His Excellency inspects the Center for Preservation and Restoration and assess its performance in the field of preserving the history of the UAE

Al Midfa praises the role of the National Archives’ Center for Preservation and Restoration in keeping the memory of the nation



His Excellency Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Midfa, Secretary-General of the Federal Supreme Council Affairs and Chairman of the National Archives’ Board of Directors, accompanied by His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Alraisi, Director General of the National Archives, paid an inspection visit to the Center for Preservation and Restoration, where he acquainted himself with the well-equipped spacious stores and the world’s best practices in the preservation of historical documents which the government archives in the UAE transferred to the National Archives. HE also inspected the restoration laboratory which deals with the restoration and conservation of important historical documents vulnerable to damage in accordance with the latest international practices as such documents contain historical facts. 

HE emphatically attributed the National Archives’ astounding achievements, of which the Center for Preservation and Restoration stands out, to the continuous support and guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs and to his constant interest in the history of the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, HE attributed the National Archives success to the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and to the efforts and achievements of the wise leadership in the development and prosperity of the nation. HE praised the role of the Center for Preservation and Restoration in preserving the documentary assets of the UAE and the role of the National Archives in general in preserving the history and heritage of the United Arab Emirates and the Arabian Gulf region.

The Chairman of the National Archives Board of Directors toured the Center for Preservation and Restoration, which was established with the aim of organizing the process of keeping governmental and official historical records in accordance with Federal Law No. (7) of 2008 concerning the National Center for Documentation and Research, modified by Federal Law No. (1) of 2014 concerning the National Archives and its Executive Regulations. This Center provides secure storages to the historical documents, which are preserved in original file structures to facilitate the timely access to them.

HE also acquainted himself with the main tasks of the Center and its units, where governmental and official historical records are received, sorted, indexed and preserved. In addition to learning about the capacity of the building, the area of which is 40,000 square meters, HE learned about the state-of-the-art technologies used for document digitization, microfilm and microfiche preservation, and high-resolution digital photography in order to disseminate cultural and historical awareness and to provide research fields to those wishing to benefit from the information materials which the National Archives holds to document the history of the UAE.

His Excellency inspected the restoration laboratory as restoration plays an essential role in prolonging the life of damaged documents. The laboratory has the necessary equipment for restoring and conserving documents after being sterilized and cleaned. The restoration process can be partial or complete depending on the size of the affected part and the extent of damage, and it involves filling holes, patching and completing the missing parts and strengthening the document papers.

HE the Chairman of the National Archives Board expressed his happiness with this visit and directed the National Archives to do more in developing the Center for Preservation and Restoration given its great role, in order to be ranked first in the Middle East and to be on par with the world’s top centers in this field.