Within the framework of providing support, advisory and training services to government agencies in the UAE and of developing the performance of government agencies’ archives, experts and specialists from the National Archives of the UAE have demonstrated before a delegation from the archives of  Dibba Al Hisn Municipality the best practices related to management of paper and electronic documents

National Archive Supports the Archives of Dibba Al Hisn Municipality with Advanced Professional Consultations



Within the framework of providing support, advisory and training services to government agencies in the UAE and of developing the performance of government agencies’ archives, experts and specialists from the National Archives of the UAE have demonstrated before a delegation from the archives of  Dibba Al Hisn Municipality the best practices related to management of paper and electronic documents, correspondence system, the extent of benefit from the services provided by the Government Archives Section for organizing archives, the role of the Center’s Archive Section at the National Archives, the  efforts of the National Archives in the field of translation and detailed information in other areas.

That was in conformity with the articles of Federal Law No. 7 of 2008 regarding the National Archives, its amendments and its executive regulations, and with the aim of the objectives of the National Archives of building a modern National Archives; as it is making great efforts to organize and develop the archives of government agencies in the UAE according to the best practices, policies, requirements and principles used in the field of archives management.

The meeting was attended by Mrs. Najla Al Zaabi, Head of the Central Archives Section, and Mrs. Zulaikha Hassan, Archival Coordinator in Dibba Al Hisn Municipality, as well as experts of document management, records and electronic systems at the National Archives, and the Head of Center’s Archives Section at the National Archives.  They discussed electronic archiving and reached the conclusions that the choices of electronic archiving systems are based on the needs and requirements of the institution or organization, in addition to the electronic services it provides, and the quantity of the produced and received documents.

As for correspondence in the National Archives, the concerned specialist clarified that the management of incoming and outgoing correspondence is restricted to using sophisticated modern electronic systems. The meeting discussed the possibility of benefiting from the services provided by the Government Archives Section, its role in organizing governmental archives, and its cooperation and coordination with government agencies if they establish an organizational unit or internal committee for the management and preservation of archives.  He stressed that, based on the visits made by the National Archives’ team to the archives of government agencies, a number of necessary recommendations have been provided for the preservation, organization and development of archives in accordance with the best practices used in this field. The National Archives continues to follow up the implementation of these recommendations. These follow-ups have played a major role in promoting many archives that were suffering from waste, leakage and negligence to become one of the most organized archives. The National Archives has made another achievement in controlling the process of random destruction of documents in government agencies by referring to the Document Destruction Committee in the National Archives to coordinate with them in this regard.

In discussing the exchange of expertise in the field of archiving, the meeting pointed out the experience of the Central Archive Section and its mechanisms of classification, coding, procedures and stages. The meeting also included lengthy explanation of the National Archives’ internal electronic correspondence system, the document’s journey in this system and ways of saving and indexing it. The interest of the National Archives in the electronic and paper document was highlighted in the meeting, and it was pointed out that the paper document receives a lot of attention as it may pertain to the historical archive, and as the articles of Federal Law No. 7 of 2008 regarding the National Archives stress the importance of the document in its paper and electronic forms since its inception until its destruction or inclusion in the records of the historical archives. The methods of saving paper documents in archive boxes and file folders that are customized for this purpose in accordance with the best international practices were explained.

The meeting also highlighted the role of the Translation Section, which is concerned with the translation of books and archival records on the history, culture and heritage of the UAE and the Arabian Gulf region, and the biographies, memoirs and proceedings of conferences organized by the National Archives.

At the end of the meeting, Mrs. Najla Al Zaabi, Head of the Central Archives and Mrs. Zulaikha Hassan, Archives Coordinator in Dibba Al Hisn Municipality had a tour in the National Archives, where they were kept abreast of the Presidential Archive Section, which documents the history of the UAE by collecting and documenting the march of the founding leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the activities of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE. Then they watched a 3D documentary film in Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Hall for Virtual Reality about the past, present and future of the United Arab Emirates. And in Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall, they examined samples of written documents, photographs and maps. The tour included the Emirates Library, one of the most prominent libraries specialized in the history and culture of the UAE and the Gulf region. The library, in its paper and electronic forms, is considered an important source for researchers.

As part of its efforts to disseminate knowledge about the UAE’s history, heritage and civilization, the National Archives has organized a lecture for the diplomats’ spouses and the newly appointed female diplomats.

The National Archives delivers a lecture on the Emirati women’s role at the Emirates Diplomatic Academy

As part of its efforts to disseminate knowledge about the UAE’s history, heritage and civilization, the National Archives has organized a lecture for the diplomats’ spouses and the newly appointed female diplomats. The lecture focused on the roles of the Founding Leader, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bin Mubarak in the Emirati women’s development, unprecedented empowerment, and success in rising to the challenges.

 In her lecture, Dr. Aisha Bilkhair, Research Advisor at the NA, spoke about H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bin Mubarak’s remarkable achievements, humanitarian drive and constructive thinking. This is complemented by her overarching approach, which sets a good example and is a turning point in the efforts to empower Emirati women in particular and Arab women in general. Consequently, she has become a role model and a source of pride for all women worldwide.

The lecturer pointed out that the impressive progress made by the Emirati women is a result of the tremendous effort and unshaken belief of such a pioneer of humanitarian work, who demonstrated that women are competent and capable of giving and participating relentlessly and effectively in the sustainable development.

The lecturer maintained that Emirati women figure high on the agenda of the wise leadership. Since the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan had laid the foundation of the Union, women became on the top of the list of his interests. Thanks to the affirmative action by our caring and prudent leadership, women today have become active key partners in all fields.  Women have been qualified and given the necessary opportunity to fully assume their national responsibility in various fields. The lecturer cited examples of Emirati women in action. These included H.E. Dr. Amal Abdulla Al Qubaisi, who became President of the Federal National Council, H.E. Shamma Al Mazroui, who was sworn in as Minister of State for Youth, H.E. Ohoud Al Roumi, who was appointed Minister of State for Happiness and Squadron Leader Mariam Al Mansouri who is the first Emirati female fighter pilot in the UAE air force.

Dr. Aisha shed light on the wise leadership’s keen interest in young women and their role in building society in accordance with the UAE constitution, which emphasizes the equality among women and men in all rights and duties. The lecturer drew a contrast between the role of woman before the foundation of the Union, and the challenges faced by them at that time, and their high standing and achievements at present. Dr. Aisha urged participants to visit the National Archives to learn more about its holdings, which record women’s realities, past and present, and foresee their role in the future.

The National Archives of the UAE won “Sharjah Award for Government Communications” for the “Best Government Communications Strategy Category at the State Level”.  Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, presented the award to H. E. Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, NA Director General.

National Archives Wins Sharjah Award for Government Communications:

(Category of the best government communication strategy at the State level)

The National Archives of the UAE won “Sharjah Award for Government Communications” for the “Best Government Communications Strategy Category at the State Level”.  Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmad Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council, presented the award to H. E. Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, NA Director General.

On this occasion, the Director General of the National Archives expressed his pride, as the award is a true representation of NA advancement towards the first row among the largest archives in the most advanced countries of the world.

Dr. Alraisi presented the award to H. H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and NA Chairman of the Board.  Dr. Alraisi spoke highly of the financial and moral support that his highness Sheikh Mansour has been consistently giving to the National Archives, in order to make it the main institution in preserving the memory of the nation.  The Director General said that this award is owed to H. H. Sheikh Mansour's wise directives and close follow up.

Dr. Alraisi thanked Sharjah Media Center and highly valued the award for honoring people of high achievements and creative initiatives, pointing out that the award and its precise standards are of great importance in seeking to upgrade the system of services and government work. He considered winning the award as the result of the sincere efforts of the National Archives to offer excellent services, and to be the first in the world’s archives, in line with the country’s march to achieve the vision of the UAE 2021 to be among the best countries in the world in time for the Golden Jubilee of the Union.

The Director General of the National Archives congratulated all staff members for winning the award, and expressed his hopes that the award would be a new benchmark towards excellence, and said that:  “We view this award as the fruit of sincere and determined efforts in pursuit of productivity.  We are pleased that winning the award was the result of our strong application, and was based on our comprehensive strategy of pursuit of excellence in all methods of internal and external communications.  It is also based on our initiatives to empower all employees and enhance their skills, in addition to diversity of communication and innovation channels.” 

Dr. Alraisi said that the award is of qualitative value, and a motivator for more production.  Moreover, the award places more responsibility on the NA to continue productivity to serve the homeland and preserve it heritage and history.

UAE National Archives presented a working paper in a seminar on the social responsibility of libraries in UAE.  The seminar was organized by Abu Dhabi Municipality.  The paper presented by NA was titled the UAE National Archives Social Responsibility; its Role in Preserving the Memory of the Nation, and Serving Society from the Social Responsibility perspective. 

The National Archives Participates in a Seminar on Social Responsibility of Libraries in UAE

UAE National Archives presented a working paper in a seminar on the social responsibility of libraries in UAE.  The seminar was organized by Abu Dhabi Municipality.  The paper presented by NA was titled the UAE National Archives Social Responsibility; its Role in Preserving the Memory of the Nation, and Serving Society from the Social Responsibility perspective.  The paper focused on NA's view on doing its share and shouldering its social responsibility.

The paper discussed NA different activities in the field of societal responsibility, and the means of providing the community with support through numerous activities. These included disseminating information and educating the public about the history of the UAE, preserving the memory of the nation, documenting national achievements and challenges, as well as giving researchers, scholars and others interested in UAE history access to supporting documents and resources, and participating in and sponsoring various voluntary and charitable activities.  The paper pointed out that the NA adopts values of public service, and makes comprehensive and systematic efforts to implement the concept of social responsibility as part of it  crucial role on the national level.

In its paper that dwelt on the NA social responsibility, Mrs. Husnia Al Ali, Head of Educational Programs, emphasized the fact that NA looks forward to the sustainable benefits of its social responsibility, which is a bedrock of its activities.  Therefore, NA has impressed this concept on all its organizational units and devised follow-up methodology and criteria in connection with the preservation, accessibility and dissemination of the country's history and heritage.

The paper included details on the NA role in social responsibility.  On the question of raising awareness about the UAE history and enhancing the sense of loyalty and identity among citizens, the paper listed NA educational projects, together with the NA participation in exhibitions, festivals, and local and international conferences.  On the topic of preserving the memory of the nation and documenting achievements, milestones and challenges, the paper dealt with oral history and genealogy, and described the services provide by the NA Preservation and Restoration Center in terms of preserving historical records.  Regarding the topic on access to document and resources and academic services by researchers, scholars and others interested in UAE history, the paper gave some examples on initiatives and projects undertaken by the NA, such as the Emirates Library, NA publications and smart applications. As far as voluntary and charitable activities are concerned, the paper stated clearly that such contributions came as a response to the government's directives and initiatives. Two examples were listed: the Reading Year and the Year of Giving.

In collaboration with the UAE Deaf Association, the NA has released a series of national documentaries in sign language designed for the deaf, given its keen interest in enhancing civics education and national identity among the members of this section of the society, supporting them and bringing them closer to others. 

In Collaboration with the UAE Deaf Association, the NA Launches a Series of National Documentaries in Sign Language

In collaboration with the UAE Deaf Association, the NA has released a series of national documentaries in sign language designed for the deaf, given its keen interest in enhancing civics education and national identity among the members of this section of the society, supporting them and bringing them closer to others. 

The series is also available on the NA YouTube channel. The project started with two documentaries; one on the National Archives, and the other on Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall located within NA building. The project includes several other films that will enrich deaf people’s knowledge on the UAE history and remarkable heritage and on the crucial role of the founding fathers in building and reviving the country, especially the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Thus, instilling, in the deaf, loyalty, a sense of belonging and national identity

The documentaries are conducted in sign language by highly qualified interpreters, who played a major role in achieving the objective of such a noble national initiative.  Interpreters would begin their work upon receiving accurate information about the content of the documentaries and the goal sought by making them available to the deaf.

The project is part of the NA desire to reach out to and educate the deaf, and to highlight its role in supporting individuals with special needs in the UAE society.  It complements NA role in supporting the visually impaired. In the past, NA had prepared summaries of its publications and made them available in Braille format, and offered them as a gift to Emirates Association of the Visually Impaired.

The NA has organized several educational and recreational activities for children with autism, in collaboration with Emirates Autism Society. Moreover, the NA pays regular visits to nursing homes in Sharjah and elsewhere.

The NA does its part in offering people with special needs the opportunity to actively engage with society; thus asserting their self-esteem, in addition to giving many other benefits.

The UAE’s National Archives and a delegation from Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) discussed ways of cooperation in establishing central historical archives for Dubai city for holding and preserving historical documents.

The National Archives acquaints Dubai Culture and Arts Authority with its experience in the collection and preservation of the Nation’s memory

The UAE’s National Archives and a delegation from Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) discussed ways of cooperation in establishing central historical archives for Dubai city for holding and preserving historical documents. In addition, they discussed the possibility of drawing on the National Archives’ expertise and of concluding a memorandum of understanding to regulate the cooperation framework.

Such discussions took place during a visit by a delegation from Dubai Culture to the National Archives. In its capacity as the body in charge of all museums and for developing heritage sites, Dubai Culture intends to establish a central historical archive for Dubai city. It looks forward to capitalizing on the National Archives’ expertise in finding out which of Dubai’s government entities have documents of a high historical value. It also seeks to familiarize itself with the international standards followed by the NA in preserving and archiving documents, in paper and electronic forms, and with the NA’s experience in dealing with the government entities. Dubai Culture’s delegation and the NA discussed the methods of evaluating documents, as well as how to access and obtain them.

The NA drew the attention of the visiting delegation to the important provisions of the Federal Law No. (7), 2008 and its executive regulations concerning the National Archives. Moreover, the NA introduced the delegation to documents storage media notably microfilms, which can store documents for a longer period. The NA stressed the importance of document accessibility and confidentiality at the same time, depending on the document subject. The NA and Dubai Culture agreed on the importance of the sources of historical documents in Dubai, such as Dubai Municipality, the Land Department, the Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Police, the Department of Tourism, Dubai Airport, together with the archives of old photographers, the archives of merchant families and of some old people who are interested in collecting documents.

During the meeting, the Dubai Culture’s delegation and the archivists at the NA’s premises exchanged ideas and views on important archival issues such as documents classification and preservation, and handling methods in addition to the stages during which documents are transferred from current to intermediate archives and then to historical archives.

The guest delegation toured Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Hall, which contains examples of written documents, photographs, maps and electronic albums of the UAE’s leaders and key figures.

The delegation also visited the Emirates Library and examined some of its main acquisitions, including paper and electronic references and sources, books, periodicals and specialized dissertations, and ways of utilizing its holdings.

In Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Virtual Theatre, the guests watched a 3-D documentary about the UAE past and present, and about the NA and its role in preserving the Nation’s memory encompassing the history and heritage of the UAE and Gulf region.

At the end of the visit, Mr. Saleh Al Hammadi, Director of Dubai Museum, and his companions lauded the NA’s cooperation and role in preserving the Nation’s memory by organizing the archives of government institutions and saving historical documents from damage, carelessness and leakage.

In order to deliver its publications to researchers and knowledge seekers, the National Archives maintains multiple outlets for the sale of its history and heritage publications, and uses both the electronic and traditional types of marketing mediums.

National Archives Sells its Publications

Through Various Outlets



In order to deliver its publications to researchers and knowledge seekers, the National Archives maintains multiple outlets for the sale of its history and heritage publications, and uses both the electronic and traditional types of marketing mediums. The NA concluded a contract with Dar Al Hikma Printing & Publishing to market its publications, in addition to the main sale outlet in its headquarters in Abu Dhabi.

The National Archives participates in annual international book fairs held in the UAE, such as Abu Dhabi International Book Fair and Sharjah International Book Fair, to market, through its pavilion, history and heritage publications and periodicals, in addition to participating in other activities and events.

Interested people can obtain these publications by paying in cash or credit cards “Visa or MasterCard.”

In its main application, the National Archives provides the opportunity to purchase a number of publications in electronic form, such as: Zayed: Man Who Built a Nation, the Legal Settlement for The Emirati-Iranian Dispute Regarding The UAE Three Islands, The Prophet’s Letters and Envoys, India and the UAE: In Celebration of a Legendary Friendship, and others. 

The National Archives has launched a number of its publications in electronic form, in both Android and Apple Store, such as: Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. Currently, the National Archives is about to launch the second edition of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Diaries. Hence, it provides interested people with the opportunity to electronically browse a great number of publications on smart phones and tablets. This application provides the possibility of interacting with the material presented, so the required information sorted by topic, date, or source can be obtained accurately and promptly.

The National Archives has documented the efforts of the wise leadership by issuing distinctive volumes about the march of founding leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The National Archives has been paying a lot of attention to the historical studies of the United Arab Emirates and the Arabian Peninsula, thus it published valuable books in that filed which won the admiration of researchers, scholars and specialists of the history of the region. These publications serve the National Archives’ objectives and mission in promoting the nation's history and heritage, monitoring the motion of its present, shaping its future and developing researchers’ creativity. The importance of these publications comes from their linkage with the birth of the modern state that had followed the Union.

Special needs in society The National Archives of the United Arab Emirates received a delegation from the Emirates Deaf Association on a scientific trip aimed at learning about aspects of the history and heritage of the UAE.

The National Archives of the United Arab Emirates launched on its website a special page for the "Young Historian Award", which it sponsors in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, and is directed to school students from the sixth to the twelfth stage.

The National Archives launches a web page for the Young Historian Prize 2017



The National Archives of the United Arab Emirates launched on its website a special page for the "Young Historian Award", which it sponsors in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, and is directed to school students from the sixth to the twelfth stage. It aims to enhance belonging, loyalty and national identity, encourage research and study in the history of the Emirates, and also looks forward to making students partners in protecting the UAE's heritage and making it available for generations   Awarding the prize to the winners of its competition in the following categories: oral history, geographical history, economic history, and social history.

The electronic page dedicated by the National Archives for the Young Historian Award on its website included the objectives of the award and its rewards, and defined the targeted educational stage. In the guide for the Young Historian Award, the page presented the goals and topics of the award, which include the study of genealogies, tribes, personalities, oral narrations, poetry, folklore, proverbs, memories, correspondence, and photographs. And ancient collectibles, professions, handicrafts, markets, historical and archaeological sites, traditional architecture, marine life, pearl diving, fishing, folk medicine, research on the centenary of Sheikh Zayed (1918-2018), and about the martyrs of the homeland and what relates to them in social circles, and lessons and lessons in Moral education, while highlighting Emirati personalities known for their wisdom.

The guide also included some details about the categories of the award, documenting the steps for implementing the award program, implementation mechanisms, conditions for accepting written works and oral history interviews. The guide also paid attention to the award program from the date of its launch on November 17, 2016, the evaluation of the participating researches in the last two weeks of next April, and the closing ceremony and honoring the winners in mid-May 2017.

The guide also contained an acknowledgment form that the participating work was not copied or stolen and that it was presented for the first time in the competition for this award. The acknowledgment includes the names of the participating students, the name of the supervisor and the school, in addition to a request for participation for each of the categories participating in the new session of the Young Historian Award 2016- 2017.

It is worth noting that the National Archives urges dear students to seriously participate in the Young Historian Award. To be partners in documenting the memory of the nation in the valuable books and references that will be issued by the National Archives, including the winning research papers similar to the results of previous editions of books that included valuable peer-reviewed research on the UAE and the personality of the founding leader, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, most notably: Book: (Zayed). and Development), the book: (Zayed and the Environment), the book: (Zayed and Education), the book: (Zayed and the Woman) and the book (Emirati Islands and the Usurped Emirati Right... from a Historical Perspective), noting that the date for submitting the participating student works is at the end of March 2017.  

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa commended the national role played by the National Archives of the United Arab Emirates as it collects the memory of the nation, preserving its various historical assets in accordance with the best international practices.

Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Applauds the National Archives’ national role 

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa commended the national role played by the National Archives of the United Arab Emirates as it collects the memory of the nation, preserving its various historical assets in accordance with the best international practices, transferring it to future generation and making it available to researchers and professionals via advanced technologies. Thus, the National Archives contributes to the national upbringing of generations and promotes loyalty and belonging to the nation.

This came during Sheikh Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan’s visit to the National Archives’ headquarters, where he was received by His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, who spoke about the National Archives duties in organizing archives, and preserving documents of ministries and institutions. HE also spoke about the modern and advanced technologies that the NA utilizes when carrying out daily tasks, as well as the NA’s activities in the “Year of Giving”. Furthermore, he discussed the NA’s role in the next phase in promoting and representing innovation in the archival work, indicating its great interest to ensure that NA’s upcoming plans are in line with the aspirations of the UAE Vision 2021. He focused on the excellence achieved by the National Archives, which was demonstrated by winning the 5-Star level of the Recognized for Excellence (R4E). The fact that the NA obtained this international certificate, which is issued by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM), confirms the NA’s high-quality work approach and its leadership in all its activities.

His Excellency categorically attributed all the National Archives’ success and excellence to the significant attention and support of the wise leadership, and of the support of HH Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed , Deputy prime minister, minister of presidential affairs and chairman of the National archives.

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan reviewed Al Bu Falah family tree, which includes hundreds of personalities starting from Yas, to the descendants of the grandsons of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s sons. He also viewed the smart applications of the Sheikhs’ Diaries and of the National Archives. Accompanied by HE Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, he further toured the NA’s departments and sections. They started at the Presidential Archives section, which documents the history of the UAE, and is keen to collect and document the march of the late Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the activities of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Then they watched, in Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Virtual Reality Theater, a three-dimensional high-definition documentary about the UAE history, its present and its future prospects. They reviewed samples of written documents and historical photos and maps at Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall. The tour included Emirates Library, which is specialized in the history and the culture of the UAE and the Gulf Region, and considered an important reference for researchers, as it holds important sources and references in paper and electronic forms.

The National Archives of the United Arab Emirates issued the 16th edition of the refereed Journal: Liwa. It is specialized in the history, heritage and archeology of the UAE and the Gulf region, and it is issued bi-annually in both Arabic and English. 

NA organized a Civics Reading workshop for a group of Social Care Institution minors, as part of their tour to NA building.  The young visitors were introduced to many historical documents about the UAE history and culture, and were oriented about the role of NA in conserving the memory of the nation.

NA Organizes Educational Tour and Civics Reading Workshop for Minors

NA organized a Civics Reading workshop for a group of Social Care Institution minors, as part of their tour to NA building.  The young visitors were introduced to many historical documents about the UAE history and culture, and were oriented about the role of NA in conserving the memory of the nation.

The reading workshop aimed at enriching the participants' knowledge about national identity and loyalty, as well as promoting reading among participants, particularly on the history of the country and how it was established by the Founding Fathers, who were great leaders and a great example to the young generations.

The workshop included excerpts from the book "Khalifa; a Journey to the Future".  Excerpts were selected to suit the age of the participants, such as H. H. birth and upbringing, his education and His Highness' role in development, and empowerment.  The book raised the people's slogan "We are All Khalifa"; emphasizing the unlimited loyalty to the President of the UAE.

The discussions that took place during the workshop proved that the participants have gained new knowledge about the developments affected by H. H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed, may God protect him, the President of the country.  There was special attention given to the lessons learned; mainly how to become a good citizen.

Mrs. Salama Al Ketbi, Specialized Care Acting Director, accompanied the youth during their visit.  She complimented the reading workshop, as part of NA "2016 Reading Year" and the Institution's "Maylis" interactive events.  Mrs. Al Ketbi said reading helps refine students' personalities, and prepares them to be capable of interacting with their communities.

Members of the Social Care & Minors' Affairs staff toured NA building, and attended a 3D HD documentary film about the history of the UAE in Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Virtual Auditorium.  The group then moved to Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Hall, to view records and other collections, such as historical maps and photographs, showing the different stages of the establishment of the Union.