The head of the Louvre in Paris has promised that the museum's Abu Dhabi branch will show exhibits from across the globe and not just focus on western art.
"It will not be dedicated to occidental art but will show all kinds of artistic creations," said Henri Loyrette, president and director of the Louvre.
"It will set up a dialogue between west and east, between north and south. As such, art from the Middle East will be shown within the Louvre Abu Dhabi."
Mr Loyrette told The National that plans for the Louvre to open on Saadiyat Island in 2013 were on schedule.
The French and Abu Dhabi governments signed a 30-year agreement in early 2007 for the creation and management of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, designed by Jean Nouvel, a French architect.
Mr Loyrette said the US$1.5 billion (Dh5.5bn) project was "a very new and interesting venture" and would be a "universal museum".
The type and nature of the exhibits planned for the Louvre had been affected "to no extent so far" by the fact the new museum would be in a Muslim country, said Mr Loyrette.
"Subjects and themes have been freely discussed with our partners in Abu Dhabi and no request to avoid such subjects has been made," he said.
"The exhibition policy will be set up regarding excellence and high-standard quality. As a new museum we hope the Louvre Abu Dhabi will be part of the international community."
In advance of the launch, a new wing of the Louvre in Paris, due to open in 2010, would showcase what Mr Loyrette described as one of the oldest collections of Islamic artefacts in the west.
Exhibits in Abu Dhabi will come from the Louvre and other Paris museums, including the Musée d'Orsay, of which Mr Loyrette used to be the director, and the Centre Pompidou.
An organisation called Agence France Museums had been formed to create the Louvre Abu Dhabi and Mr Loyrette said its officials would move to the city in 2010 or 2011 as the construction gained pace.
Staff would be hired especially for the new museum, rather than being taken from among the Louvre's employees in Paris.
Mr Loyrette said he followed the progress of the Abu Dhabi project "daily", although within the Louvre Dominique de Font-Reaulx, a curator from the Musée d'Orsay, had been hired to co-ordinate the project.
"The whole project will benefit from the excellence of Louvre staff and it will be consistent with the reputation of the Louvre name," said Mr Loyrette.
He admitted that maintaining in Abu Dhabi the standards seen in Paris, where the Louvre was established in 1793, would not be easy.
"It's a big challenge for the Louvre as for all French museums," he said. "The Louvre Abu Dhabi will be a completely new institution but supported by the strong cultural expertise of French institutions and of the Louvre in particular."
It could, he said, "become a laboratory for the museum field".
Mr Loyrette said the educational and cultural policies of the Abu Dhabi Government - which would also lead to the opening of a branch of the Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi, as well as campuses of New York University and the Paris-Sorbonne - would "deeply change the way this location will be looked at and how it'll be considered".
Mr Loyrette, appointed head of the Louvre in 2001, admitted there had been "quite a controversy" in France when the project was announced at the end of 2006. Some people were unhappy that, as they saw it, France was selling off its rich cultural heritage. "The work done since has been both to inform people in France and to strengthen the scientific and cultural side of the project," he said.
@Email:dbardsley@thenational.ae
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
FIGHT CARD
Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)
Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)
Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
The specs: Volvo XC40
Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000
Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km
Scoreline:
Manchester City 1
Jesus 4'
Brighton 0
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Villains
Queens of the Stone Age
Matador
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
