ABU DHABI (WAM)

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, attended the launch of Wilfred Thesiger in Arabia, published by Motivate Media Group, during his visit to the Group’s stand at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

The richly illustrated volume marks eighty years since Wilfred Thesiger’s first crossing of the Empty Quarter. It brings together an exceptional collection of photographs taken by Thesiger himself, alongside a series of specialist essays examining his journeys across the deserts of Arabia, his close relationships with Bedouin communities and his deep engagement with the ways of life that prevailed in the region at the time.

The book also explores the profound changes that took place across Arabia during his lifetime.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan wrote the book’s Foreword, in which he reflects on the significance of Thesiger’s experiences and the value of the visual and historical record he left behind, documenting many aspects of life in Arabia and its desert environments.

He praised the book as an important addition to the body of literature devoted to the region’s history and its human and cultural heritage. He also highlighted the photographs, documents and personal accounts it contains, which together present a comprehensive picture of Thesiger’s journeys and experiences in Arabia.

The book makes an important contribution to raising awareness of the region’s heritage, preserving its cultural and historical memory, and making that legacy accessible to future generations, researchers and those interested in the history of Arabia.

It also reflects the considerable effort invested in its preparation and production, as well as the contributions of the writers, explorers and scholars whose varied perspectives shed light on Thesiger’s work and legacy.

Edited by Ian Fairservice and Alexander Maitland, the volume features contributions from a distinguished group of writers, explorers, scholars and public figures, including Sir David Attenborough, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, BBC correspondent Frank Gardner, Benedict Allen, Elizabeth Edwards and Dr Peter Clark.

Their contributions offer a range of perspectives on Thesiger’s enduring legacy, the historical and cultural significance of his work, and the value of the photographs he took during his journeys. They also highlight the importance of his archive as a unique record of Arabia during a period of far-reaching social, economic and urban transformation.

The book explores different aspects of Thesiger’s journeys through the region, his relationships with those who accompanied him and the people he encountered, and his commitment to documenting the details of everyday life in desert environments.

t also highlights the human and aesthetic qualities of his photographs, whose importance extends beyond recording places and events to preserving a vivid account of local communities and life during that period.

Commenting on the personal and cultural significance of the publication, Ian Fairservice said: “Sir Wilfred Thesiger left us one of the most remarkable visual and literary records of Arabia ever created.

I was privileged to know him and to work closely with him during the later years of his life. This volume brings together his extraordinary photographs and the reflections of writers, explorers and scholars who have continued to engage with and study his work.

“To see the book launched in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan is particularly meaningful to me. Above all, I hope this publication will ensure that Thesiger’s exceptional record of Arabia continues to inspire generations of readers.”

Wilfred Thesiger in Arabia offers readers a rich body of visual and scholarly material combining historical documentation, cultural analysis and personal testimony.

It provides an opportunity to reconsider Thesiger’s experiences within their historical and human context, to gain insight into life in Arabia during the period of his journeys, and to understand the transformations that reshaped the region in the decades that followed.

The book is available for purchase at the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, through leading bookstores across the region, and online at BooksArabia.com.