Committee For Festivals, And Cultural And Heritage Programmes Holds Its First Meeting And Gears Up For Upcoming Events

The Committee for Festivals, and Cultural and Heritage Programmes held on Thursday its first meeting, under the chairmanship of HE Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Advisor for Culture and Heritage in the Court of His Highness the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Board Member of the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA, Abu Dhabi).

The preparation for the launch of various key cultural and heritage events during the current year, 2013, topped the agenda of the meeting.

HE Chairman of the Committee for Festivals, and Cultural and Heritage Programmes noted that the vision of the Committee takes in the promotion of efforts made to build a strong and cohesive society which believes in common roots and collective future.

"The main objective consists in the achievement of a conscious society that believes and is committed to identity, national unity and all the concepts that stem from these principles," Al Mazrouei said.

"The national unity is exercised and maintained by strengthening the concepts of knowledge, belief in common roots, preservation of cultural memory, continuity, survival, the stimulation and strengthening of the notions of solidarity and social cohesion, protection of the core element that guarantees cohesion and fateful interdependence, that is leadership, and loyalty to the wise rulers," added Al Mazrouei.

The General Secretariat of the Executive Council in Abu Dhabi has recently issued - early February - a decree that stipulates the formation of the Committee for Festivals, and Cultural and Heritage Programmes, chaired by HE Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei.

The members of the Committee include representatives from of the Abu Dhabi Media Company, the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority- to which the Committee refers in its functions and tasks-, the General Directorate of Abu Dhabi Police, the Department of Municipal Affairs, the Office of the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region (Al Gharbia), the Department of Transport, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi, the Health Authority - Abu Dhabi, and the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority.

The Committee will manage many festivals as well as cultural and heritage programmes, notably the ’Million’s Poet’, the ’Prince of Poets’, the heritage and cultural programme ’Al Shara’, the Liwa Date Festival, Al Dhafra Festival, the Abu Dhabi Poetry Academy, the Million’s Poet Channel, the Million’s Poet Magazine, the Shawati’ Magazine , and the New York Film Academy.

The Committee will also manage any assigned programmes, festivals and cultural and heritage events. This endeavor aims at serving the cultural strategy of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE, contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage, and working to deliver an Emirati civilized and humanitarian message to the various cultures and peoples of the world.

Among the other objectives of the Committee is the promotion of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the various conferences, activities and events it organizes and hosts. This promotion operates through widely watched cultural TV programmes, notably the ’Million’s Poet’, the ’Prince of Poets’ and the ’Al Shara’ programmes, as well as events like Al Dhafra Festival, and the Liwa Date Festival.

The participants at the meeting discussed the action mechanism needed to ensure the continuity and development of the various cultural and heritage events that serve the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. They voiced their readiness to organize and launch upcoming events. During the meeting, the Committee’s organizational structure has been adopted. The internal regulations needed to speed up the completion of the assigned tasks, in cooperation with the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, were also discussed.

According to the decree, the Committee for Festivals, and Cultural and Heritage Programmes is responsible for the creation of strategic and operational plans for the activities of festivals and programmes according to specific schedules. It is responsible for the management and the organization of these events and the supervision of logistic, promotional and media affairs that are needed to ensure the achievement of the objectives and missions of the various programmes and projects.

The Committee has a duty to keep effective coordination with all concerned parties, and encourage the local and regional community to take part in the organized events, festivals and programmes.

Al Mazrouei extended his sincere thanks to His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, for his generous support of the projects that aim at preserving and promoting heritage. The President of the UAE has been constantly encouraging the promotion of the culture of festivals and heritage events.

According to His Highness, the preservation of heritage and its transmission to future generations stand for an important basis in the promotion of the Emirati identity. Heritage preservation needs to go hand-in-hand with other strategies for civilised development and cultural openness.

Al Mazrouei hailed the great support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. He noted, in this context, that efforts made to preserve heritage and inherent traditions fall in line with the approach of the late founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God bless his soul.

Al Mazrouei also hailed the constant follow-up by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in the Western Region, of the various heritage events in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates, especially Al Dhafra Festival and the Liwa Date Festival.

He extended his sincere thanks and appreciations to His Highness Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, National Security Advisor and Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council for his permanent support and assistance in promoting cultural and heritage events.

"The Committee has embarked on its tasks and preparations for the upcoming events. The next phase will witness intensive preparations in collaboration with other concerned parties, notably the Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, under the supervision of HE the Chairman of the Authority, Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, who has always been keen to provide all the necessary requirements needed to ensure the success of these important events," said Al Mazrouei.

Emirate:  Abu Dhabi

Date: Feb 17, 2013

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