MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi’s museums serve as “living platforms” that play an integral role in preserving intangible cultural heritage and fostering intercultural dialogue, a UNESCO official said.
In an interview with Aletihad, Salah Khaled, Director of UNESCO’s Doha Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, noted that museums in the emirate have evolved beyond their traditional role as custodians of artefacts.
“Abu Dhabi’s museums increasingly challenge this notion,” he explained. “They function not only as repositories of tangible objects, but as living platforms that interpret traditions, animate collective memory, and transmit knowledge across generations.”
Abu Dhabi has expanded its cultural infrastructure over the past two decades through a series of landmark museum projects.
Louvre Abu Dhabi opened in the Saadiyat Cultural District in 2017 as the first universal museum in the Arab world – the result of a landmark partnership between the UAE and France.
The Zayed National Museum was officially inaugurated in December 2025, two months following the reopening of Al Ain Museum, which underwent extensive redevelopment.
Meanwhile, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a contemporary art museum designed by architect Frank Gehry, continues to take shape on Saadiyat Island and is expected to become the largest museum in the Guggenheim network once completed.
The UNESCO official said Abu Dhabi’s museums are helping preserve intangible heritage that cannot be safeguarded through artefacts alone.
“Through exhibitions, educational programmes, community initiatives, and contemporary artistic practices, these institutions give visibility to intangible cultural heritage - stories, skills, values and lived experiences,” he added.
According to Khaled, the UAE’s ratification of UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009 marked a turning point in heritage preservation efforts.
“These museums have played a key role in raising awareness of local traditions, knowledge systems, and cultural practices, moving beyond static displays to actively engage communities and connect the past with the present,” he said.
The UAE’s investment in a growing network of museums on the Saadiyat Cultural District reflects a long-term commitment to foster dialogue and international collaboration, Khaled added.
“Compared to other instruments of international relations, culture offers unique advantages,” he noted. “It fosters mutual understanding, encourages exchange, and builds connections between people across different backgrounds.”
Khaled also pointed to the UAE’s role as an active UNESCO member state through initiatives supporting heritage protection and international cultural cooperation.
Among the country’s major contributions was its support for UNESCO’s “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative, which focused on restoring key cultural and historic landmarks in Mosul, Iraq, following years of conflict.
“The UAE has also positioned itself as a global convenor for discussions on culture, heritage and education,” Khaled added, citing events such as the Culture Summit Abu Dhabi in 2019, which brought together more than 600 cultural leaders and practitioners from over 90 countries.
Museums in the UAE also contributed to intercultural dialogue by bringing together diverse cultural narratives within shared spaces, the UNESCO official said.
He pointed to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s model as a “universal museum in the Arab world”, where objects from different civilisations are displayed side by side to encourage visitors to recognise common human experiences and values.
“From UNESCO’s perspective, this approach goes beyond good museology; it constitutes an essential form of peacebuilding in an interconnected yet often fragmented world,” Khaled said.
He added that Abu Dhabi’s museums also actively foster cultural exchange through international exhibitions, artist residencies, academic conferences, curatorial workshops and public talks involving museum professionals, artists and scholars from around the world.
Abu Dhabi’s experience, according to UNESCO, offers lessons for emerging cultural economies, particularly the importance of embedding culture within long-term national development strategies.
“Building cultural ecosystems, rather than isolated institutions, can help create synergies between heritage, education, and the creative economy,” Khaled said.
He cited frameworks such as UAE Vision 2021 and Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which positioned culture as part of national infrastructure.
Underpinning these efforts is UNESCO’s principle of “culture as a public good”, Khaled said, stressing that cultural heritage, creativity and knowledge should remain accessible to all communities.
The introduction of long-term visas for artists, innovators and cultural professionals also demonstrates that the UAE recognises creativity as a national asset, he added.