MEDIA & CULTURE - UAE Interact

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284 U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S Y E A R B O O K 2 0 0 8 International theatre is frequently staged in Madinat Jumeirah, whilst Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre in the Mall of the Emirates is the venue for plays, musicals, lectures, classes and art exhibitions for the local community, mostly appealing to a largely expatriate population. Emirates, handicrafts, archaeological artefacts and a wide range of other items. There are also rooms on the first floor suitable for smaller events and an area outside the tastefully designed restaurant is dedicated to the sale of local handicrafts. The two large theatres are used for a range of cultural activities, including classical music concerts, some staged by the Abu Dhabi Music Foundation; film shows, including regular film seasons from individual countries or directors; plays, and film festivals (see below). The Emirates Natural History Group, the UAE’s oldest environmental non-governmental organisation, has held its open meetings in the Cultural Foundation on a twice-monthly basis for 20 years. Other voluntary groups also make use of the facilities, including a gardening group and chess enthusiasts. THEATRE The first play was staged in the UAE about 50 years ago and a Theatrical Association was formed in 1971. In order to give a muchneeded boost to the indigenous theatre industry, which has been stagnating for some time, ADACH cooperated with the Theatrical Association to stage a two-week theatrical season commencing with the opening of Al Buqsha at the Cultural Foundation in July 2007. All the plays, most focus on social issues and massive changes in traditions and lifestyle, had previously been staged at the Sharjah Theatre Festival in April. Sharjah already hosts a lively theatrical community and the association opened two new branches in Fujairah and Abu Dhabi in September 2007. International theatre is frequently staged in Madinat Jumeirah, whilst Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre in the Mall of the Emirates is the venue for plays, musicals, lectures, classes and art exhibitions for the local community, mostly appealing to a largely expatriate population. EMIRATES HERITAGE CLUB A number of organisations in the UAE are entrusted with the task of preserving and dissemminating the country’s heritage to the young generations that would otherwise be unfamiliar with the
M E D I A & C U LT U R E 285 customs and traditions of their ancestors. One of the most committed is Emirates Heritage Club (EHC), which organises heritage exhibitions, oversees heritage centres and collaborates with all other UAE institutions sharing the same interests. Activities organised by the club for all age groups not only cover traditional sports such as camel racing, boat racing, falconry, and traditional skills like tent-building and coffee-making, but also contemporary sailing, equestrian, shooting and other sports. EHC is instrumental in organising competitive events in these fields, as well as youth camps on the island of Al Sammaliah, north-east of Abu Dhabi City. Heritage research is conducted through EHC’s affiliate, the Zayed Centre for Heritage and History in Al Ain, and environmental research through the Department of Environmental Research (DER) on Al Sammaliah. DER is primarily concerned with coastal biodiversity, conservation and sustainable development of coastal habitats. EHC formed the Amateur Astronomers Group (AAG) in May 1998 to spread astronomy awareness among all categories of society. Another affiliate, Emirates Sailing Academy (ESA-ESS), was set up in July 2000. THE EMIRATES CENTRE FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES AND RESEARCH The ECSSR, founded in 1994 in Abu Dhabi, is an independent institution dedicated to the promotion of academic research and empirical enquiry. ECSSR serves as a focal point for scholarship on political, strategic, military, environmental, economic, and social issues pertinent to the UAE, the Gulf, and the greater Middle East through the sponsorship of research and studies conducted by scholars from around the globe. The core of its work lies in identifying and analysing issues of vital significance, predicting future trends and devising management strategies to cope with such issues. As well as maintaining and training its own staff of researchers, it hosts conferences, symposia, workshops and lecture series renowned for the eminence of the participants and the quality of their content and influence. Integral to the success of ECSSR’s research programme are the annual Emirates Heritage Club helps to preserve traditional sports such as camel racing, boat racing and falconry. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior, addressing the Annual Conference of the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research. @www.uaeinteract.com/media
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MEDIA & CULTURE - UAE Interact

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