Two years ago today, Louvre Abu Dhabi opened its doors to the public. Since then, the museum has welcomed more than two million visitors, 70 per cent of which are tourists.
This figure is a point of pride for the museums' director Manuel Rabate. Speaking to The National, he acknowledges the essential role Louvre Abu Dhabi plays in turning the capital into a global cultural destination.
“Abu Dhabi, being a major city, needs to have its full-fledged museum strategy, and we are also part of this incredible statement of the capital talking to the world,” he says.
But Rabate says another key mandate for the museum is promoting arts and culture education in the local community. Fulfilling this mission comes in many forms: the museum hosts 15-20 school trips daily, adding up to 60,000 student visitors so far; it launched a Children’s Museum that has brought in 45,000 visitors since July; and it is currently developing a research centre where art professionals can access the museum’s stored collections and archives.
Tonight [Monday], to mark its second-year anniversary, the museum is hosting its first fundraising gala, inviting both corporate and individual donations to help bolster its educational initiatives. "We launched a gala dinner to raise funds around all our education activities, because we think this is one of our core missions," he says.
Looking ahead, Rabate notes the importance of building a robust cultural ecosystem with other institutions. "We cannot do it alone. It is about finding our place in the network of academia – New York University, Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, Zayed University, but also all the northern Emirates," he says, adding that he looks forward to the openings of Zayed University and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. "We are waiting for them with impatience… I'm really craving to have them close to us."
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The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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The view from The National
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
The years Ramadan fell in May
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How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
