PARIS: The Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Centre was inaugurated at a special ceremony at the Musee du Louvre (Louvre Museum) in the French capital on Tuesday.
The centre, located in the Pavillon de l’Horloge, pays tribute to the UAE’s founding father, and opened its doors after a thorough renovation of the Pavillon. It will tell the history of the Louvre and will also help interpret the collections held at the museum to millions of visitors every year and will further strengthen collaboration between the UAE and France, particularly in the cultural field.
The centre is equipped with the latest media tools such as 3D films, animations, models and more. Visitors will navigate through the ruins of the medieval period, royal chambers and chapel, ending with a section on the future of the Louvre, where a model of the Louvre Abu Dhabi stands alongside other projects such as the Musee du Louvre-Lens, in northern France.
Among those attending the inauguration were Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, French President Francois Hollande, Mohammad Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority [ADTCA], Zaki Nusseibeh, Cultural Adviser of the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, and Saif Ghobash, ADTCA Director-General.
Speaking on the occasion, Shaikh Abdullah thanked President Hollande for his warm words which, he said, were a translation of the strong bonds between the leaderships, governments and peoples of the UAE and France. He also conveyed the greetings of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the people of the UAE.
Culture, he said, can unite humanity, reminding us all that there are common denominators that link everyone.
A believer in international and inter-governmental cultural dialogue, Shaikh Zayed also built cultural connections with countries around the world. The presence of the centre in the Louvre will help enhance knowledge of the contribution of Shaikh Zayed to the world cultural scene.
Hollande referred to Louvre Abu Dhabi and said, “There is a joint largest cultural project outside France, thousands of kilometres away from here, in Abu Dhabi. I salute the farsightedness of those who launched this project almost ten years ago.”
He noted that within a few months, Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum will open its doors. “It will be important to the region, as well as to the whole world, because it is a message of culture, humanity, dialogue and peace. It’s more than just a new global museum that will see light in the region, in the Middle East.”
When Louvre Abu Dhabi opens, 300 works of art loaned by 13 leading French institutions, including the Musee du Louvre, will be displayed alongside its permanent collection to highlight common themes and influences throughout human history. Louvre Abu Dhabi will also host outstanding temporary exhibitions in a dedicated space, a children’s museum, and a research centre.
