A new seminar in the Year of Sustainability,
The National Library and Archives sheds the light on Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Agenda 2023
Within the context of its cultural season 2023, the National Library and Archives has organized, at its headquarters, a seminar entitled “Abu Dhabi Sustainable Development Agenda 2023” in conjunction with the Year of Sustainability as the UAE moves with its honorable march towards the bright future it makes.
The seminar, attended by H.E. Abdulla Majed Al Ali, NLA’s Director General, focused on development due to its importance as it has become a targeted goal in all aspects of life, and it would promote individuals’ development and welfare. Given its importance, governments devised plans and allocate funds for development.
The NLA shed the light on Abu Dhabi sustainable development agenda 2023 in this seminar due to the fact that it is considered a major cultural leap and owing to its importance as an ambitious plan that drives the development process. The agenda also reflects the interest in examining the prospects of future and facing rapid development challenges as well as focusing on the deliberate and sustainable growth. That is why the NLA deemed it important to highlight the agenda in its cultural season 2023, which seminars focus on sustainability.
The seminar moderated by Dr. Hazza Al Naqbi, Head of Government Archives Section at the NLA, started by a session presented by Weam Alhashmi from the Department of Government Support. In this session, she reported that H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has announced the year 2023 to be the Year of Sustainability. She, then, tackled Abu Dhabi 2030 agenda and its importance in establishing a well-defined vision for Abu Dhabi sustainability, fulfilling its current and future requirements, developing the society, promoting a new thinking style with the aim of fostering the Emirate of Abu Dhabi’s position and long-term vision. She noted that the agenda puts forward conceptual solutions to develop the emirate in the second quarter of the century.
Alhashmi brought into focus Abu Dhabi agenda and its objectives along with the sustainable development objectives, which serve as a comprehensive roadmap and an ambitious work schedule that requires policies and transformational investments and involvement of the entire community in implementation. Moreover, she discussed the challenges of sustainable development and the role of the UAE in facing international challenges. She also reviewed real aspects of Abu Dhabi’s interest in sustainability.
The speaker turned attention to Masdar City, which is one of the most prominent sustainable urban projects in the Middle East. She demonstrated the plan devised by the government of Abu Dhabi as it shapes the future of the city in a way that ensures sustainability in all life activities.
Alhashmi enriched the session by speaking about the culture of innovation and sustainability at the government work in addition to the proposed methods to achieve sustainable development in government institutions.
In the second session, Engineer Hamad Mohsen Abdulla, Head of Technical Studies Section of the Infrastructure and Municipal Assets Sector at Abu Dhabi City Municipality, spoke about sustainability initiatives for a world-class infrastructure 2023. He pointed out the accomplishments of Abu Dhabi City Municipality including quantum leaps in the quality of the government services along with the achievements made at the local and international levels in the field of infrastructure. Furthermore, he tackled the infrastructure sustainability strategy and the smart cities strategy outcomes and achievements. He revealed the targeted fields in the smart city such as water and energy, environment and innovation, and performance and knowledge; he talked in detail about Abu Dhabi smart lighting project and its phases, Abu Dhabi system for roads sustainability classification, etc.
In addition, Engineer Hamad discussed the infrastructure assets management and development and the initiatives for infrastructure sustainability. He also reviewed some examples of initiatives for sustainability such as using recycled rubber in asphalt mixtures, the pilot project of agriculture and water studies and environmental sustainability, smart lighting using solar energy, etc.
In the last session, Dr. Wadeema Al Dhahri, a Professor at Mohammed Bin Zayed University for Humanities, said “Abu Dhabi agenda 2023 is an example of the sustainable development plans based on which Abu Dhabi Government formulated a long-term plan that lasts until 2030, and the main topics of this plan are: the economic development, social and human resources development, infrastructure development, environment protection and promoting the government performance.”
Dr. Wadeema, then, reviewed the 17 objectives of Abu Dhabi vision 2030. She shed the light on Mubadala, Statra Manufacturing, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and Masdar City. In conclusion, she reported that the UAE has a unique experience in development, and in all its different stages, it was governed by a prudent leadership and was served by its loyal citizens along with the global expertise. Thus, the UAE became distinctive because of its achievements at the international level in short period of time.
Photo captions:
1.    H.E. Director General honoring the seminar moderator.
2.    A new seminar in the Year of Sustainability about Abu Dhabi Agenda Sustainable Development.
3.    The seminar.