With a view of identifying the best practices within the framework of promoting the benchmarking concept
The National Library and Archives receives a delegation from Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
At its headquarters in Abu Dhabi, the National Library and Archives (NLA) received a delegation from the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center with the aim of identifying the best practices in archiving and documentation field, in the major events and conferences it organizes and participates, and in exchanging experiences with the  Emirates Library in terms of acquisition and accessibility of resources, references,  rare books, in addition to the whole impact of this on the quality of work and services provided to the public.
This visit came within the framework of promoting the benchmarking concept as well as exchanging experiences, and distinctive and successful practices applied by government agencies in common fields. The program of the visit included watching a historical documentary in the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Virtual Reality Hall on "The Establishment of the  Union", which sheds light on the most important milestones in  the dream of building a federal state which the founding leader Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his fellow Rulers, the founding fathers, turned into reality.
In the presence of H.E. Abdullah Majed Al Ali, Director General of the National Library and Archives, and H.E. Dr. Yousef Al Obaidli, Director General of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, the Corporate and Community Outreach Department, the Archives Department and the Research and Knowledge Services Department delivered a comprehensive presentation on the National Library and Archives, its eventful agenda, and its great role in collecting and preserving the memory of the nation for generations.
The presentation focused on the establishment of the National Library and Archives, its vision and mission, the archive organization stages, the archival achievements, and the most important projects, namely the Arab Gulf Digital Archives (AGDA), the Centre for Preservation and Restoration, the Educational Programs Project with Sorbonne University, and other international strategic projects.
The presentation also shed light on the archive sequence that consists of collecting records from entities, individuals and archives around the world, next treating and conserving any damaged historical documents, then digitizing and indexing them, then preserving them, whether they are paper or electronic, and finally making them available to researchers, historians and the public via the Internet and smart platforms. The presentation also highlighted the historical importance of the ICA Congress which Abu Dhabi will host in 2023.
Furthermore, the presentation focused on the NLA’s publications which document important aspects of the history and heritage of the United Arab Emirates. They include more than 150 books with accurate contents and documented information, in multiple languages. It also highlighted the Young Historian Award, oral history interviews, and government projects.
The presentation also shed light on the National Library, which is currently being established to be on par with the largest national libraries in the world and to be a civilizational and cultural beacon for the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, it indicated that the 33rd edition of the  Conference of the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information will be held in collaboration with the National Library and Archives in Abu Dhabi, under the theme “Integration of  National Information and Knowledge Institutions in the State: Libraries, Archives and Museums,” noting that this cooperation stems from the NLA’s interest in ensuring effective participation, strengthening cooperation and concerted efforts to serve sustainable development.

At the end of the visit, the delegation explored the Emirates Library, which contains more than 75,000 books and aims to support researchers and those interested in the history and heritage of the UAE and the Gulf region. The delegation was briefed on the rare books, many of which are available within the Arab Collections on the Internet Project, accessible through its platform on New York University website.
It is noteworthy that the required precautionary and preventive measures were observed and applied during the visit.