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UAE: Here are the winners of the Arab Cultural Guide Program Awards 2022

Sudan, Palestine top the list

Out of the 11 Arab countries competing in the Arab Cultural Guide Program Awards, the UAE has won the Excellence Award in Museum and Cultural Guidance. Meanwhile, Sudan won the competition for sustainable ideas.

Palestine was announced winner of the Award for Museums and Archaeological Sites.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan attended the awards ceremony for the Arab Cultural Guide Program 2022 over the weekend, held at Qasr Al Watan in Abu Dhabi.

During the ceremony, the awards organisers announced that the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth, Heritage and Arts Sector, and the Cultural Heritage Department emerged first in the Award for Excellence in Museum and Cultural Guidance issued for institutes and ministries. Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, and the Department of Museums and Antiquities won the second position, while Qatar Museums Authority emerged third.

The Acknowledgement for Excellence in Museum and Cultural Guidance (Acknowledging Unique Entries) Award was won by Mariam Al Raeisi, Director at the Natural History Museum of Oman, Chadia Khalafallah, from Setif National Public Museum, Algeria, and Riyad Bakaroum, from Mukalla Museum, Yemen.

The Cultural Guide Competition for Sustainable Ideas and Projects award was won by three people: Ezzedine Hajjaj from Sudan, for the project of developing the interactive structure of Arab museums; Layla Salih from Iraq, for the project of recovery of cultural heritage after conflict – an initiative in cooperation with the Museum of Bagdida for Syriac Heritage – and Sumaya Bejaoui from Tunisia, for the project of the mobile cultural guide.

The best Arab Restorer Award was granted to an archaeological restorer who specialises in architecture and movables: Eng. Faisal Farhan from Iraq.

In the Award for Excellence in Museum and Cultural Guidance (for museums and archaeological sites), the first winner was Sebastia Archaeological Museum from Palestine. Djerba Traditional Heritage Museum from Tunisia was the second winner, and Museum of Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdallah in Essaouira, Morocco, emerged as the third winner.

In her keynote speech at the awards ceremony, Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, and Chairman of the National Committee for Education, Culture and Science, said: “History is our gateway to the future."

Her statement echoes the saying of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding leader, forever etched into the minds of the Emirati and Arab people alike: "He who has no past, has no present, and no future". The preservation and transmission of the legacy of the past for future generations is the pillar upon which the people of the UAE work to build a bright tomorrow – all in conjunction with past and future generations.

Dr. Mohamed Ould Amar, Director General of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), said: "Just as we succeeded in the Cultural Guide Program, we are determined to succeed also with the rest of the activities of the ALECSO Ambassadorship Program for Arab Culture: thanks to candid determinations, good intentions and hard work.

Soon we will have other events here in this wholesome land, with new activities within the framework of this newly established program. We will rely on these a lot to introduce the achievements of our organisation and its various programs, and highlight its role in promoting joint Arab action.”

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