The National Archives discusses standard archiving methods with the Western Region’s Department of Municipal and Transport Affairs
The National Archives discusses standard archiving methods with the Western Region's Department of Municipal and Transport Affairs
The National Archives of the United Arab Emirates discussed with a delegation from the Western Region's Department of Municipal and Transport Affairs ways of cooperation to update the latter’s archival systems and programs, and the possibility of obtaining the expertise of the National Archives in organizing its archives.
This came during a visit by a delegation from the Western Region's Department of Municipal and Transport Affairs; as its about to employ specialized archivists to set up its paper archives' headquarters, and to develop and update archival systems and programs at the same time. Therefore, they were briefed on aspects of the National Archives' experience in managing both paper and electronic archives according to the best standards and practices, and discussed the possibility of the National Archives providing specialized training courses for the Western Region's archives staff, parallel to the training courses it organized in all the Emirates of the UAE.
The electronic software programs currently used in the digitization and preservation of historical documents and records, and making them accessible to researchers and other users and clients were reviewed, as well as the electronic software programs utilized for internal correspondence. The delegation was provided with details about this software and its methods of use, maintenance and feasibility.
The delegation of the Western Region Department of Municipal and Transport Affairs was briefed about the files and paper boxes approved by the National Archives to keep and preserve historical paper documents, and was introduced to the advantages of their use, and how they preserve historic documents and protect them against any harm or damage. The delegation also visited the warehouse specified for keeping these boxes and paper records, and was briefed on the appropriate conditions required for an ideal archive which extends the life of the document.
In the meeting held at the National Archives, the delegation discussed with the National Archives' experts ideas and thoughts on important archival issues, such as: documents classification and preservation, and their circulation among staff during their transfer from the current to intermediate archive, to eventually be kept in the historic archive, where the none useful and unimportant documents are disposed of upon formal approval from the National archives.
At the conclusion of the visit, the delegation toured the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Hall which contains samples of written documents, photographs, maps, electronic albums of the leaders of the UAE and its prominent figures.
They also toured the Emirates Library, and were briefed on its most prominent holdings, including references and sources of paper and electronic books, periodicals and specialized theses, and how to utilize them.
At Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed virtual reality Hall the guests watched a three-dimensional documentary film on the UAE's past and present, and on the National Archives and its role in keeping the memory of the nation.
It is worth mentioning that the National Archives pays special attention to the Western Region, believing in the importance of its history and heritage. Accordingly, and as part of its aspiration to organize the official archives in the UAE and to follow the best international standards in the federal and local Government archives, it has organized a number of official Government entities' archives in the Western Region or its dependencies, most notably the archives of the Western region Municipality, the Department of municipal Affairs, the Western region development Council, and Madinat Zayed hospital in the Western Region, and the Western Region's educational zone.
