Sharjah: Senior government figures, educationists, intellectuals and influencers in the UAE have widely welcomed the establishment of Sharjah Arabic Language Academy by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
Shaikh Sultan issued a decree last week announcing the establishment of the academy that will help preserve and promote one of the world’s oldest and richest languages.
Aisha Saif, former secretary-general of Sharjah Education Council, lauded the move, describing the establishment of the ALA as yet another step by Shaikh Sultan in the preservation and protection of the Arabic language against distortion.
Dr Hamid Al Nuaimi, chancellor of the University of Sharjah, expressed pride in the decision, dubbing it as nationalistic in outlook and spiritual in essence.
“The decision comes from the noble objective of preserving the language chosen to convey the words of Allah the Almighty to all humanity, which is of spiritual significance to every Muslim keen to reinforce their faith through understanding the verses of the Quran,” said Al Nuaimi.
Habib Al Sayegh, secretary-general of the Arab Writers Union and chairman of the Emirates Writers Union, said: “The decision to establish the Arabic Language Academy comes at a time of growing interest in national identity, which is currently exposed to a range of challenges. Language is undoubtedly one of the key components of our identity, and one of the most vulnerable to distortion and erasure, given a global tendency towards dissolving various cultures and imposing one single culture under the slogan of globalisation.”
