Completing the written history, the essence of the books is derived from Oral History interviews
The National Library and Archives Holds a Virtual Reading Session within the Book Series: “Their Memory—–Our History”.
The National Library and Archives (NLA) held a reading session of within the context of the Book Series: “Their Memory—–Our History”, which contains the Oral History interviews with elderly individuals from the UAE. The session underscored the series’ importance and examined its characters, sections, subjects, and features. It also illustrated that the Oral History interviews in the book “Their Memory—–Our History” enriched numerous historical documents and old photographs, identified by their owners and offered to be added to the NLA’s collection.
During the virtual session, Maitha Al Zaabi, Head of the Oral History Section, stated that the NLA has enriched its universal archives with oral narratives provided by individuals, who were witnesses of the era as complementation of historical documents. Additionally, these oral narratives enrich the local memory with the exploits of our ancestors, depicting their lifestyle in the desert and at sea, as well as their travels and activities. She added that these narratives also documented Emirati customs and traditions and recognized the spoken local dialect, contributing to instilling ancient values and fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty to the wise leadership.
Al Zaabi pointed out that the NLA planned to release the fourth part of the “Their Memory—-Our History” series to document more of the vivid memories and revelations of eyewitnesses, providing descriptions of significant events that occurred before and after the UAE Union, in addition to incidents that have been overlooked by the younger generation.
The session highlighted that the characters of the book “Their Memory—-Our History” constituted 36 individuals including 29 men and 7 women from across the Emirates. The Oral History Section at the NLA adapted specific methods and rules in accordance with international standards to conduct interviews with these Emirati figures, who possess rich information about the past, emphasizing the NLA’s initiative to interview elderly individuals who have witnessed significant events before and after the Union in order to enrich the book series :“Their Memory—-Our History”.
The session covered the topics of the book-:“Their Memory—-Our History”- in its three parts, total of 1405 pages. Among its prominent themes introducing the speaker, highlighting the sheikhs and leaders, historical events, personal narrators’ experiences in work outside the UAE, education and important aspects of heritage, agriculture and Aflaj system, folk medicine and traditional treatments, women’s conditions, industries and professions, construction and homes, life before and after the Union, and terminolo

The National Library and Archives urges students to benefit from its knowlegde treasures and publications, and encourages them to be interested in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Solutions.
The National Library and Archives Honors Al Dar Education Group and the Winning Students in National Identity Projects

The National Library and Archives – in cooperation with Al Dar Education Group – organized a ceremony concluding the activities of the National Identity Projects of the academic year (2023-2024), which were held under the theme: “The Year of Sustainability .. Today for Tomorrow.”
The ceremony was opened by Mr. Farhan Al Marzooqi, Director of Corporate and Community Outreach Department at the National Library and Archives, with a speech in which he praised the efforts made by Al Dar Education Group in preparing a generation who is able to keeping pace with the future. He highly valued the students’ research papers submitted for the National Identity Projects, as they have shown an excellent awareness of the importance of sustainability in development and prosperity. He pointed out that students’ research papers are important in spreading awareness of sustainability for the creative and innovative ideas they provide.
Al Marzooqi stressed the need for paying attention to the rapid technological development the world witnesses, and to the technical solutions and artificial intelligence, while preserving the deep-rooted UAE heritage, which is considered a solid foundation from which the generations shall move towards the future with confidence and ability, to raise the the flag of the UAE and to place the UAE at the forefront.
He called on the students to benefit from the knowledge treasures of the National Library and Archives, such as the historical documents, the sources and references available in its library, in addition to its publications that document the history of the UAE. He requested them to be ambassadors for the National Library and Archives, which exerts great efforts to enrich knowledge societies.
Mrs. Hanadi Mustafa, Head of the Compulsory Subjects Development Section, delivered a speech on behalf of Al Dar Education Group, in which she thanked the National Library and Archives for its valuable contribution in the national upbringing, and its genuine attention to the generations of students, to enhance their scientific research capabilities and skills. She praised the students’ contributions and their research papers in the 2024 National Identity Project.
She pointed out that the students’ research papers and projects are characterized by a highly sense of patriotism and national values. She said the research papers demonstrate the students’ sense of responsibility. She stressed that Al Dar Education Group is proud of its students’ achievements, that their research papers have shown the extent of their sense of belonging to the homeland and their loyalty to its wise leadership. She added that these scientific initiatives will strengthen the national identity and enhance the students Arabic language, their positive values and will integrate with school curricula.
The ceremony witnessed the honoring of the winning projects in the 2024 National Identity Projects competitions. The National Library and Archives honored Al Dar Education Group and the winning students. The first place went to students’ project titled: “Investing in Minds” by Al Bateen International Academy. The second place went to “Sustainability…Vision of the Future” project by the students of Yasmina British Academy. “Today for Tomorrow” project by Al Ain British Academy’s students also came in second place, and the third place went to “Today for Tomorrow” project by Al Ain British Academy’s students. “Made in the UAE” by the students of Mamoura British Academy, the “UAE Heritage and Culture” project by the students of ADNOC Schools in Ruwais came in fourth place. “Sustainable Development… Combating Poverty” project by the students of Cranleigh Abu Dhabi came in fifth place, and “Health in the UAE” project by the students of Yas American Academy also came in fifth place.
The National Library and Archives, and Al Dar Education Group honored the jury.

In addition to numerous innovative projects related to Artificial Intelligence

The National Library and Archives Launches Its Main Electronic Application with Modern Features and Services

The National Library and Archives (NLA) launched its main electronic application in its modern and most developed form. The application offers a wide range of new services and features for customers and staff members as well. These services are further enhanced with advanced digital solutions empowered by artificial intelligence (AI). Additionally, some platforms have been added to strengthen the connection between the NLA and the beneficiaries.

This took place at an IT forum held at the National Library and Archives, innagurated by His Excellency Abdullah Majid Al Ali, the Director General, in which he emphasized the NLA’s efforts to enrich knowledge societies and focus on the future by building the knowledge economy. Therefore, NLA recognizes the importance of artificial intelligence, which has become a necessity rather than a luxury, as its impacts extend to various fields of knowledge.

He added that AI, featured with digital services and technology, plays a crucial role in preserving the memory of the nation, making it accessible to researchers, and preserving it for future generations. It also covers the various tasks and services performed by the NLA.

Mrs. Salma Al Mansouri, Director of Support Services, delivered a speech in which she highlighted that the National Library and Archives always strives for proactivity and leadership, and it fully understands that technology is not merely a set of tools to be used, but drivers of change towards a more advanced and innovative future. She noted that the IT Section exerts significant efforts to develop various systems and applications that contribute to fulfilling the mission of the National Library and Archives in preserving the documentary heritage, making it accessible, and enhancing its value through innovation, accessibility and proactivity.

Abdulazez Al-Amim, Head of the Information Technology Section at the NLA, reviewed the achievements of the National Library and Archives in this regard. He highlighted the launch of the main application of the National Library and Archives, which stands out by integrating 13 applications into a single app, and offers a unique and user-friendly experience. He also showcased the improvements made to the intranet. Dr. Aisha Bilkhair, Research Advisor, shed light on the newly developed “Olumokum” platform, which focuses on heritage and its terminology. She emphasized the National Library and Archives’ dedication to promoting its publications and Sheikh Zayed Audio Library in addition to the introduction of features in it that cater to people of determination, the user journey, etc.

Al-Amim praised the efforts of specialists in keeping the NLA a sustainable knowledge platform that applies AI and digitization, in commensuration with its cooperate identity in the next phase. He pointed out that the NLA engages in educating its staff, continues to provide them with training courses, harnesses their experience to gain competencies and skills, and investing in enhancing technological innovation.

The National Library and Archives relies on its specialized staff to keep up with rapid technological advancements. This is evidenced by the innovative ideas being practically applied, most notably the modern and advanced computer system known for its precision and high speed. This demonstrates that the institution not only keeps pace with development but also strives for proactive performance in technology, believing that technology is one of the main drivers in the process of development and the efficient and confident move towards the future.

The National Library and Archives reviews Percy Cox’s impact on British policy in the Arabian Gulf, which is an important page in the history of the Arabian Gulf region.

Within the framework of its aspirations to enrich knowledge societies, the National Library and Archives organized a lecture entitled Percy Cox and British Policy in the Arabian Gulf. Political Agent Percy Cox influenced British policy and left his mark on British plans and goals, prompting the British government to hold conferences and send British envoys to the Arabian Gulf sheikhs to win them over to the side of Britain. The lecture shed light on Cox’s activities, which took multiple manifestations to implement British policy and achieve its goals.
The lecture was delivered by Mr. Mustafa Al-Khatib, a researcher on the history of the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula. He shed light on Percy Cox’s early diplomatic work in the Arabian Gulf and indicated that he worked as a Political Agent in Muscat from 1899 to 1904.
The researcher pointed out that the impact left by Cox signifies how political personalities influenced the course of British politics. He took advantage of the NLA’s documents and publications to support the facts included in his lecture. In fact, this enhanced the reliability of the information and the importance of this historical and political stage.
The lecturer stressed that Cox’s success in his mission in the Gulf region resonated greatly in London qualifying him to become a political resident in Bushire. Throughout his tenure, he played an important role in ensuring Britain’s victory in the wars fought in the region during the WWI.
It is worth noting that the NLA’s lectures, seminars and specialized publications abound with accurate and documented information about the history of the UAE and the Gulf region, on which this lecture specifically shed light.

The National Library and Archives Publishes a New Issue of Liwa Filled with Historical Research, Enriching Readers’ Knowledge
The National Library and Archives has published a new issue of the historical refereed Liwa journal. This issue is abundant with topics related to the history and heritage of the UAE, the Arabian Gulf region and the Arabian Peninsula.
Through the historical, geographical, and archaeological gateway of the city of Tawam (Tu’am), readers enter the new issue. It begins with research written by Dhia Al Deen Abdullah Al Tawalba on the meaning of ” Tu’am” or “Tawam” as found in Arabic dictionaries. Then, it explores what al-Zamakhshari wrote about it in his book “al-Jibal wa-al-amkinah wa-al-miyah” (Mountains, Places, and Waters), and by Yaqut al-Hamawi in his book “Mu’jam al-Buldan” (The Dictionary of Countries), alongside writings by historians in their works. The research then delves into archaeological findings, leading to the oasis of Al Ain and its settlement sequence since the period of Wadi Suq (2000-1600 BC), affirming that Tawam flourished in the pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods.
The second research is by Dr. Mabrouk Mohammed al-Dhamaari in which he investigates archaeological study titled “The Ribat School in Rada’a in Yemen”. He emphasizes the significant attention and scholarly interest in schools across Islamic countries, highlighting Yemen’s extensive role in establishing these institutions in its cities and villages. The architectural diversity of these schools has sparked significant interest among scholars.
Al-Dhamaari traces the history of the Ribat school back to the Tahirid dynasty of Yemen (858-923 H). The Rabat school holds historical, aesthetic, and heritage significant as one of the prominent Islamic buildings contributing to the urban fabric of Rada’a city. Today, the school continues to function as a mosque where daily prayers are performed. The research not only present the school’s history and its purpose, but also provides insights into its architectural design as both a school and a mosque.
The third research written by Dr. Ahmed Al Saidi explores a rare journey of an unknown Moroccan author to Hejaz in 1934 AD /1352 H. Meanwhile, Dr. Khawla Al-Alili contributed with the fourth research, titled “The Historical Stages of The Development of Education in The United Arab Emirates to The Beginning of The Union”. The research indicates that tracing the evolution of education in the UAE reveals ancient teaching methods and genuine progress. It did not occur suddenly or independently of the surrounding conditions of Emirati society at that time; rather, it passed through several stages and was influenced by various factors that contributed to its development.
Dr. Ali Afifi Ali Ghazi enriches the issue with his research titled “The Importance of The Ottoman Archives In Documenting The History of The Gulf and The Arabian Peninsula”, referring to the richness of Turkish archives with a vast amount of documents that contribute to documenting the Arab region; because the Ottoman Empire occupied and administered the Arab region from the era of Sultan Selim I (1512-1520) until the outbreak of World War I (1914-1918).
In this issue of Liwa, readers are introduced to the contents of Emad bin Jassim Al Baharani’s book “Characteristics of Portuguese Rule in the Arabian Gulf and Oman 1521-1622 AD.”
Furthermore, the journal features several English-language research articles, including “The Historical Origins of The Emirate of Abu Dhabi” written by the Researcher Hamdan Al Darei’s, and the Researcher Moza Al Hammadi’s examination of “The United Arab Emirates, the Arabian Gulf, and France: Cultural Openness and Diplomatic History from 1950 to the present,” among other scholarly contributions.

Announcing the government records and information management statement to support innovation and excellence
The National Library and Archives celebrates the International Archives Week in the presence of a significant number of government archives directors and parties concerned with archiving in the UAE

His Excellency Abdulla Majed Al Ali, Director General of the NLA, confirmed that preserving and making the Nation’s memory accessible rank at the top of the NLA’s duties, and this fits in exactly with the objectives of the International Archives Day, which promotes awareness about the importance of preserving and safeguarding archives and ensuring accessibility to them.
The NLA held a ceremony in celebration of the International Archives Week under the slogan “The Importance of Organizing and Preserving Documentary Heritage”. In the opening speech, His Excellency stated: “As our main focus in the past was on traditional archives, today we need to double our efforts to cope with the global technological transformation in terms of archives digitization and preservation of their identity and specificity. Indeed, we go beyond that as we pave the way for artificial intelligence technologies and applications in the field of archiving, documentation and national memory preservation in order to bring a better future for the collection, analysis and preservation of history, which represents our culture.”
The forum included a lecture about the importance of preserving the national documentary heritage and organizing documents and records at the government entities. During the forum, the government records and information management statement to support innovation and excellence was announced in addition to approving the best practices for government information management as a national wealth.
Mr. Hamad Al Mutairi, Director of Archives Department, delivered a lecture on the importance of national documentary heritage preservation. He focused on the significance of organizing documents and archives at government entities, which requires legal compliance, support of decision makers, documentation of achievements and sustainability assurance, keeping up with global professional and technical developments, promoting administrative and organizational efficiency, preserving rights and ensuring accountability, documenting the collective and corporate memory and benefiting from previous experiences and knowledge.
Al Mutairi emphasized that the responsibility for preserving the documentary heritage lies on leaders, legists, employees in charge of documents and archives organization, strategic planning and information technology in addition to all staff members of the entity. He discussed, in detail, the duties and responsibilities of all mentioned parties.
Furthermore, he explained, in depth, the basic elements of implementation, including the establishment of an organizational unit for documents and archives, provision of infrastructure for physical archives preservation, building of a comprehensive electronic system for documents management and preservation, provision of technical tools and formulation of policies and procedures of inventory and transfer, preservation and accessibility and historical documents transfer to the NLA.
Additionally, Al Mutairi focused on the importance of protecting documents from leak, loss and unintentional damage, stressing that such issues would result in the Nation’s memory and researchers losing an important chapter in the Nation’s history.
He concluded the lecture by presenting the roadmap for the period up to 2027 and pointed out the responsibilities and duties, which the archiving entities have to shoulder to organize and preserve the documentary heritage.
It is worth mentioning that during the forum the government records and information management statement to support innovation and excellence was announced in addition to approving the best practices for government information management as a national wealth. The statement assured that the NLA supports innovation and excellence in accordance with the UAE’s official approach. It aims to encourage government entities to appoint an employee or expert to supervise and follow up the process of information and records management, make the required amendments, deal with government information and records as national assets, take effective measures to ensure protection of government information and records assets for long-term accessibility and transfer of historical records and information assets to the NLA’s custody in accordance with its executive regulation, etc.

The National Library and Archives Honors the Winners of the 14th Young Historian Award which contributes to enriching young people’s knowledge and enhances the NLA role in building and enriching knowledge societies.

The National Library and Archives organized an honouring ceremony for the winners of the Young Historian Award in its fourteenth edition which highlighted events, national values and concepts that ensure the sustainability of preserving the UAE history, culture and heritage. It also contributed to enriching young people’s knowledge of history and heritage as it focused on elements that solidify the Union’s foundations and the UAE’s global image. Its academic output contributed to spreading the culture of tolerance, coexistence, sustainability, and the values of the UAE society.
The award targeted fifth to twelfth graders. The Cycle 3 students from ninth to twelfth grades were required to write research papers, while fifth to eighth graders were required to prepare reports on the social, economic or geographical aspects of life in the UAE.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, His Excellency Abdul Allah Majed Al Ali, Director General of the National Library and Archives emphasized that our hopes are placed on students whose diligence and excellence enable them to demonstrate their love and belonging to the homeland, their loyalty to its wise leadership, and their absolute belief in the goals of the U.A.E., which continues the process of construction, progress, development and prosperity. He stressed that those who depend on young people are the undisputed winners, as they are the vital energy that elevates the homelands. He pointed out that we picked this up from the founder and builder, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who gave the youth great attention and urged them to work hard for the nation. His Excellency indicated that our wise leadership followed in the late Founder’s footsteps, believing in the need to qualify and empower them academically and professionally to enhance their role in sustainable development.
His Excellency congratulated the winners who proved the NLA success in performing its mission of enriching knowledge societies. He stressed that the 14th Young Historian Award substantiated the award’s role in discovering talented and creative students and opened a window for them to innovation and scientific creativity in school circles. He highlighted the hard work put in by the NLA to ensure the sound national upbringing of the youth and the efforts of the strategic partners who manage education as per their duties.
Dr. Aisha Belkhair, Chairperson of the Award Organizing Committee, delivered a speech in which she said that the Young Historian Award honours the winners for their exceptional efforts in studying history, which creates a link between the present with the past and manifests the development of humanity through the ages.
She focused on the importance of history which means understanding and appreciating our roots and held the youth responsible for preserving the UAE’s precious heritage, spreading awareness of the importance of their glorious history. She congratulated the participants and winners for their remarkable achievement.
After that, the National Library and Archives honoured the first, second and third place winners in the categories of Economic History, Emirati Studies, Geographical History, Social History, and the Exceptional Award. The honouring included Cycle 2 winners from Al Mirfa Schools, Emirates National Schools, Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls, Al Kamal American School, and Al Dhait Primary School.
The Cycle 3 winners were also honoured; they included students from Emirates National Schools, Al Hudaiba, Al Nahda, Asma Bin Omays, Zeinat School, Al Maaref School and Sheikh Zayed Private Academy for Girls.
Finally, the National Library and Archives honoured other schools for their distinguished participation in the 14th Young Historian Award, as well as the members of the organizing committee of the Young Historian Award, and the supervisors.
It is worth mentioning that the National Library and Archives will publish the winners’ research papers in books for the benefit of students and those interested, and to enrich the libraries of students and youth.

The National Library and Archives trains the archives of government entities on document classification plan preparation

The National Library and Archives organized a virtual training course entitled ” Document Classification Plan Preparation in Government Entities”. The course comes within the framework of the NLA annual plan to train and qualify government employees on the approaches, methodologies and procedures used to organize documents in the UAE.
Lecturer and archiving expert Dr. Sofiane Bouhrat emphasized that this Knowledge transfer training course covers the methods of job classification plans based on the analysis and design stages of these necessary tools for document organization governance.
The course dealt with topics related to the classification objectives, legal aspects, and methodology for preparing a job classification plan and its application on paper and electronically. The lecturer displayed samples of different classification plans and shed light on the job classification plan for shared documents in federal entities.
More than 100 employees from various government agencies in the country participated in the training course and praised its rich scientific and applied information. They also expressed their desire to take advantage of more specialized courses in the field of archiving and documentation.

The National Library and Archives highlights inventory processes within the context of electronic documents organization

The National Library and Archives held a virtual specialized training course titled “Organization and Management of Electronic Documents at Government Entities” for the Federal National Council’s staff members. It reviewed the proper methods of electronic inventory within the context of electronic documents management.
The course, delivered by Mr. Hatem Younis, Electronic Archiving Expert at NLA, defined documents inventory as the process of identifying documents and specifying their preservation locations along with preparing the related approved lists. It also underlined the difference between a file and document. A file is a set of documents related to one subject. Mr. Hatim reviewed the formulation of both the classification plan and files preservation plan and the preparation of the related applicable lists in accordance with Law No. (7) on the National Library and Archives and its executive regulation.
The training course tackled the electronic documents inventory methods, which include identifying documents and their containing files at the organizational units of government entities and preparing the related approved lists in line with the template designed for this purpose. Furthermore, it highlighted the objective of electronic documents inventory and its importance in the stages of the historical, intermediate and current archives and to the Electronic Documents and Records Management System, which contains documents subject to the requirements of the classification plan, files preservation plan, and electronic files inventory. The mutual documents preservation plan at federal government entities has been discussed as well. The course was concluded with questions and inquiries by the participants.
The lecturer supported the provided information about electronic documents organization and inventory with illustrations, practical application of inventory methods and real instructive examples.

Numbers and field studies have shown impressive quantitative and qualitative results of the project

The National Library and Archives Announce the Results of its Pilot Project “Measuring the Impact of its Educational Programs on Generations”

The National Library and Archives (NLA), in cooperation with the Emirates National Schools Group (ENS), announces the results of its pilot project titled “Measuring the Impact of its Educational Programs on Generations”. This project represents a unique system over three years and aligns with the directives of our wise leadership, emphasizing the educational process’s crucial role in enhancing the spirit of belonging, national identity, fostering Emirati culture, preserving the Arabic language, and instilling authentic societal and national values, which the NLA has emphasized as importance. The outcomes of this project have shown outstanding progress and development in both quantitative and qualitative terms, particularly in how the educational programs provided by the NLA have enhanced knowledge, skills, and behaviours. Additionally, these programs have significantly influenced the optimal methodologies of national curriculum-support initiatives.

The success of this project comes in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, in fostering efforts to keep pace with the evolution in the education field and elevating the educational process to meet the country’s ambitious plans for future generations and achieve comprehensive and sustainable development goals.

In his speech, H.E. Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Director General of the National Library and Archives, emphasized the importance of the project’s outcomes in setting guidelines for national identity programs in the country. He pointed out to the fact that this project, launched three years ago and implemented across more than 800 students in the ENS schools, aim to assess the impact of national educational programs in strengthening and promoting national identity, values, and principles.

Regarding this project, His Excellency noted: “This national project comes in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Chairman of the Education and Human Resources Council, in which he called for the promotion of national identity and cultural values in educational institutions, along with the importance of enriching students’ knowledge. This project underscores the NLA’s role in building and enriching knowledge societies as a partner in the national upbringing of generations.”

He added: “Measuring the Impact of Educational Programs on Generations project is a comprehensive study integrating the benefits of both quantitative and qualitative research using multiple tools, including impression assessments, performance indicators, and evaluations of knowledge, skills, and behaviours before and after participation. This underscores our commitment to nurturing today’s students into future leaders aligned with the visionary directives of our leadership in preparing the nation’s youth to lead the future.”

His Excellency extended his thanks to the strategic partner, represented by the ENS schools, in which have numerous distinguished projects connected with the NLA. He also expressed gratitude to all those who contributed to the success of this project.

In his speech, Mr. Ahmed Al Bastaki, Deputy Director General of ENS schools, expressed pride in this ambitious national project implemented under the supervision of the NLA, with support from the ENS Board Members. He highlighted this as a crucial milestone towards realizing the vision of ENS schools in assessing and advancing their pioneering educational projects.

Mr. Al Bastaki added: “This project aligns with the directives of our wise leadership and is a testament to the successful cooperation between ENS schools and the NLA. This cooperation has opened unique opportunities and utilized expertise and resources to enhance and elevate the quality of education and academic performance. He also thanked the NLA and stressed the value of this partnership in this pilot project, marking a significant step forward in understanding of the effectiveness of educational programs and their positive impact on future generations.

Dr Husnia Al-Ali, NLA’s Educational Programs Consultant, presented the results of the Measuring the Impact of Educational Programs on Generations project 2021-2024. She emphasized the impact of this project in strengthening Emirati culture, promoting positive values, and preserving Arabic language, as well as its integration with curriculums, educational programs, teaching methods, activities and events.

The mechanism of this project aims to measure the impact of the NLA’s programs on students, enhancing their educational, behavioural and cognitive dimensions to qualify them as distinguished future national leaders.

Dr Al-Ali emphasized that the project highlights the educational program ability in fostering educational, behavioural and cognitive dimensions and optimizing methodologies for national curriculum support programs, as well as the responsibilities of those involved in the education sector and society, along with the use of innovative educational inputs and methods to achieve optimal performance outcomes. Additionally, efforts are made to integrate state institutions with educational sectors to strengthen Emirati identity and culture.

The NLA’s Education Consultant reviewed the study and implementation methodologies that been taken under the Kirkpatrick Model, a training evaluation tool in four levels: reaction, learning, behaviour, and results, pointing out that it has been applied on 801 students, 259 parents, and 60 teachers.

On a quantitative level, the project results confirmed significant improvements in national knowledge, an average increase of 11% in the area of state history, 13% in leadership and governmental system, 12% in government vision and millennium aspirations, 15% in ethical values, and 19% in awareness about the NLA.

Regarding educational attainment enhancement, this project showed positive growth in most school subjects including social studies, English language, mathematics, science, and Arabic language.

The educational programs were distinguished by their impact on community volunteerism, with a 48% improvement in volunteer programs and a remarkable 600% increase in reading hours. This significant rise in reading hours was also attributed to government initiatives and programs that promote reading. Additionally, 8 systematic research studies won research competitions.

In terms of stakeholder’s feedback, a survey of teachers showed a 91% improvement in 21st-century skills, while parents reported an 87% enhancement in the general behaviour. Students expressed a satisfaction rate of 94%.

Moreover, qualitative interviews with teachers, students, and parents across the ENS school branches revealed significant outcomes in fostering innovation, improving competitiveness indicators, aligning with government directives and aspirations, promoting entrepreneurship, and strengthening human relationships. Educational programs played a crucial role in reinforcing Emirati ethics and values, promoting sustainable self-education, volunteering, and community awareness.

Dr Husnia Al-Ali concluded the presentation by outlining future directions for the project, emphasizing its potential application in state schools and across different educational levels to instil values, enhance student research, establish student volunteering programs, and highlighted the accessibility of the NLA’s resources, services, and facilities for student benefit.

The Education Consultant noted that this study will be published as a book on the NLA in collaboration with ENS schools, serving as a reference for researchers and inspiring further studies and related res

Receiving a French delegation from key cultural institutions
New Areas of Cooperation between a French Delegation and the National Library and Archives
His Excellency Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Director General of the National Library and Archives, met with Hervé Barbaret, Director General of the French Museums, to explore potential cooperation between the two sides. They discussed means of enhancing communication, cooperation and coordination with the French institutions affiliated with museums, archives and libraries.
The National Library and Archives -at its headquarters- received Hervé Barbaret and the accompanying the French delegation. They were briefed on the pivotal role of the NLA in the current stage and its high expectations for the future. Barbaret emphasized the potentialities of their institution to serve as a bridge between the NLA and the French cultural institutions in the fields of museums, archives and libraries.
His Excellency, the Director General of the NLA, welcomed the collaboration with the French cultural institutions, emphasizing their role in fostering the exchange of successful and unique experiences and expertise, as well as enriching the NLA’s effort in building and enhancing knowledge societies.
His Excellency demonstrated the most important strategic projects of the NLA and opportunities for cooperation with French cultural institutions. His Excellency elaborated on various aspects of cooperation between the two friendly countries, such as the Louvre Museum, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and other major projects and initiatives, which strengthened the bilateral ties between France and UAE. His Excellency affirmed that such projects hold promise for successful mutual cooperation between the NLA and French cultural institutions.
Additionally, His Excellency invited the French delegation to visit the National Library and Archives’ Center for preservation and Restoration. In the center, the delegation will be briefed on the preservation, restoration, and digitization methods, and will observe the institution’s efforts in preserving the memory of the nation according to the highest standards. The delegation will also witness the modern restoration laboratory’s work on various types of historical documents.
The two parties initially agreed to coordinate mutual virtual and in-person training programs aimed at strengthening ties between the NLA and the French cultural institutions in the same field. The two sides reached an agreement to organize a specialized library-training course next year, involving a member of the team from the National Library in France. This initiative, which benefits from the French expertise, aims to enhance the UAE’s National Library project, aspiring to establish it as a cultural institution comparable to leading national libraries worldwide.

The National Library and Archives Highlights
Data Protection Methods on Computers
The National Library and Archives, in collaboration with the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), organized a virtual lecture titled “Protecting Your Computer”. The lecture was one of a series of lectures and events aimed at maintaining information security on laptops.
The lecture was delivered by Mr. Abdulla Al Zarooni from the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority. He spoke about the dangers threatening data stored on computers, starting with viruses. He explained that these programs, such as the “Trojan Horse” virus and other spyware, are designed to harm computers or steal copies of the data saved on them. Other threats include identity theft for financial gain, spam emails and malicious software.
The lecture also addressed the risks of external storage devices, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), and methods of connecting computers to external devices (USBs) to facilitate data transfer. He highlighted the dangers of ransomware and other harmful programs.
The lecture then shifted to methods of protecting the computer from threats through various means, such as firewall that prevents unauthorized incoming communications, updating the operating system to correct known vulnerabilities, updating programs and browsers, and using known and trusted antivirus programs to protect the computer from damage.
The lecture highlighted that a computer can be protected from threats by using various methods, including backups, complex passwords, encrypting sensitive files so that only the user can read them, downloading applications from trusted sources, and the importance of maintaining backups to restore data in case of loss or damage.
Al Zarooni provided tips accompanied by live examples, showed some awareness videos, recommended free effective programs, and spoke in detail about the characteristics of strong passwords that are difficult to crack and ways to save them.