The National Archives celebrates the signing of the book entitled "Development of Education in the United Arab Emirates" at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2018

The signing corner at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair witnessed the signing of the book entitled "Development of Education in the United Arab Emirates" recently published by the National Archives. Distinguished dignitaries, journalists and authors attended the signing ceremony.

The author, Mohammed Hassan Al Harbi, signed issues of the book in the presence of Hamad Al Hamiri, Director of Research and Knowledge Services Department in the National Archives, and a large number of the exhibition's visitors.

The importance of this book, published by the National Archives, stems from the fact that it documents the development of education in the UAE in the period from 1904 to 1971, which started at the hands of traditional religious teachers "Al Mutawa'ah" and eventually reached the stage of formal education.

The book indicates that education started by the "Mutawa'ah" who established "Katateeb" at their residents in settled communities. In many cases, that education did not exceed reading of the Qur’an and teaching students how to memorize it. Students rarely passed this stage to learn other sciences or subjects.

 In the preface to the book, Mr. Abdul Ghaffar Hussein notes that it is very difficult to date back the creation of the "Katateeb" by "Mutawa’ah" in the coast of Oman or the UAE to a particular time; since it is known that the "Katateeb" are an old tradition in communities, villages and countryside, and are still so in many remote small areas in Islamic countries. 

Mr. Abdul Ghaffar Hussein confirms that another form of education, that was more advanced than the " Katateeb" of the "Mutawa’ah", dates back  in the UAE to a time earlier than the beginning of the 20th century, when we hear about schools such as: Al Taimiyya, Al Falah and Al Ahmadiyya in Sharjah and Dubai.  One might refer to manuscripts written by the people of the UAE, such as the books of the famous seafarer Ahmed Bin Majid, which date back to the fifteenth century AD, and of Captain Saeed Bin Ahmad Bin Matar in the early nineteenth century, as well as some manuscripts on jurisprudence, pearl weights and others which date back to the middle of the ninth century AH. At the end of the preface, Abdul Ghaffar Hussein asserts that only in the early 1960s did the UAE begin to experience the earliest modern formal education.

His Excellency Mohammed Al Murr indicates in the introduction to the book that  the story of the early education in the UAE is that of great desire and eagerness of the UAE people to free themselves from ignorance and backwardness, and to join their fellow Arabs who went ahead of them in this vital and important field.

Al Murr pointed out that education in the UAE has gone through three phases: the Katateeb, small sparse schools, and formal education. He then stresses the points mentioned to him by the distinguished scholar and author Hashim Al Hashimi who witnessed the stage of education with sparse small schools in the Emirate of Dubai, and followed that by talking about the flaws of the beginning of formal education as mentioned by the respected scholar Mr. Rafiq Ja'arour, who witnessed that stage.

In the introduction to the second edition published by the National Archives, the author Mohammad Hassan Al Harbi indicated that the first edition was published in 1988 by the Union of UAE Writers and Authors in Sharjah. Previously, it was published in the form of eleven weekly reports under the same title, in Al Khaleej daily Newspaper in 1983.

The author notes that this book documents part of the oral history of the UAE and the leading vision that is the main pillar of the UAE. He states that this study will ensure that future generations will have a clear, incessant and unremitting history, which will have positive effects on UAE people and their cultural identity.

The author explains that this book includes a historical stage starting from the beginning of the twentieth century (1904) and ending at the establishment of the UAE in 1971, i.e. since education was transformed from its primitive form "the Katateeb" to its more modern sophisticated formal form, which the early 1960s represent the beginning of its inception in several of the UAE Emirates, particularly in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. Al Harbi stresses that the importance of this book stems from being the first book to chronicle the development of education in the UAE.

The book starts with education in Abu Dhabi, pointing out that it began with three schools for boys, indicating that formal education started in Abu Dhabi in 1958 but stopped in 1959 and then resumed in 1961. Secondly, the author turns to education in Dubai, where he questions whether Al Ahmadiyya School was the first school in Dubai. Does the date (1912 AD) written on one of its walls represent its construction date? Then he moves to Al Falah and Al Ahmadiyya schools and to their education system, subjects, teachers, students, number of classes and cultural activities.

The author interviews one of the female teachers "Mutawa’a", but with certain restrictions and conditions including: not to meet her face to face, to keep the meeting concise, and with no photos taken. In this meeting, the "Mutawa’a" Fatima Bint Sheikh Khalifa Bin Jum’a Bin Ghaith talks about her traditional education profession, which she practiced for 22 years ending in 1975, where she taught the Qur’an, Arabic Alphabet and grammar. Each students used to pay her a rupee or two monthly, while education continued throughout the year including summer and winter. The interview contained important details about this form of traditional education.

After which the book moves to education in Sharjah, starting this chapter with Al Taimiyyah School where education started in 1955. This school, later called "Al Islah" i.e. reform, was founded and managed by the late Ali Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al Mahmoud Al Tamimi, a pearl merchant in Sharjah.  

The book monitors the development of education, referring to the subjects that were taught in "Al Mutawa’a", the fees paid for education, the relationship between the traditional teachers "al-Mutawa’" whether male or female and the student. It also introduces Al Qasimiya school, its classes, teachers, and its first female teacher, a Palestinian called Sharifa Al Ba’ba’, assisted by Saleha Al Mutawa’.  Then it addresses some of the difficulties and anecdotes the traditional teachers witnessed.  The book mentions (Fatima Al Zahra) Girls' School, which is the Qasimiya Girls' School itself, documenting the schools established in the 1950s and after, the first scholarship abroad, the first student from Sharjah to study abroad, the education related festivals that are held yearly, donations and the role of traders in these festivals.

The book also depicts education in Ajman and pinpoints Al Rashidiya School, its classes and students, then girls' education in Ajman, and cultural activities and festivals.

When the book turns to education in Ras Al Khaimah, it starts with Al Qasimiya elementary school, which used to be an old traditional house, followed by the "Seddiq secondary school". Then the book moves to "Al Jazeera Al Hamra" to monitor the development of education there. In all cases, it reviews salaries, the subjects taught in Al Qasimiya school of Ras Al Khaimah, parents' cooperation, festivals, teaching girls, and names of students. The book also shows interest in kindergartens, and includes charts, statistics and old rare photographs.

Book: Development of Education in the United Arab Emirates (1904-1972).

Author: Mohammad Hassan Al Harbi.

Publisher: National Archives, Abu Dhabi, 2017, second edition, 127 pages.

The National Archives Launches “Umm Kulthum in Abu Dhabi”

On the First Day of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2018

As per the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the National Archives presents at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2018, several historical publications on the occasion of the “Year of Zayed”.

Among these new publications, which document bright aspects of the rich and glorious history of the UAE, is the book: “Umm Kulthum in Abu Dhabi”, which highlights an important stage of our modern cultural history. In 1971, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Leader of the United Arab Emirates, invited the Arab Singer Umm Kulthum to participate in the celebrations that were held at the end of November 1971 in commemoration of his 5th Accession Day Anniversary and the establishment of the United Arab Emirates. The Arab Singer gratefully accepted the kind invitation, and was welcomed as a distinguished guest. She held two concerts where she performed her latest songs. She also visited Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan at Al Manhal Palace, where she was well received and honored by him. She was also honored by Umm Al Emarat (the Mother of the UAE), Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, who held a special celebration on the occasion of Umm Kulthum’s visit to Abu Dhabi.

“Umm Kulthum in Abu Dhabi” is a book that documents this important artistic and cultural event with beautiful pictures. It follows the different stops of the visit, from Umm Kulthum leaving Cairo Airport to reaching Abu Dhabi Airport, as well as the first concert sponsored and attended by the Late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and many Sheikhs, ministers, officials and senior visitors who came from outside the UAE to congratulate Sheikh Zayed on his 5th Accession Day Anniversary. The photo album also documents Umm Kulthum’s visit to Al Manhal Palace to greet Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The book “Umm Kulthum in Abu Dhabi” is one of the important books published by the National Archives to document many of the bright historical stages of the UAE’s modern history.

Novelist Mohammed Al Murr, Deputy Chairman of the National Archives, who supervised the editing of the book, wrote a comprehensive foreword, which put Umm Kulthum’s visit to Abu Dhabi within its historical framework. The visit came during one of the most important stages of the country’s modern history, a golden stage which was started by the late Sheikh Zayed assuming office in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and announcing the establishment of the UAE, the dream of Zayed, the dream of the Founding Leaders, and the dream of the people of the UAE. 

With the participation of the visitors of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2018,

The National Archives launches its new publications and continues its projects in the “Year of Zayed”.

The National Archives has completed its preparations for the 28th edition of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, which will be held from 25 April to 1 May 2018. The National Archives will display in its Pavilion at the Book Fair its mission, vision and objectives, as well as its publications that document the history and heritage of the UAE and the Gulf region. The NA will inform the visitors of the exhibition about the services it provides to researchers, academics and students, which promote the values of belonging to the homeland and loyalty to its wise leadership, and the worth of knowledge among members of society.

The National Archives’ activities during the Book Fair include the signing of five books of its latest publications, in the presence of their authors and visitors of the exhibition. These books are:

1- Unraveling the Biography of Sheikh Tahnoun (Edah Al Maknoon Fi Sirat Al Sheikh Tahnoun). 

2- Electricity Services in the Trucial States (Al Khadamat Al Kahraba’iya Fi Al Sahil Al Mutasalih).

3- Development of Education in the UAE (Tatawor Al-Ta’aleem Fi Al Emarat Alarbia Al Muttahida). 

4- Forts and Towers in Al Dhafra Area (Al Qila’ Wa Al Abraj Fi Manteqat Al Dhafra).

5- Umm Kulthum in Abu Dhabi (Umm Kulthum Fi Abu Dhabi). 

At its Pavilion at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2018, the National Archives will display more than 50 of its most important publications as well as the in-demand editions of Liwa, which is a refereed journal issued bi-annually in both Arabic and English. In fact, Liwa contents discuss the history of the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region to fulfill the NA’s mission of creating historical awareness and promoting national identity. Its articles focus on the history and heritage of the UAE, as well as the development and prosperity it experienced after the establishment of the Union at the hands of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The National Archives will allocate a special stand to introduce the projects of the “Centennial Initiative” launched to celebrate the “Year of Zayed”. The NA’s Pavilion will unveil the results of “Zayed, 100 Stories” project. This project aims to enhance belonging to the homeland and loyalty to the leadership, as well as developing students’ personality, fostering them with moral values and principles, and supporting them with methodology of scientific research and national writing.

On the first day of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, the National Archives will allow a 100-day free download of its smart applications, which are included in NA’s available applications list.

Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, Director General of the National Archives, said of this participation: "The NA’s interest in Abu Dhabi International Book Fair doubled up this year since it coincides with the “Year of Zayed”.  The National Archives is one of the most prominent national institutions that focused its efforts on documenting the biography of the Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Therefore, the National Archives finds in this cultural event, namely Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, an opportunity to present to the public some aspects of the Founding Leader’s memorable achievements, contributions and good traits, which verify his great belief that developing people starts with developing their thinking and culture.

He added: "The National Archives takes advantage of this period of cultural and intellectual activity, that takes place during the days of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, to present to the public a number of its newly published books, which will enrich the knowledge of readers, writers, academics and researchers with documented information about the history and heritage of the UAE and the Gulf region. Such new books also introduce the readers to the biography of the Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed, who was able to establish the UAE and its auspicious union, thus enabling this modern and advanced state to be one of the world’s most developed countries. 

The Director General of the National Archives invited visitors and participants of Abu Dhabi International Book Fair to visit the NA’s Pavilion, where they can find cultural and intellectual creativity in various forms, which contributes to the promotion of national values and education among citizens, so the United Arab Emirates will continue to be a beacon of civilization and culture. 

It is worth mentioning that the National Archives will launch a number of its latest historical and specialized publications. It is pleased to invite you to visit its Pavilion at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair from 25 April to 1 May 2018, and to attend the launch of its latest national and specialized publications, according to the following schedule:

Book Title Author Venue Date

Time

Umm Kulthoum In Abu Dhabi Mohammed Al Murr NA’s Pavilion A35-A17 at ADNEC

Wednesday,

April 25, 2018

1:00 pm

Electricity Services in the Trucial States Aisha Al Qaidi

ADNEC- Signing Corner
 

Thursday,

April 26, 2018 7:30 pm

Forts and Towers in Al Dhafra Area Ali Al kindy Friday, April 27, 2018 7:00 pm

Development of Education in the UAE

Mohammed Hassan Al Harby Saturday, April 28, 2018 7:00 pm

Unraveling the Biography of Sheikh Tahnoun Abdulla Bin Mohammed Sunday, April 29, 2018 7:00 pm

Within the framework of its “Centennial Initiative” in celebration of the “Year of Zayed”

The National Archives Participates in the “3rd Industry Walk” with a National Lecture and Photo Exhibition of the Founding Leader 

Within the framework of its “Centennial Initiative” in celebration of the “Year of Zayed”, the National Archives participated in the “3rd Industry Walk” at the premises of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) with a national lecture entitled “Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan  ... A March of Excellence and Giving to the Homeland”, and organized an exhibition of historical photos of the Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The lecture, which was presented by Mrs. Husniya Mohammed Al Ali, Head of Educational Programs Section in the National Archives, reviewed Sheikh Zayed’s march towards excellence and leadership and how he was able to add to humanity his distinctive mark that has made a milestone in the history of the nation which enabled it to achieve a grand transformation in all fields, and in record time.

The lecture made a link between the efforts of the Founding Leader, in his leadership of the UAE and the achievements he made throughout his life in establishing the UAE to ensure its distinguished position among the countries of the world, and the outstanding work methodology for overcoming the challenges and achieving the best results and advanced international positions according to the “Excellence Model” of the (EFQM), even before this model was established, which was adopted by the UAE federal and local awards, and its first version was issued in 2003.

The lecture explained the example and leading role model in “Leadership” Sheikh Zayed had presented. He set priorities and exceeded expectations in drawing the course of the UAE through applying a good balance between the requirements of human development and preservation of environment and wealth.

The National Archives has participated also by organizing an exhibition of historical photographs of Sheikh Zayed to grant participants of the 3rd Industry Walk the opportunity to know important aspects of the Founding Leader’s bright history and to be aware of some of his efforts for achieving development and prosperity unprecedented in the world. Through that, the participants will become abreast of his achievements, his good offices for human development, his wisdom and vision that preceded his time in the field of national sustainability. These high values have made him an example and role model for the honorable people in the UAE, Gulf, Arab world and the world.

The National Archives presented some of its most important applications, including “Sheikh Zayed Diary” and “Sheikh Zayed Audio Library”, which includes hundreds of audio recordings that address various local, Arab and international issues. These recordings are important for the UAE history and make it possible for people to hear again the warm voice of the Founding Leader. Among the National Archives’ applications are Sheikhs’ diaries which include the Diary of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Diary of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Diary of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Diary of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Diary of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

These diaries cover all the daily activities and events of the Founding Leader and Their Highnesses the Sheikhs, and have been documented by subjects and time throughout the period each diary covers, whether such  activities were social, economic, media or political.

The smart applications also included an educational booklet issued by the National Archives, which contains topics dealing with the history and heritage of the UAE.

The participation of the National Archives in the 3rd Industry Walk at the headquarters of the UAE University included some of the most important books published by the National Archives about Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, such as: “Zayed: A Man Who Built A Nation)” and “Zayed From Challenges to Union”. The two books are presented in both Arabic and English, in addition to the books: “Zayed and Excellence”, “Zayed and Heritage” ... and others.

It is also noteworthy that the “Centennial Initiative” launched by the National Archives in celebration of the “Centennial Birth” of the Founding Leader aims at establishing the values of the “Year of Zayed” through its available acquisitions. The initiative is in line with the National Archives’ objectives, mission and main goals, and sheds light on the achievements of Sheikh Zayed, the most important events and the everlasting documents. The present generation will know what Zayed had done for us, and how he had worked hardly to build the UAE.

Concurrently with the “Year of Zayed" initiative, the National Archives participates in the Arab Travel Market at the Pavilion of Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism. 

Concurrently with the “Year of Zayed" initiative, and within the framework of the “Centennial Initiative" launched by the National Archives marking the celebration of the centennial birth anniversary of the Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the NA participates in the Arab Travel Market 2018, to be held in Dubai during the period from April 22nd to 25th, 2018. The National Archives' platform in the region’s leading travel and tourism exhibition is entitled the “Year of Zayed". The National Archives' participation highlights Sheikh Zayed's long history of giving, tolerance and reinforcing the values of amity and friendliness. This has been clearly demonstrated in the approach and policy adopted by the United Arab Emirates, which eventually resulted in its acquiring a prominent status of noble humanitarian benevolence and social justice on which peaceful coexistence and tolerance among nations is based.

The National Archives presents to the exhibition's participants and visitors bright pages of the history of the UAE and its Founding Leader, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, through a large interactive screen in the National Archives' platform displaying a large collection of photos of Sheikh Zayed,  to show the audience some of the stances adopted by that exceptional leader who spared no effort to establish the United Arab Emirates, whose people and residents enjoy prosperity, welfare and development. The viewer can obtain data for any image by screen touching it to enlarge it and a detailed commentary on it instantly appears at its bottom.

In addition to the interactive screen presenting photos of the Founding Leader, the National Archives offers some of its most smart applications, including Sheikh Zayed’s Diaries and Sheikh Zayed's Audio Library, which includes hundreds of audio recordings that address various local, Arab and international issues.  These recordings are important for the UAE history, and make it possible for people to hear again the warm voice of the Founding Leader.  Among the smart applications provided by the National Archives are Sheikhs’ Diaries, which include the Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Diaries of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

These Diaries cover all the daily activities and events, whether social, economic, media, or political, of the Founding Leader and their Highnesses the Sheikhs, documented by subjects and time throughout the period each diary covers.

Smart applications will also include the educational booklet issued by the National Archives, containing topics on the history and heritage of the UAE.

The National Archives grasps the occasion of this participation to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and to reinforce his values in the great number of visitors expected during the exhibition.

The National Archives' platform, participating in the Arabian Travel Market 2018, included the most important books published by the National Archives on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, namely: (Zayed a Man who Built a Nation) and (Zayed from Challenges to Union). The two books are presented in both Arabic and English, in addition to other books such as (Zayed and Excellence) and (Zayed and Heritage) ... and others.

It is worth mentioning that the National Archives continues its activities within the framework of the Centennial Initiative projects launched in celebration of the Year of Zayed. The projects of this initiative stem from the National Archives' mission, vision and objectives, and aim to establish and promote the values of Sheikh Zayed and his achievements.

National Archives Educates its Staff about Mobile Security,

For Keeping a Safe Work Environment

For the purpose of security of personal and financial data stored on widespread personal smart phones, which contain huge sensitive data that must be preserved, and to protect it from attacks that exploit the weak points in smart phones, the National Archives of the UAE has organized an education and awareness lecture entitled "Security of Mobile Phones".  The lecture focused on steps of hacking and means of prevention.

The lecture, which was presented by Engineer Mohammed Boushlaibi, Analyst of Research and Electronic Evidence at the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, reviewed the risks of mobile hacking and the best security practices to limit it, with the aim of preserving personal information, work environment and its confidential data, and to protect all of that from any electronic hackings that threaten the security of information.

The lecturer defined to NA staff the term "Social Engineering", which means the art of manipulating people's minds, to carry out procedures that will lead to hacking of secret data, and granting access to sensitive personal information.  The lecture identified the information hackers try to access as:  personal information, information about networks, applications, policies and others.  The lecturer then talked about methods of relation building, launching attacks, and tracking targets, particularly wealthy individuals, through phone calls, short text messages, WhatsApp and others.

The lecturer discussed preventive measures, such as not to click on suspicious links, and to identify the name and address of the sender.  The presenter emphasized that everyone receiving suspicious calls or messages should be smart in dealing with unknown callers, and then he listed the methods to use in case a problem as such rises.

At the end of the lecture, Mr. Farhan Al Marzouqi, Director of Corporate and Community Department at the National Archives, honored the lecturer on behalf of the National Archives, and thanked him for all the valued of information.

In the “Year of Zayed” and within the framework of the “Centennial Initiative”

The National Archives Organizes Lectures in Sharjah

Within the framework of its “Centennial Initiative” in celebration of the “Year of Zayed”, the National Archives, in coordination with Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), presents a number of lectures on Sheikh Zayed’s values, contributions and achievements in the Majalis of Sharjah’s suburbs and in its University Clubs.

These lectures, presented by the National Archives, are some of the outcomes of the “Centennial Initiative”, whose projects have spread across the UAE in celebration of the “Year of Zayed”. The National Archives wished to highlight the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, his deeds and prominent achievements at the local, regional and international spheres. The National Archives seeks to motivate the generations to be inspired by the lessons and benefits from the biography of the Founding Leader, which promote the feelings of belonging, loyalty to the homeland, loyalty to the wise leadership,   national identity and the values of good citizenship in the minds of the generations carrying on the process of building and developing.

The National Archives continues to implement the “Centennial Initiative” in four themes in order to highlight the values of the “Year of Zayed”.  These themes are: Respect, Wisdom, Human Development and Sustainability. They are reflected in the objectives of the Initiative, which the National Archives aspires to reach all segments of the public throughout the UAE.

The lectures, presented by an elite of experts and specialists from the National Archives, bring back to mind the bright pages from the history of Sheikh Zayed whom the world has known as an excellent man of politics and benevolence who spared no effort throughout his life to build the UAE and promote the prosperity and well-being of its citizens and expatriates. All that has a great effect on the development and renaissance of the UAE and entitled it to enjoy a great status amongst the countries of the world. During the establishment of the UAE, the Founding Leader paid a great attention to education, health and construction, and this had a significant impact on the UAE’s establishment, development and accomplishments. History has proudly recorded Sheikh Zayed’s keenness for charitable and humanitarian work, as he gave abundance of aid to the needy and stricken people in various parts of the world. Therefore, the UAE has become a model for humanitarian work due to his noble approach.

The lectures, presented by the National Archives at the Majalis of Sharjah and its University Clubs, are derived from the history of Sheikh Zayed and his leadership role and achievements that the UAE still enjoys today. 

The National Archives’ lectures in the “Year of Zayed” reach expatriate students at Al Qasimia University, the residents of Mughaidir suburb in Talaa area, Majlis of Wasit suburb, Majlis of Rahmania suburb, the teachers and parents in Majlis of Muwaileh suburb in Al Nouf area, residents of Majlis of Al Khan suburb and the other Majalis of Sharjah and its suburbs.

The National Archives Starts Receiving works Participating in "Zayed, 100 Stories" Initiative

In cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the National Archives continues the second phase of the national educational initiative “Zayed, 100 Stories”, as part of the “Centennial Initiative”, launched by the National Archives in celebration of the “Year of Zayed”, and in context with NA's project "Student Historians' Club” in its 5th session.  The "Student Historians" project aims at educating generation of students about the legacy of the Founding Leader, late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. 

In the second phase of the Initiative, the NA will start accepting candidacy applications until April 11th, followed by an evaluation phase until April 19th. Evaluation will be based on certain criteria as stipulated in the National Education Initiative, such as elements of story building, and the value of content, which should focus on ethics, civics, local environment, language, style, Sheikh Zayed’s personality, creative elements of the story,   balancing between fact and fiction within content, and  design and artistic production.

In this initiative, students from 8th to 12th grades in all schools in the UAE will prepare story materials about the Founding Leader reflecting what they have learned from their extensive reading, oral history materials, as well as courses, activities and events provided by the National Archives.

Evaluation will be held at the headquarters of the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi.  Participants in the evaluation process will include experienced storywriters, well-known writers, and those who have already won awards in this field.

The Ministry of Education receives applications from all public and private schools from all over the UAE, while the Department of Education receives applications from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra schools.

Receiving and evaluating applications will be followed by selecting the best 100 stories about Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Written material will be checked, refined, designed, and produced in a proper form, which can serve as reading material for workshops in the next school year, and will strengthen belonging to the homeland and loyalty to the leadership, and will build the student’s personality and deeply root moral values, civics and high principles.

In this project of the National Archives, winners will be in the spotlights to serve as role models for their peers, and to motivate their colleagues for more efforts in their education,  as s sign of love of the homeland and of its great leaders such as the Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. 

It is worth mentioning that the National Archives emphasizes through this national educational initiative the importance of highlighting the efforts, achievements and values of the Founding Father the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and opening new pages in UAE history.  That in itself is sufficient to reinforce the national and social values of students, who will be the future generation that will continue to build the nation and preserve the current achievements.

A huge number of participating students visited the National Archives for an orientation, to enrich their knowledge about the country's history and the biography of the Founding Leader, late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al Nahyan.

For the second consecutive year and at the United Arab Emirates level

The National Archives Wins Sharjah Government Communication Award (Best Communication Plan for the Year of Zayed)

The National Archives of the UAE won for the second year in a row the Sharjah Government Communication Award (Best Communication Plan for the Year of Zayed at the UAE level) for the year 2018. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Saud Al Qasimi, Head of the Central Finance Department, handed the award to HE Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, Director General of the National Archives at the ceremony held in Sharjah.

On this occasion, the Director General of the National Archives expressed his happiness for winning the award. He said that winning the Sharjah Government Communication Award (Best Communication Plan for the year of Zayed) by the National Archives coincided with the year of Zayed. We are proud that the award bears the name of the founding leader, and receiving it reflects the genuineness of the National Archives’ initiative, which celebrates the year of Zayed and engages all segments of society and all emirates in various activities and events. The award is the first of its kind in the Arab world to honor individuals and institutions, and it highlights achievements in the field of government communication.

Dr. Alraisi dedicated the award to the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, as the National Archives is honored to win the prize that bears his name while we are celebrating the centennial anniversary of his birth. He pointed out that the National Archives, which celebrates its golden Jubilee, was established in 1968 upon the directives of Sheikh Zayed who realized the importance of documenting the homeland history and preserving it for future generations. The fact that the National Archives has managed to achieve this purpose becoming the keeper of the UAE history and heritage proves that the late founding leader was a man of vision and wisdom.

Dr. Alraisi also thanked the officials of the Sharjah Government Communication Award and praised the role of the award in honoring achievements and creative initiatives, and considered it an incentive for more fruitful and constructive contributions.

On this occasion, Dr. Alraisi extended his warmest congratulations and thanks to His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chairman of the National Archives, and to His Excellency Hamad Abdulrahman Al Madfa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Archives, for the support and guidance given to the NA, qualifying it for continuous excellence. Additionally, he extended his thanks to all members of the Board of Directors, and to NA’s employees who do their utmost persistently and conscientiously, fulfilling their duty and maintaining NA’s rank among world's largest archives, as reflected in NA’s work outputs, data, statistics and awards that demonstrate perseverance and outstanding performance.

Highlighting the National Archives’ Initiative in Year of Zayed

The National Archives continues to implement the Centennial Initiative launched in celebration of the Year of Zayed. It includes organizing100 lectures and national educational reading workshops that enrich the generations' memory with the values and principles of the founding leader and his timeless contributions and achievements. The National Archives will also implement 100 educational games, and will allow a100 days of free download of its applications. The initiative also includes organizing 100 photo galleries that bring to mind the efforts of the founding leader, and issuing 100 postcards with 100 different photos documenting aspects of Sheikh Zayed’s efforts. One hundred high-quality photo albums will be prepared to document Sheikh Zayed's humanitarian work and his timeless patriotic actions.

The Centennial Initiative also includes 100 thank-you letters from 100 personalities, in addition to the making of 100 one-minute long films about Sheikh Zayed's life, to be uploaded on social media and YouTube. The National Archives will enrich 100 school libraries statewide with collections of its national publications with the aim of disseminating national knowledge and presenting a true and documented picture of the history and heritage of the UAE and the achievements of the founding leader.

The National Archives started the first phase of the event entitled “Zayed in 100 stories”, which comes within the project of the Student Historians’ Club to instill national and moral values among generations. The initiative will also include NA’s evaluation of 100 research papers entitled “Following Our Father Zayed’s Footsteps” prepared by ninth grade students of the Emirates National Schools. The initiative will collect 100 of the Founding Leader’s quotes, and publish them on the website, in addition to distributing murals displaying these quotes to schools. The initiative also includes posting 100 timeless documents about Sheikh Zayed on social media.    

The National Archives signs a Memorandum of Cooperation with the King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives

The National Archives of the United Arab Emirates and the  King Abdul Aziz Foundation for Research and Archives in Riyadh, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, aimed at developing and strengthening bilateral cooperation in various fields between the two parties, and to support programs and joint activities relevant to their work.

The Memo signing took place during the Riyadh International Book Fair, in which the UAE is a guest of honor at its current session, in an effort by both parties to benefit from the historical and cultural heritage, available in both countries in the form of collections that document the history and heritage of the two brotherly countries.

This Memorandum of Cooperation aims at consolidating cooperation in joint activities, to search for historical archival resources of both parties, and to digitize and exchange documents in accordance with the laws governing the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia

 The terms of the Memorandum provide for the exchange of expertise between the two parties in the field of archiving, information sharing and organizing training programs in archiving. The two sides will work to promote cooperation in the framework of cultural exchange between them, such as seminars, conferences, workshops, training, and exchange of archival and historical publications.

HE Dr. Fahad Abdulla Al Samari, Secretary General of King Abul Aziz Foundation, signed the memorandum on behalf of the Foundation, and HE Dr. Abudalla Mohammad Alraisi, Director General of the National Archives, signed the Memorandum on behalf of the UAE National Archives.

HE Dr. Fahad Abdulla Al Samari valued the cooperation with the National Archives, and expressed his optimism about the benefits for the two sides. He stressed the importance of training of archival cadres in both countries, and of preservation and restoration historical documents, and of cooperation in technical fields, and the transfer of successful experiences in Saudi Arabia and the UAE to the whole region, based on a joint program facilitates and regulates the transfer of these experiences to promote the rest of the archives and achieve excellence, in order for Gulf archives to become a force standing by the truth.   

His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi said that the cooperation relations between the National Archives and the King Abdul Aziz Foundation are strong, and that this Memorandum will solidify them.  The National Archives holds high hopes on the memorandum, because it gives the strong relations between the two parties legal status.  This allows the UAE National Archive to enhance its holdings with the rich collection of King Abdul Aziz Foundation of historical documents and records, and audiovisual archives of the history of the region, which is the focus of attention of researchers interested in the history of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the Arabian Peninsula.

He also praised the role played by King Abdul Aziz Foundation in documenting the history of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, pointing out the common brotherly ties in all fields, and the historical and heritage dimensions between the two brotherly countries. He thanked the management of the Foundation, represented by HE Dr. Fahad Abdulla Al Samari, for their cooperation, prompt response and hospitality.   HE Dr. Alraisi pointed out that he is looking forward with great hope to put the articles of the Memorandum into immediate implementation to enrich the experiences of both parties, and to strengthen and consolidate the Gulf identity in the era of globalization.  He expressed the hope that the Memorandum of Cooperation will be productive in all fields, and in harmony with the efforts of the National Archives to preserve the memory of the nation for future generations, and to collect, document and preserve archival documents according to scientific principles, and to exchange historical publications that monitor main issues in the history of both brotherly countries.   

In the year of Zayed, while celebrating its Golden Jubilee

The Emirates Library offers new services and initiatives that bring it closer to researchers.

The Emirates Library at the National Archives of the UAE is a specialized research library, established in 1968, which provides services to various clients such as decision-makers, researchers and graduate students, in the UAE and abroad. These services include facilitating internal and external access and lending, access to electronic resources, and photocopying services in accordance with copyrights. The Emirates Library focuses on topics relating to the UAE, Gulf region and the world, and follows the most widely used classification system of the Library of Congress.

As the Emirates Library celebrates its Golden Jubilee, it launched new initiatives in line with the National Archives' goals, expanding its services and making them available to clients to best serve them and ensure their maximum benefit. These initiatives include: extending the Library's working hours, launching external lending service, the library's open week celebrating the Month of Reading and the Arab Library Day which falls on the 10th of March every year, launching Liwa journal's electronic Index, indexing of articles on the UAE in Arab periodicals, the UAE Newspapers Archive, university dissertations and articles, allowing access to ready subject guides, and the set up of Arab and foreign sources of information.

The Emirates Library has a reading hall with an open-shelving system in line with leading international standards. It offers visitors all services and facilities, including modern computers that allow access to library holdings. It also provides research booths and Wi-Fi service.

The Reading Week in the Month of Reading :

The Emirates Library at the National Archives has organized an open week for reading under the slogan: "Reader Employee for a Smart Archiving Institution", to help establish the National Archives vision in terms of continuous development, and to transform the Emirates Library into a preferred destination for researchers interested in the history of the UAE and the Gulf region, providing access to their information sources through utilizing the best available technical solutions and practices, including training of researchers, and educating them on information access, assessment and utilization.

During the open week for reading, the Emirates Library opened its doors to all employees, shedding light on its holdings, facilities and services, and acquainting them with the facilities it provides for readers and researchers. By allocating this open week for the Emirates Library, the National Archives aimed at providing library services and allowing employees to benefit from its holdings and facilities in order to develop their capabilities and increase their work productivity, also to acquaint them with humanity achievements in the field of knowledge and to enhance their sense of creativity and innovation.

During the open week, the Emirates Library administration hosted staff members on guided tours and briefed them on information items related to the inspirational biography of the Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, his great role in establishing the UAE and building the Federation, and  sources related to the biographies of the UAE great leaders and prominent men. The library visitors were also briefed on books dealing with the history and heritage of the UAE, its cultural role, its links with neighboring civilizations, and written accounts of travelers and explorers who landed in the Arabian Gulf.

The National Archives Launches the Electronic Index of (Liwa) at Emirates Library: 

The National Archives took advantage of the Emirates Library open week in the Year of Zayed, and in the Reading Month to launch the Liwa Journal's electronic Index.  Liwa is a scientific journal published by the National Archives twice a year in both Arabic and English. The National Archives allows free access to the full texts of the Liwa articles in PDF form through the library's Online Catalog (OPAC). This emphasizes the National Archives' keenness to provide all possible solutions to researchers to access its holdings and benefit from them. Liwa Journal focuses mainly on the history and achievements of the Founding Leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the progress march he led since 1946 when he was the Ruler's representative in the Eastern Province. Since Liwa's research is mainly concerned with the history, heritage and archeology of the UAE and the Gulf region, it focuses on the history of the great transformation and advancement witnessed by the UAE at the hands of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. When the National Archives intended to issue Liwa Journal, the goal was to publish a balanced journal with highly distinguished content, that reflects the history of the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf region in order to achieve the National Archives' mission of establishing historical awareness and promoting and enhancing national identity (according to its first edition's editorial of June 2009 by the Editor-in-chief, HE Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, Director General of the National Archives), Thus the electronic Index was launched so that researchers and clients from all over the world could use the journal's content and benefit from it.  Therefore, articles published in (Liwa) are available in full text in a (pdf) form  on its link  in the Emirates Library's online catalog. The National Archives is keen to update the electronic index in order to maximize the benefits of researchers and specialists all over the world.

Emirates Library is the destination for researchers on the history and heritage of the UAE and the region:

The Emirates Library has thousands of printed and electronic sources, integrated collections of references, dissertations, rare books, Arabic and foreign periodicals, and various electronic books and databases online subscriptions. It has a wealth of specialized books, main fundamental books that deal with many aspects relating to the UAE, as well as topics and issues relating to the GCC countries. The library's acquisitions include biographies, atlases including the world's largest Atlas, dictionaries, encyclopedias, and original rare books among others. The library's Information resources are in both Arabic and English, with some material in other languages such as French, German, Persian, Dutch, Portuguese, etc.

The total number of indexed material of the library's holdings according to the latest statistics exceeds one hundred thousand items, excluding the UAE Newspapers’ Archive collections, Arab and foreign periodicals and electronic resources collections. Last year (2017), and in order to achieve the strategic objective of enhancing the accessibility to National Archives collections for researchers, the Emirates Library's administration has worked hard to upgrade and promote information services for researchers in the UAE and abroad.



Emirates Library Initiatives:

As initiatives are among the most important principles and pillars of success, the Emirates Library has been keen to introduce further initiatives that increase its acquisitions and services accessibility to researchers to maximize their benefit. These initiatives include:

- Extending the Library's working hours and launching external lending service for researchers:

since the beginning of the "Year of Zayed", the Emirates Library has extended its working hours to be from 8 am to 8 pm, from Sunday to Wednesday weekly, and from 8 am to 3 pm on Thursdays to allow researchers to utilize its premises, facilities and services the longest possible time. Researchers were very pleased with the decision, and visited the library intensively and regularly.

In continuation to this effort, the Emirates Library has also launched an external lending service for researchers to meet their need for library books that are available for external lending. Researchers who are registered members of the Library can benefit from this external lending service. The lending duration and materials vary according to the permission granted to researchers in accordance with the applied lending policy.

The library also provides reference and information services to researchers, including: providing the researcher with a comprehensive bibliography on the research subject, on his/ her request, whether in person, or through e-mail, or the subject guides in the Online Catalog (OPAC), and training him/ her on research methods of the library and databases' automated catalog.


- Allowing access to ready subject guides:

The Emirates Library has prepared a set of subject guides related to the UAE and topics related to the National Archives' activities, available on the online catalog at the following link: http://library.na.ae. Extensive tabulations were conducted in the main index form to enable researchers and clients to easily utilize it online.

- Building a collection of foreign information resources:

More than a year ago, the Emirates Library started cataloging the most important open source foreign information resources relating to UAE issues and providing full access to the full texts through its links on its Online Catalog (OPAC). These open resources include dissertations, reports, articles, government publications, and others. They exceeded 3,100 resources.


- UAE Newspapers Archive:

The Emirates Library takes pride in its rich newspaper archive, and allows its visiting researchers, academics and students access to the printed version of the most prominent UAE newspapers such as Al Ittihad, Al Bayan, Al Khaleej, Gulf News and others. It is a semi-complete archive that has been bound and made available to the public.

- Dissertations collection:

This includes a collection of the most important dissertations and university articles issued by major international universities, relating to the history and heritage of the UAE and the Gulf region. The library has for a long time acquired a series of university dissertations related to the UAE, from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and has made them available and accessible to researchers at the Reading Room.

- Indexing of articles in Arab periodicals articles regarding the UAE:

The Emirates Library continues indexing Arabic articles on "United Arab Emirates", published in Arab periodicals and available in its stores, and those which it receives regularly, these amount to (48) Arabic periodicals. The main purpose of this technical initiative is to provide access to important articles on the UAE, and to facilitate researchers’ access to periodicals to avoid wasting their precious time. The accomplished work included allowing accessibility of bibliographic records of all indexed Arabic articles in the library's Online Catalog (OPAC). According to the latest statistics, the number of articles has exc