The National Archives launches the new edition of the Young Historian Award

The UAE’s National Archives launched at its headquarters today the new edition of the Young Historian Award (2016-2017), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Abu Dhabi Educational Council. The award targets school students to deepen the sense of their national identity, enhance their loyalty and belonging to their nation, enrich their national culture and acquaint them with research methodology.

 Mr. Farhan Al Marzooqi, Director of Corporate and Community Outreach Department and Chairman of the Committee, said about the importance of this award: The NA is constantly working to develop the Young Historian Award and to increase its exposure and popularity among students from grades 6 to 12, in order to teach them about their civilizational and cultural legacy, and to provide them with national education that promotes good citizenship among future generations.

Al Marzooqi added that the National Archives has realized the importance of preserving our legacy and history, which we are proud of, and it believed that preparing generations to carry out this mission is part of its responsibilities. Therefore, it strived to promote research and national sense among students in order to document the history of the UAE and its great leadership. The Young Historian Award was one of the useful methods in achieving this objective. He noted that students’ research papers will be documented in the NA’s publications in the future to be a reference for their serious studies. Furthermore, electronic links will be created for the award on the internet and social media, allowing the largest possible number of schools and students to be familiar with it, and its terms and methods of participation. Al Marzooqi emphasized that the award motivates student to learn about the Nation’s history and heritage, and deepens ties between generations, to enable them to realize the changes that took place in the UAE, and the current development and prosperity created by the founding fathers and under the guidance of the wise leadership.

Experts and specialists at the National Archives discuss a number of topics on national issues, to choose a topic for the new edition of the award. Among the topics proposed: 100th anniversary of the late Founding Leader, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, genealogy, tribes and figures studies, literature, poetry and folklore, memories, correspondences, old collectibles and photographs, old traditional professions and handcrafts, historical and archeological sites, maritime life, traditional medicine, martyrs and the impact of their sacrifice on the community, in addition to topics related to moral education and some Emirati figures who are known for their giving and achievements.

The award maintains, in its new edition, specific categories such as:  Oral history, which is documentation via oral interviews with narrators and old people; geographical history, which means conducting geographical research on archeological and historical landmarks in the UAE; economic history, which is related to carrying out research and interviews documenting aspects of the economic history, and social history, which is concerned with research in social life of the UAE, past and present.

It is worth mentioning that the NA has launched the first edition of the Young Historian Award in coordination with the Ministry of Education in the school year (2009-2010), and a new edition of the Award is launched annually at the beginning of each school year. The NA aims to preserve and spread the UAE’s history, culture and heritage through projects that benefit young people and successive generations.

The Young Historian Award is considered one of the best research and cultural competitions sponsored by the NA and targeting students. The NA has already issued magnificent pieces of research by students in this field, which were the fruit of competitions organized by the NA in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. This activity was a form of communication with the community, and a direct contribution to prepare researchers, and a sponsorship of early creativity. The most remarkable pieces of research are: Seizure of the Three UAE Islands, Zayed and the Environment, Zayed and Education, Zayed and Development, Zayed and Women’s Progress, etc.