural heritage is one of the most significant tangible sources that reflect previous generations’ social and cultural activities. Furthermore, architectural heritage is the source of the sense of beauty, and it links the past with the present. He added that from the architectural heritage we obtain information, and we are inspired by the glories of our ancestors, which we are proud of, noting that documentation of architectural styles, varieties and development enriches the memory of the nations’ records with details of previous generations’ life. The comparison between the architectural heritage and contemporary urbanization shows the UAE’s stages of development, civilizational experience and prestigious position in terms of modern civilization inputs.

His Excellency indicated that the NLA devoted attention to the documentation of the national architectural heritage and its glorious history. Therefore, it issued a number of significant books, most notably Qasr Al Hosn, Forts and Castles in the United Arab Emirates, and Castles and Towers in the Al Dhafra Region. Moreover, the NLA has much more examples of such publications, which attracted a large turnout of researchers, academic staff and interested people.

The symposium was rich in information that are obtained from the Emirati, Arab and international experiences. Participants were experts, engineers and researchers in the field of architectural heritage and urbanization from the UAE, Arab Republic of Egypt and ICCROM.

In the first topic of the symposium, H.E. Engineer Rashad Mohammed Bukhash, Chairman of the Architectural Heritage Society in the UAE, assured that the UAE has thousands of archeological and historical sites of forts and castles, mosques and towers, markets and residential buildings of various types. He presented models of these buildings and illustrated the efforts of preservation, restoration and renovation by the concerned departments in each emirate to preserve the architectural heritage. Furthermore, he provided an overview of the Architectural Heritage Society and its activities, projects and efforts to spread awareness about heritage.

The second topic was about gates in Abu Dhabi and their history, architecture and decorations. Dr. Hamdan Rashid Al Rashidi from the UAE indicated that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has many defensive fortifications, which contributed to the defense of the citizens’ assets in the Emirate and to their protection in times of danger. He also introduced a number of architectural terminologies related to gates. He pointed out that entrances and gates are one of the main architectural elements in any defensive fortification as an architect pays attention to them in terms of location, fortification and ease of accessibility and exit. There were various forms of entrances with different fortification locations based on their functions. Al Rashidi reviewed the most significant entrances and gates’ forms, construction methods, distribution and functions. The main forms are the door between two towers, two doors one of which is large, and the other is small “Khokha”, protruding entrance, bent entrance and upper entrance. He provided examples of heritage buildings such as Al Maqtaa Tower, Al Muwaiji Fort, Al Jahili Fort, Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed’s Fort, etc.

Dr Zaki Aslan, Regional Director of ICCROM, gave readings about the region’s architecture as examples of the Islamic civilization and showed potentials for digitizing, recording and preserving the architectural heritage assets by making inventory and integrating it into national archives.

By taking the Upper Egypt as an example, Dr. Mohammed Shahata Al Omdah, Egyptian Researcher in folklore, talked about the folk architecture, which represents the tangible form of culture and its intangible form as well, which is represented in the community’s customs and traditions, beliefs and folk knowledge. He noted that the Upper Egypt community underwent several cultural changes, resulting in the change of architecture, its functions, related professions, and folk literature and arts, emphasizing the importance of the related folklore.

Dr. Tariq Wali, Egyptian Architect, discussed architecture, urbanization and heritage, the controversary of past and present. He suggested that these three terms have in common a human factor that is, in its essence, subject to what is commonly called human creativity, and this comes within a context governed by a law, either from the architecture and urbanization sciences and knowledge or from other fields.

It is worth mentioning that Dr. Aisha Bilkhair, Research Advisor at the NLA, who had managed the symposium, discussed with the participants the key recommendations about the symposium subject. They unanimously agreed on the importance of collecting, documenting and recording the tangible and intangible heritage in the Arab countries as these are the national archives’ functions. Moreover, it is important to establish a database for archeological and historical sites, introduce an annual international award for heritage preservation and documentation, conduct interviews with the elderly to preserve the oral history pertaining to this field, train local employees on carrying out historical interviews and field survey, fund research, author books, make documentary film to record the details of history and encourage voluntary work to preserve and document history.

The participants unanimously agreed on the importance of send missions to archeological sites to study and document folk architecture and preserve the heritage that reflects the identity and professions pertaining to architecture in order to acquaint the generations with their history. It is also important to apply the anthropological approach in the UAE since it is an ideal place for such historical and heritage studies, understand and agree on concepts and terminologies related to architecture and urbanization, heritage and authenticity, and contemporaneity and renewal. All participants stressed the importance of introducing, documenting and archiving the cultural heritage digitally.

It is reported that the NLA launched its cultural season agenda for 2022, and it looks forward to presenting various subjects of historical dimension about the UAE in many symposiums and to making this authentic culture accessible. This enhances belonging to the homeland and loyalty to its wise leadership and provides the public with precise and documented information and knowledge, which is the core of its mission.

The National Library and Archives offered Zayed, The Saadiyat Miracle as a gift to the Majalis

The National Library and Archives “NLA” of the UAE offered Zayed, The Saadiyat Miracle as a gift to Abu Dhabi Majalis, which are managed by Majalis Affairs Office of the Crown Prince Court.

By providing the Majalis with The Saadiyat Miracle, the NLA aims to spread cultural awareness and review Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s experience in that vital agricultural project, which has proven successful in Saadiyat Island in 1968.

The NLA’s endeavor to provide the Majalis with this book is due to its distinctive national content as it enriches the knowledge of the Majalis’ visitors with a leading agricultural experience that reflects the Founding Father Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s genius, which is documented by the NLA and incorporated within its national mission to provide documented and reliable information.

The NLA offered to the Majalis about 50 copies of The Saadiyat Miracle, which documents a remarkable achievement of the everlasting leader who will remain an example of foresightedness, love of his people and fatherly leadership.

The book in brief

The Saadiyat Miracle book documents Sheikh Zayed’s efforts when he challenged the impossible and the agricultural project in Saadiyat Island succeeded in 1968. This book is one of the NLA’s series of publications that document the UAE’s memory of the achievements made by the Founding Father Sheikh Zayed who elevated the level of the UAE and its citizens so that it became a model for the contemporary state under the umbrella of its wise leadership.

The book tackles Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s efforts in agriculture and reclamation of salty lands in Saadiyat Island when he was the ruler Abu Abu Dhabi. In 1967, he offered money to some of The University of Arizona’s scientists to establish facilities for power, water and food in the island in order to start cultivation and producing fresh vegetables, and using modern technologies for irrigation, electrical power generation and seawater desalination. Saadiyat lands reclamation project attracted a great deal of the world attention as many academic journals and books wrote about it in various languages. Saadiyat is one of Abu Dhabi’s islands that is with white Oolitic sand, and it lacked both water and roads.

The book, authored by Dr. Merle H. Jensen, started with a saying of the Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan: “Give me agriculture and I will give you civilization”. Following the book introduction come the seven chapters as follows:

In Chapter (1) “The Birth of Controlled Environment Agriculture: Power, Water, Food for Desert Communities”, the book tackles the Environmental Research Laboratory, plastic greenhouse development and the highly encouraging results of the horticultural trials.

Chapter (2) talks about the agriculture in the Emirates in the late 1960s. The book highlighted the markets in Abu Dhabi and the vegetables that were sold at that time.

In Chapter (3) “Technology Transfer Begins”, the author recalled the details of the first visit of Mr. Carl Hodges, Director of the Environmental Research Laboratory, to the island and the harsh conditions there. He mentioned the three trainees selected by Sheikh Zayed to accompany Dr. Riley, Project Director, in his flight over the Arctic to Tucson. The trainees were: Abdulla Said Kaddas, Hamad Murshid Tamin and Mohamed Mijrin Seif. This chapter provides details about the greenhouse structure and environment and the power/water production units, etc.

Chapter (4) “Research Solves Horticultural Challenges” explains how to select vegetables varieties and it provides a list of these vegetables.

Chapter (5) “Bountiful Harvest” illustrates the results of the project.

Chapter (6) “Notable Diplomats, Visitors and Experiences” indicates that the Saadiyat project has attracted many diplomats and visitors from the UAE and different countries of the world.

Finally, Chapter (7) “The Lasting Impact” demonstrates that the Saadiyat project had great impact in the growth of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. It also resulted in the enrollment of a number of students in The University of Arizona, and it was the beginning of technologies that started to develop.

The book supported its valuable information with a large number of historical photos, most notably the photos of the Founding Father while he was following up the project stages and development.

70 Research Papers on the Image of the UAE in the cultures, literatures and World Intellectual Heritage,
The National Library and Archives Continues its Preparations for the 2nd International Translation Conference

As part of its continuous preparation for the 2nd International Translation Conference, the National Library and Archives “NLA” accepted 70 research papers for participation in the conference, which will be held virtually on March 9-13, 2022, under the slogan of “Translation and Preservation of the Memory of the Nation: The Image of the UAE in the cultures, literatures and World Intellectual Heritage”.
In this regard, Mr. Hamad Slayem Al Hamiri, Director of the Research and Knowledge Services Department at the NLA, said: “Following the success of the 1st International Translation Conference, we noticed a great turnout of researchers, translators, experts and specialists for participation in the 2nd International Translation Conference. Soon as we had announced the date for submitting papers, we received a large number of serious papers that will enrich the conference with innovative topics in living languages worldwide. Among the received research papers, the organizing committee selected 70 papers on the ten topics of the conference agenda to be announced soon.”
“Upon the shortlisting of the appropriate research papers for the 2nd International Translation Conference, we bear in mind the importance of the linguistic, cultural, historical and epistemological interconnections that require accuracy in transfer between different languages, especially that we are dealing with a topic of significant national dimensions related to the image of the UAE in the cultures, literatures and world intellectual heritage. That is why the conference agenda has included research papers discussing the image of the UAE in the eyes of the European travelers, historical and political narratives and contemporary Emirati civilizational achievements in European and Asian writings.”, he added.
He confirmed that the research papers to be included in the conference agenda study the role of translation in enhancing the image and cultural heritage of the UAE in the 21st century.
Following the success of the 1st International Translation Conference, the Director of the Research and Knowledge Services Department revealed the offer received by the NLA from Globethics, which expressed its admiration for the topics of the 2nd International Translation Conference. The Globethics offer was a request to publish all the research papers of the next conference. Discussions are still taking place between the NLA and Globethics to publish these papers in a way that preserves the NLA’s rights in its capacity of the organizer of the conference.
It is worth mentioning that Globethics is a Cambridge-based publishing house. It is a major world company concerned with publishing historical and philosophical research papers as well as papers in the field of humanities and social sciences.
The participants in the conference include a number of professional specialists and experts, American, Canadian and European professors, a number of researchers from major universities in Asia, Latin America and Australia and an elite of academic staff members from Arab, African and GCC universities as well as specialists from the UAE University.

The National Library and Archives enriches its cultural season entitled " Archivng is Life", with distinguished lectures and topics.

The National Library and Archives launched the agenda of its 2022 cultural season entitled “Archiving is Life”. Its monthly seminars deal with the various aspects of the UAE glorious history and prosperous present through which it seeks to enrich and document its topics and provide accurate and important information and knowledge. Through its cultural season, the National Library and Archives aims at presenting UAE related historical topics in a facilitated informative way for the public’s interest, since promoting this culture contributes to enhancing and preserving future generations’ historical memory, national identity and culture.
The current cultural season’s agenda includes poetic and artistic evenings and seminars,  beginning with “Architecture as an Introduction to Documentation and History” on February 28th, followed by various other seminars on topics including industries, traditional crafts, arts, translation and preserving the memory of the nation which tackle recounted oral history based on UAE Senior figures and citizens’ memory, and literary history, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence, corporate governance, and talent management, while shedding light on leaders who shaped the UAE history, and initiated the motto “Al-Bait Mitwahid”.
His Excellency Abdullah Majid Al Ali, the National Library and Archives’ Acting Director General said: “the current cultural season comes this year under the metaphoric title: “Archiving is Life,” indicating the importance of Archives and its role in the lives of various people, the general public, as well as individuals, institutions and states. Archives are highly important in preserving title to different rights, being a historical scientific research source and reference as well as a  national identity essential pillar contributing to objectively presenting historic facts to aid decision-makers in taking the right decisions.
The archives, in its role as the memory of the nation, represents the nation’s civilization and values, and is an important information source on which researchers rely to perceive the future, and through its treasures and holdings, generations pass on experiences, draw knowledge, and benefit from ancestors’ various successful experiences, which will inevitably result in a general development in all aspects of life.
HE added: The seminars’ topics and diverse artistic or poetry evenings and events enrich the Emirati cultural scene and movement. The cultural season’s planned seminars include a large number of leading, successful and creative experts, specialists and speakers with greaat expertise to recount, and enrich the presented lecture topics’ useful content with recent updates. His Excellency added that the National Library and Archives virtually presented the activities of its cultural season entitled " Archiving is Life" via interactive social media platforms, in line with its mission to disseminate knowledge and its parallel commitment and adherence to Precautionary measures to counter and contain the spread of COVID-19.
HE pointed out that the seminars’ lecture topics shall be published and made available by National Library and Archives to benefit Knowledge seekers and interested parties to help disseminate knowledge, exchange expertise, and enrich Arab Libraries with leading Emirati experiences of which we are immensely proud.
 

The National Library and Archives is proud of its achievement and foresees innovation in the future

In conjunction with the month of innovation, the National Library and Archives “NLA” of the UAE organized, via interactive platforms, a virtual lecture entitled “The Role of the National Library and Archives in Innovation” in which Mr. Hamad Al Mutairi, Director of the Archives Department, reviewed the achievements made in terms of innovation during the last stage. He laid the main foundations for innovation and defined its key features during the following stage.

The lecturer said: “We have learned from our wise leadership that innovation is not an option but a necessity. It is not a culture, but a work style and it is not a luxury but a duty. Therefore, each staff member and official have to be innovative in order to improve business opportunities, promote his/ her achievements in the interest of our homeland and deliver an excellent performance. We have also learned from our leadership that nothing is impossible.”. He noted that innovation occurs in developing tasks and projects and foreseeing the future. The UAE Government has introduced several programs that enhance the culture of innovation.

He also reviewed significant milestones in the history of the NLA, which was founded in 1968. Since its inception, the NLA strived to fulfil its principal objective entrusted by the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan to preserve whatever pertaining to the history of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the Gulf region. It went through several stages of development, most notably the issuance of Federal Law No. (7) of 2008 under which the NLA was changed into a federal institution and then Federal Law No. (3) of 2021 on the incorporation of the National Library into the National Archives and the introduction of new objectives and functions.

The lecture discussed the NLA’s key functions: various forms of documents and historical records collection, processing to prolong their life and preservation in accordance with the latest standards as well as making them accessible. Furthermore, it tackled innovation in operations and procedures such the standard plan for identifying similar documents at government entities. It focused on the importance of innovation in modern technologies, which form the fundamental basis for the digital age we live in, and on making use of artificial intelligence in archives and libraries, the NLA achievements at this level and how it benefited from indexing, electronic data recognition, optical character recognition (OCR) and accessibility processes.

The Director of the Archives Department highlighted the challenges of innovation such as lack of positivity, initiative implementation and careful planning. Moreover, he emphasized the importance of innovation for the future and its requirements of strategies, projects, initiatives and enablers, noting that ambitious and smart strategies that conform with the UAE strategies require enablers and infrastructures to support projects and initiatives.

With regard to human resources training, qualification and empowerment, the lecture pointed out the collaboration with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in the professional certificate and the Bachelor and Master in archives and records management.

In addition, the lecture, attended by a large number of employees and interested persons, identified the main innovative projects and initiatives that bear testimony to the NLA achievements such as the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive “AGDA”, which is a digital portal that contains thousands of historical records, photos and multimedia of historical and cultural value. It is worth mentioning that AGDA have been developed and updated recently by the NLA. The innovative projects and initiatives also include the ICA Congress, which is the largest archival event to be hosted in Abu Dhabi in October 2023 under the slogan of “Empowering Knowledge Societies”.

The National Library and Archives is proud of its achievement and foresees innovation in the future

In conjunction with the month of innovation, the National Library and Archives “NLA” of the UAE organized, via interactive platforms, a virtual lecture entitled “The Role of the National Library and Archives in Innovation” in which Mr. Hamad Al Mutairi, Director of the Archives Department, reviewed the achievements made in terms of innovation during the last stage. He laid the main foundations for innovation and defined its key features during the following stage.
The lecturer said: “We have learned from our wise leadership that innovation is not an option but a necessity. It is not a culture, but a work style and it is not a luxury but a duty. Therefore, each staff member and official have to be innovative in order to improve business opportunities, promote his/ her achievements in the interest of our homeland and deliver an excellent performance. We have also learned from our leadership that nothing is impossible.”. He noted that innovation occurs in developing tasks and projects and foreseeing the future. The UAE Government has introduced several programs that enhance the culture of innovation.
He also reviewed significant milestones in the history of the NLA, which was founded in 1968. Since its inception, the NLA strived to fulfil its principal objective entrusted by the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan to preserve whatever pertaining to the history of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the Gulf region. It went through several stages of development, most notably the issuance of Federal Law No. (7) of 2008 under which the NLA was changed into a federal institution and then Federal Law No. (3) of 2021 on the incorporation of the National Library into the National Archives and the introduction of new objectives and functions.
The lecture discussed the NLA’s key functions: various forms of documents and historical records collection, processing to prolong their life and preservation in accordance with the latest standards as well as making them accessible. Furthermore, it tackled innovation in operations and procedures such the standard plan for identifying similar documents at government entities. It focused on the importance of innovation in modern technologies, which form the fundamental basis for the digital age we live in, and on making use of artificial intelligence in archives and libraries, the NLA achievements at this level and how it benefited from indexing, electronic data recognition, optical character recognition (OCR) and accessibility processes.
The Director of the Archives Department highlighted the challenges of innovation such as lack of positivity, initiative implementation and careful planning. Moreover, he emphasized the importance of innovation for the future and its requirements of strategies, projects, initiatives and enablers, noting that ambitious and smart strategies that conform with the UAE strategies require enablers and infrastructures to support projects and initiatives.
With regard to human resources training, qualification and empowerment, the lecture pointed out the collaboration with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in the professional certificate and the Bachelor and Master in archives and records management.
In addition, the lecture, attended by a large number of employees and interested persons, identified the main innovative projects and initiatives that bear testimony to the NLA achievements such as the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive “AGDA”, which is a digital portal that contains thousands of historical records, photos and multimedia of historical and cultural value. It is worth mentioning that AGDA have been developed and updated recently by the NLA. The innovative projects and initiatives also include the ICA Congress, which is the largest archival event to be hosted in Abu Dhabi in October 2023 under the slogan of “Empowering Knowledge Societies”.

The National Library and Archives showcases it collections at the Sheikh Zayed Festival using high technology

In keeping with the National Library and Archives’ interest in innovation as one of the necessary requirements without which excellence cannot be achieved, it furnished its Memory of the Nation pavilion at the Sheikh Zayed Festival 2022 with cutting edge technologies to display the sophisticated projects implemented over the last ten years, of which the UAE is proud, in an innovative and attractive way that is appealing to all festival visitors.

The higher than ten meters mammoth wall screens are one of the most eye-catching high-tech features in the NLA’s pavilion. Each screen displays a certain project’s photo and relevant brief information once a visitor steps on the circle to which it is connected. Thus, the National Library and Archives pavilion’s visitors of different segments and age-groups are engaged to gain useful information in an interesting way.

These screens display information about original projects starting from 2012-2021, namely, Etihad Museum, Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, Dubai Metro, Dubai's Safauh Tram Line, the Government Summit, Khalifa Port, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Sat, the journey of the first Emirati astronaut, the Hope Probe and Expo 2020.

The information about each of these projects, which are launched by the UAE, is introduced in a few lines read in a minute or two. A screen is dedicated to each year from 2012 to 2021, so when a visitor steps on the circle corresponding to the year about which he/she wants to obtain information, the blue screen illuminates displaying the relevant image, prominent events and data. For example, If the visitor stands on the circle of Khalifa Port, the following text appears: Khalifa Port is the latest Emirati port in Abu Dhabi with a characteristic deeper dock, which allows it to receive the largest international shipping liners. Khalifa Port is the widest gateway for transit trade to and from the emirate, and it is the only port that handles container cargo which has been completely diverted from Zayed Port since the end of December 2012.

Another screen introduces information about “KhalifaSat” saying it is one of the latest satellites designated to remote Earth observation imaging. It is designed and manufactured in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in Dubai. It is the first fully Emirati satellite, which was launched into Earth orbit on October 30, 2018.

On the dedicated screen to the Dubai Tram, the visitor reads: The Dubai Tram is a tram line in Al Sufouh, Dubai, which extends for 14.5 km along Al-Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina to Palm Jumeirah. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai officially opened its first phase on November 11, 2014.

In addition to this innovative method of display, the National Library and Archives enriches its pavilion with other high-tech gadgets that display equally important NLA’s holdings, such as virtual reality binoculars, interactive display screens, and the digital visitor counter installed in the pavilion's majlis.

The National Library and Archives showcases it collections at the Sheikh Zayed Festival using high technology

In keeping with the National Library and Archives’ interest in innovation as one of the necessary requirements without which excellence cannot be achieved, it furnished its Memory of the Nation pavilion at the Sheikh Zayed Festival 2022 with cutting edge technologies to display the sophisticated projects implemented over the last ten years, of which the UAE is proud, in an innovative and attractive way that is appealing to all festival visitors.
The higher than ten meters mammoth wall screens are one of the most eye-catching high-tech features in the NLA’s pavilion. Each screen displays a certain project’s photo and relevant brief information once a visitor steps on the circle to which it is connected. Thus, the National Library and Archives pavilion’s visitors of different segments and age-groups are engaged to gain useful information in an interesting way.
These screens display information about original projects starting from 2012-2021, namely, Etihad Museum, Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, Dubai Metro, Dubai's Safauh Tram Line, the Government Summit, Khalifa Port, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Sat, the journey of the first Emirati astronaut, the Hope Probe and Expo 2020.
The information about each of these projects, which are launched by the UAE, is introduced in a few lines read in a minute or two. A screen is dedicated to each year from 2012 to 2021, so when a visitor steps on the circle corresponding to the year about which he/she wants to obtain information, the blue screen illuminates displaying the relevant image, prominent events and data. For example, If the visitor stands on the circle of Khalifa Port, the following text appears: Khalifa Port is the latest Emirati port in Abu Dhabi with a characteristic deeper dock, which allows it to receive the largest international shipping liners. Khalifa Port is the widest gateway for transit trade to and from the emirate, and it is the only port that handles container cargo which has been completely diverted from Zayed Port since the end of December 2012.
Another screen introduces information about “KhalifaSat” saying it is one of the latest satellites designated to remote Earth observation imaging. It is designed and manufactured in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center in Dubai. It is the first fully Emirati satellite, which was launched into Earth orbit on October 30, 2018.
On the dedicated screen to the Dubai Tram, the visitor reads: The Dubai Tram is a tram line in Al Sufouh, Dubai, which extends for 14.5 km along Al-Sufouh Road from Dubai Marina to Palm Jumeirah. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai officially opened its first phase on November 11, 2014.
In addition to this innovative method of display, the National Library and Archives enriches its pavilion with other high-tech gadgets that display equally important NLA’s holdings, such as virtual reality binoculars, interactive display screens, and the digital visitor counter installed in the pavilion's majlis.

Distinguished services and extensive experience in preserving and making the UAE history accessible,
The National Library and Archives continues its cultural program in conjunction with Cairo International Book Fair

The National Library and Archives “NLA” continues its cultural program for the second consecutive day in conjunction with Cairo International Book Fair. It focused on the NLA affairs. The first lecture tackled the NLA’s functions and national educational programs while the second one discussed its history, inception and role in preserving and making documents accessible. This interest emphasizes the importance of introducing the NLA’s new objectives and functions as the NLA is passing through a new stage following the issuance of Law No. (13) of 2021 by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, on changing the name of the National Archives to the National Library and Archives.
The first lecture started by everlasting inspirational words by leaders who developed the UAE and brought prosperity to people and the place in record time. Later, Dr. Husniya Al Ali, Educational Programs Consultant at the NLA, talked about the NLA’s inception, vision, mission and values along with its strategic objectives. Moreover, she demonstrated its functions and regulations and explained in detail its role in archiving, restoration, genealogy and oral history. She also illustrated the government, community and educational services provided by the NLA as well as the collaboration agreements concluded with various vital sectors in the UAE.
In reviewing the history of the NLA, she pointed out its role in collecting the history of the UAE and the Gulf region, archiving valuable documents that are of a historical significance and making them accessible. After that she presented the services offered in the fields of archiving, documents preservation and restoration of documents that are about to be damaged. In this sense, she highlighted the types of documents for which this service is created and restoration kinds, stages and objective. She then moved to tracing lineages, methods adopted in this service and in recording lineages and genealogy studies objective. With regards to the oral history, she pointed out the targeted audience, role of specialists in this domain and oral history importance and purpose.
The Educational Programs Consultant stated that the NLA educational services are aimed to spread awareness about national values that foster the concepts of loyalty and belonging to the homeland, highlight ideal examples to generations, instill good behavior and positive habits among youngsters and activate the wise leadership’s initiatives and directives. The lecturer then tackled the NLA’s services and tools.
She concluded the lecture with the NLA’s community services and listed its accessible facilities.
Mr. Hamad Al Mutairi, Director of the Archives Department, and Mr. Hatem Younis, Archives Expert, delivered the second lecture about the NLA’s history, inception and role in preserving and making documents accessible. Al Mutairi provided a historical overview on the significant milestones of the NLA history, which is over 54 years and on Federal Law No. (7) of 2008 and the executive regulation thereof. He then explained in detail each stage of the archival chain at the NLA from documents collection to processing and preservation until making them accessible, which is the ultimate objective.
He also talked about the NLA’s role in preparing, qualifying and developing cadres in the field of records management and archival sciences, highlighting the collaboration with Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in the following scientific and academic specializations: the Professional Certificate in Archives and Records Management, Bachelor in Records Management and Archival Science and Master in Records Management and Archival Studies.
The Director of the Archives Department concluded with an introduction to the ICA Congress to be hosted in Abu Dhabi in October 2023, noting that it is the largest archival event that is held every four years. The congress will discuss several subjects and core issues related to the archives future.
The Archives Expert explained the research methods of sources of information and documents pertaining to the UAE and the Arabian Gulf region, noting the importance of the electronic portal of the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive, which contains thousands of historical records and multimedia that are made available on the internet for free by the NLA, and the importance of exhibitions and museums in developing knowledge and historical awareness of the UAE.
Having defined documents and oral history and illustrated how to collect, preserve and making historical archives available, he presented the NLA’s role in converting documents into electronic form to become accessible to researchers and those who are interested in the history and heritage of the UAE and Gulf region.

Concurrently with Cairo International Book Fair

The National Library and Archives (NLA) begins its series of lectures with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Translation

The National Library and Archives (NLA) started the program of national and educational lectures virtually via communication technologies, concurrently with the Cairo International Book Fair, with a lecture entitled “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Translation: luxury and Difficulties.” The lecture confirmed that advanced artificial intelligence techniques have created machine translation, which is a revolution against traditional translation, and it relies on three disciplines: linguistics, mathematics, and computer science.

The lecture, presented by Professor Siddiq Gohar, a translation expert at the National Library and Archives, indicated that although machine translation faces various obstacles, it has made tremendous progress and has a bright future.

The lecture listed the advantages of machine translation; it indicated its usefulness in the quick translation of large content requiring merely the general meaning of the text without precision. However, since it is literal translation, it lacks accuracy, because the machine does not understand or perceive all words or context. Therefore, it cannot differentiate between the important or the non-important phrases, nor can it tell the symbolic or metaphoric expressions apart, consequently, it is defected as it generates an automated text block written by someone that does not understand the topic nor the context.

The lecture revealed the extent to which translators can benefit from machine translation, and pointed out that Google Translate has changed its approach from machine translation to neural translation, which uses an industrial or artificial neural network to predict the possibility of generating words successively to bridge the gap between human and machine translation, yet machine translation remains insignificant, and the quality of machine translation with regard to Qur'an verses is less than 22%.

The lecture concluded that machine translation remains unreliable despite its development, and human beings remain irreplaceable. When Google announced developments in the machine translation sector paving the way to do without translators, research confirmed its lack of reliability or credibility, pointing out that this misinformation aims at market monopoly, and despite the fact that machine translation systems will affect translators’ performance, translators and language editors would remain indispensable, and there will always be a need for translators to translate documents, books and reports which cannot be automatically translated.

It is worth mentioning that the National Library and Archives program, which coincides with the Cairo International Book Fair, includes other lectures namely, Introduction to Educational Services and Programs of the National Library and Archives, the National Library and Archives’ Role  in Document Preservation and Accessibility, Towards Tolerance and Fraternity: Approaches to the Dialogue of Civilizations, Zayed the Father, Zayed the Leader, The UAE: Homeland of Tolerance, and the UAE-Egyptian Relations: Exceptional and Eternal.

Concurrently with Cairo International Book Fair
The National Library and Archives (NLA) begins its series of lectures with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Translation

The National Library and Archives (NLA) started the program of national and educational lectures virtually via communication technologies, concurrently with the Cairo International Book Fair, with a lecture entitled “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Translation: luxury and Difficulties.” The lecture confirmed that advanced artificial intelligence techniques have created machine translation, which is a revolution against traditional translation, and it relies on three disciplines: linguistics, mathematics, and computer science.
The lecture, presented by Professor Siddiq Gohar, a translation expert at the National Library and Archives, indicated that although machine translation faces various obstacles, it has made tremendous progress and has a bright future.
The lecture listed the advantages of machine translation; it indicated its usefulness in the quick translation of large content requiring merely the general meaning of the text without precision. However, since it is literal translation, it lacks accuracy, because the machine does not understand or perceive all words or context. Therefore, it cannot differentiate between the important or the non-important phrases, nor can it tell the symbolic or metaphoric expressions apart, consequently, it is defected as it generates an automated text block written by someone that does not understand the topic nor the context.
The lecture revealed the extent to which translators can benefit from machine translation, and pointed out that Google Translate has changed its approach from machine translation to neural translation, which uses an industrial or artificial neural network to predict the possibility of generating words successively to bridge the gap between human and machine translation, yet machine translation remains insignificant, and the quality of machine translation with regard to Qur'an verses is less than 22%.
The lecture concluded that machine translation remains unreliable despite its development, and human beings remain irreplaceable. When Google announced developments in the machine translation sector paving the way to do without translators, research confirmed its lack of reliability or credibility, pointing out that this misinformation aims at market monopoly, and despite the fact that machine translation systems will affect translators’ performance, translators and language editors would remain indispensable, and there will always be a need for translators to translate documents, books and reports which cannot be automatically translated.
It is worth mentioning that the National Library and Archives program, which coincides with the Cairo International Book Fair, includes other lectures namely, Introduction to Educational Services and Programs of the National Library and Archives, the National Library and Archives’ Role  in Document Preservation and Accessibility, Towards Tolerance and Fraternity: Approaches to the Dialogue of Civilizations, Zayed the Father, Zayed the Leader, The UAE: Homeland of Tolerance, and the UAE-Egyptian Relations: Exceptional and Eternal.