National Library and Archives

With the Aim of Enriching the Memory of the Nation on Social Media and Promoting Loyalty and Belonging
The National Library and Archives Celebrates Union Day with a Series of National Events

To commemorate the Union Day when the UAE—under the leadership of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his fellow Founding Fathers—embarked on its historic union, the National Library and Archives, in cooperation with its strategic partners, has prepared an extensive program of events and activities with a strong national focus.
The initiatives, designed to strengthen loyalty to the wise leadership and promote belonging to the nation, feature documented historical information shared with numerous official entities to promote the values and principles instilled by the Founding Fathers. The program also includes a lecture titled: “Union Day in the Journey of the Establishment of the UAE” and a series of workshops for young people and children, highlighting the values of that momentous day.
On a related context, the National Library and Archives provided a number of UAE institutions and official bodies with historical documents related to July 18, 1971, to enrich the documentary exhibitions they have organized at their headquarters, or to include the same on their websites and social media channels.
Through its activities, the National Library and Archives highlights the importance of this day, which represents a pivotal moment in the history of the United Arab Emirates—a moment that laid the foundations of the union and cemented the vision of a unified and strong nation. On this day, the rulers of the Emirates signed the Union Document and the UAE’s Constitution, officially proclaiming the name of the United Arab Emirates, in a step that preceded the formal declaration of the union on December 2 of the same year.
The National Library and Archives affirms that “Union Day” is an annual occasion for pride in our national identity and a renewal of loyalty and belonging. It is a constant source of inspiration, reflecting the UAE’s determination to move forward, under the guidance of its wise leadership, towards strengthening its position in various fields of development, while preserving the authentic values instilled in the conscience of the nation by its founder and builder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may Allah rest his soul in peace.

Ensuring the Security and Protection of Institutional Information,

The National Library and Archives Highlights the
Importance of Email Security

The National Library and Archives organized a virtual lecture on “Email Security” as part of its commitment to information security in the face of technological advancements and the constantly evolving digital world. The National Library and Archives emphasizes the importance of email security as a fundamental component of institutional communication, used across various devices and environments, it is therefore essential to protect its accounts from loss or unauthorized access.
The lecture, presented by Mr. Abdalla Mohammed Abdul-Rahman Al Zarooni from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), began by highlighting the importance of reporting any email phishing or hacking incidents to the organization’s IT department. He demonstrated by giving an example of one of the European economic cities that suffered from cyberattacks resulting in losses estimated at millions of dollars, all because a single employee clicked on a link. That simple action opened the door for viruses to infiltrate his computer and spread to the organization’s IT systems, leading to a major cybersecurity crisis – demonstrating how a major digital disaster can result from a very simple mistake. Therefore, even seemingly minor issues should not be underestimated.
The lecturer provided several examples of how hackers can access information to reach their victims. Hackers are persistent and may use phone calls or create fake websites; he noted that over one and a half million phishing sites are created every month. Therefore, it is essential to remain vigilant against email threats such as phishing, malicious attachments, spam, and others.
The lecture emphasized the importance of email security for the following reasons: maintaining the credibility of both sender and recipient, avoiding unwanted emails, and protecting the organization’s reputation..
Mr. Al Zarooni also emphasized the importance of not sharing the OTP (One-Time Password) codes with anyone. Short videos were shown demonstrating how some individuals fall victim to phishing, and various phishing techniques were explained. For example, an attacker may pose as a trusted person, exploiting trust to obtain sensitive information such as identity details or bank account information. Victims may also be targeted through websites resembling well-known sites or asked to provide personal or credit card information in exchange for enticing rewards.
The lecture also introduced safe email practices, including using encryption, complex passwords, not sharing passwords with anyone, and logging out properly.
The lecture received strong interest from participants, who enriched it through their engagement, ideas, and shared experiences.

As Part of its Activities Aimed at Enhancing the Skills and Expertise of Archivists in the Governments Entities,
The National Library and Archives Organizes a Training Course on Preparing a Documents Preservation Plan in Government Entities

In line with its ongoing efforts to enhance the skills and expertise of archivists and organizing government documents and records, and in accordance with Federal Law No. (7) of 2008 Concerning the National Archives and Library and Its Executive Regulations, the National Library and Archives organized a virtual training course for employees of government entities in the United Arab Emirates. The course aimed to train specialists on how to prepare the tools used in records management, particularly the mechanism for developing a records retention schedule, which helps determine the retention period of documents at each stage of their lifecycle within the government entity. This mechanism serves as a means to track documents from their creation and regulate the process of permanent preservation or disposal of documents that are no longer useful.
The course, which was delivered by Mr. Ahmed Mujib, Technical Expert, focused on the Record Management System and addressed challenges of records in modern management. He provided detailed explanations of document preservation plan, its significance, objectives, and the process of its preparation. He also reviewed how the plan is reflected in the executive regulations of the National Library and Archives Law.
The course reviewed the joint document preservation plan in federal government entities prepared by the National Library and Archives to determine the retention periods for identical documents across government entities, thereby regulating their disposal. As a technical and legal tool, it enables government entities to monitor the retention period of both incoming and outgoing documents based on their value and legal conditions. It also determines their final fate, whether permanent preservation at the National Library and Archives or destruction, in accordance with the approved legal procedures.
Participants expressed strong interest in this type of course, recognizing its valuable contribution to enhancing their professional skills in their field of specialization and work.