Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority has hosted a panel discussion titled “The Role of Cultural Institutions in Heritage Preservation and Inheritance: Shared Practices of the UAE and China,” held as part of its participation in the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair. The UAE is this year’s Guest of Honour at the fair’s 32nd edition.
The panel brought together Abdullah Bati Al Qubaisi, Executive Director of Heritage Awareness and Knowledge Sector at the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority; Shi Yuewen, Second-Class Inspector at the Department of International Cooperation of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and former Chinese Cultural Counsellor to Egypt, Morocco and Algeria; and Mr. Ma Shengde, Adviser to China’s Ministry of Culture and an expert in the protection of intangible cultural heritage.
The session was moderated by Dr Mahetab Ahmed, a foreign expert at Xinhua News Agency and a specialist in Chinese studies.
Discussion highlighted the respective experiences of UAE and China in safeguarding and protecting cultural heritage, and the role cultural institutions play in keeping that heritage alive within their societies.
Panelists also reviewed initiatives and programs designed to pass heritage knowledge on to younger generations and to anchor it more firmly in national identity.
Panelists also examined how artificial intelligence and digital tools are reshaping heritage preservation.
They agreed that these tools have real potential to document heritage, transmit it to future generations, and make it more accessible, helping to safeguard it for the long term.
Speakers pointed to the UAE and China’s shared commitment to heritage and culture as a solid foundation for deeper cooperation between cultural institutions in both countries. The discussion also explored prospects for joint cultural and heritage initiatives, along with opportunities to exchange expertise and knowledge between relevant institutions, work that panelists said would strengthen cultural ties between the two nations.
The session forms part of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority's broader participation in the 2026 Beijing International Book Fair, reflecting its ongoing efforts to raise the international profile of Emirati heritage and deepen cultural and academic cooperation with specialised institutions worldwide.
