In Celebration of Zayed Day for Humanitarian Work, the National Archives Participates in the Ramadan Forum of the Egyptian Women’s Association
In Celebration of Zayed Day for Humanitarian Work, the National Archives Participates in the Ramadan Forum of the Egyptian Women's Association
In celebration of Zayed Day for Humanitarian Work, and in conjunction with the Year of Zayed, the National Archives participated in the Ramadan Forum, organized by the Egyptian Women's Association, at the Rotana Beach Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The participation of the National Archives in this event reflects the strong relations between the two brotherly countries, the United Arab Emirates and the Arab Republic of Egypt, and demonstrates the social and national roles of the National Archives in preserving and documenting the history of the late founding leader, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his major role in the establishment of the Union.
The gathering was attended by a number of dignitaries, including the Egyptian Ambassador to the UAE Wael Gad and his wife, the Egyptian Cultural Attaché in the UAE Dr. Amjad Al-Gohary, members of the Association, and a large number of guests.
The participation of the National Archives in the Ramadan Forum included an exhibition of some historical photos documenting different aspects of the brotherly UAE-Egypt relations, which reached its peak during the reign of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The exhibit also documented visits by the founding leader of the UAE to the Arab Republic of Egypt, his meetings with Egyptian presidents and officials, and the role of the leadership of the two brotherly countries in strengthening and maintaining good relations.
The ceremony started with a speech delivered by the President of the Egyptian Women's Association, Mrs. Ghada El Ashri, who said that the name of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan was always associated with all kinds of giving and humanitarian charity, pointing out that the UAE became in his era one of the most important contributors to humanitarian work, and has gained distinction and recognition. The humanitarian and charitable issues have assumed a high place in Zayed's priorities and interest inside and outside the country. She mentioned that the wise leadership is following his footsteps in taking responsibilities, carrying the banner of humanitarian work, and pursuing the processes of development. The President of the Egyptian Organization thanked the National Archives for its role in strengthening institutional relations, through the participation in celebrating this precious occasion.
Dr. Aisha Bilkhair, Research Advisor in the National Archives, delivered a speech entitled "Sheikh Zayed and Egypt: Humanitarian Work". In her speech, she affirmed that Sheikh Zayed's humanitarian donations included the support of Egypt's vital development projects, which promote the livelihood of Egyptians, and focus on vital sectors in Egypt such as health care, transportation services, education, energy, housing and food security. These projects aim at creating an economic process that contributes positively to sustainable development.
The lecture referred to the historical role played by the late Sheikh Zayed since the establishment of the friendly relation between the two countries, when he ordered economic aid to Egypt, due to damage and destruction caused by the 1967 and 1973 wars. In 1995, sheikh Zayed ordered the building of "Zayed City" in Egypt, to house 150,000 people. The wise current leadership in the UAE are following the footsteps of the founding father, in terms of political and economic support of the Republic of Egypt. The UAE is Egypt's third largest trading partner.
The lecture also discussed the role of the late Sheikh Zayed in strengthening the cultural relations with Egypt, which resulted in building a modern capital. The Egyptian Engineer Abdul Rahman Hasanin Makhlouf participated in the development of the plans to build the city of Bu Dhabi and its Market, which brought together people with beautiful memories that contribute to their happiness, and promotes the spirit of tolerance, brotherhood, and harmony, which are based on the values and concepts of the UAE society. Egyptian Saad Abdel Wahab composed the UAE National Anthem in 1971. Sheikh Zayed invited the famous Arab singer Umm Kulthum to visit Abu Dhabi. In appreciation of her historic visit, Sheikh Zayed gave her a gift of natural pearl necklace made in 1880, composed of 1888 natural pearls. As a gesture of appreciation of the strong mutual relations, Zayed named some local sports' teams after names of major Egyptian sports' teams. This reflect team spirit, as well as the depth of the friendly relations.
Dr. Bilkhair highlighted the books published by the National Archives, including a book about the recollections of the mission of the Egyptian Dar Al Hilal Publishing House during their visit to Abu Dhabi in 1968, and a book entitled (Umm Kulthum in Abu Dhabi).
