Abu Dhabi: The Zayed Museum, which is set to open next year, will tell the story of the UAE’s founding father, and the history of the country, Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, told the Federal National Council yesterday (Tuesday).
Shaikh Nahyan was responding to a question by Ahmad Obaid Al Mansouri, an FNC member from Dubai, about the UAE’s contribution to human heritage and civilisation and the establishment of a national history museum.
To be built at the heart of the Saadiyat Cultural District, the Zayed National Museum will be fittingly elevated above the rest of the cultural district at its highest point.
“It will tell the story of the region’s history and the unification of the UAE through the life and person of Shaikh Zayed,” Shaikh Nahyan said.
Seven galleries are to be featured at the museum — Shaikh Zayed: Life and Times, Falconry and Conservation, People and Heritage, Land and Water, History and Society, Science and Learning and Faith and Islam. Another space will be dedicated for special exhibits and a timeline garden will show indigenous and adaptive plants to represent coastal, desert, mountain and oasis environments.
Rashad Mohammad Bukhash, a member from Dubai, asked a question about registering UAE nature reserves on the world heritage list.
“The UAE has more than 60 natural history sites of which 24 are situated in Abu Dhabi, eight in Dubai and 10 in Sharjah,” Bukhash said.
The member spoke of Bu Tinah and Sir Bu Nair islands, among other natural wonders in the country.
Bu Tinah is host to critical marine habitats. Seabirds, such as the flamingo and osprey, diverse species of dolphins and critically endangered turtles like the hawksbill can all be found in and around the island.
The island’s waters are also home to the planet’s second largest population of dugongs, a large marine mammal which is globally threatened.
It is rich in biodiversity and lies within the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve, the region’s first and largest Unesco-designated marine biosphere reserve.
Members of the council also debated policy on developing sports clubs and challenges facing professionalism in sports.
Shaikh Nahyan, also Chairman of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare, said sports is an integral part for the community’s development and success, and the UAE is firm in pushing it. “The UAE is keen on encouraging success and excellence among its citizens, with a definite conviction that sport embraces valuable ethics and high values which motivates them to contribute and participate in a highly patriotic way,” Shaikh Nahyan said.
In January, Shaikh Nahyan told the House that more sports clubs will be built in the northern emirates in the next two years as part of a strategic initiative by the Ministry of Culture and Youth. “The ministry was looking into the areas that most needed sports clubs and youth were also being polled to find out what they sought in a club,” Shaikh Nahyan said.
FNC passes amendment to ID Card law
The Federal National Council yesterday passed a new draft law to ban the acceptance or continuation of anyone in any capacity, be it employee or worker or student, in the country who does not possess the identity card issued by the Emirates Identity Authority.
The draft law exempts some necessary categories which the Governing Board of the Emirates ID would determine along with the data of implementation of the law in consultation with the director-general of the authority.
The rules also dealt with the Cabinet’s power to issue a decision on the administrative fines to be imposed by the Emirates ID authority on anyone who violates the law.
The amendments are also meant to keep pace with the population register and ID card developments, granting the Emirates ID board of directors more powers and flexibility in making decisions.
