Khaleej Times

WhAT mAkES LoUvRE AbU DhAbi ThE SymboL of onEnESS

- Jasmine@khaleejtim­es.com

On November 11, 2017, the Louvre Abu Dhabi opened its doors to the public for the very first time, after a 10-year journey, which the UAE and France walked through together.

The $1.1 billion museum is not just another museum, with beautiful arts and artefacts. The Louvre Abu Dhabi is a universal museum, the epitome of every culture, race, religion, colour and background, embedded into one.

This is Louvre Abu Dhabi’s signature, its birthmark — the symbol of oneness, unity and coexistenc­e.

And with over one million people from across the world who visited the Louvre Abu Dhabi since its opening date — the museum has already proven its true vision of unificatio­n: Seeing humanity in a new light.

What UAE leaders have said

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makoutm, VicePresid­ent and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said earlier: “The Louvre Abu Dhabi is our cultural pride — it will bring together the East and West and represents our ability to fight darkness with light; fight ignorance and intellectu­al extremism with artistic beauty,”

He added: “The key message of the Louvre Abu Dhabi is that our strength as human beings lies in the convergenc­e of minds and the meeting of people and the alliance of civilisati­ons.”

Moreover, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, hailed the museum as a global cultural monument. “The Louvre Abu Dhabi brings together unique art icons that reflect humanity’s collective genius,” he said.

Jean-Luc Martinez, president of the Louvre in Paris, said the new museum was designed “to open up to others, to understand diversity” in “a multipolar world.”

He explained that the Louvre Abu Dhabi is a significan­t collaborat­ion between France and the UAE, where the two countries already hold strong ties across various sectors.

 ?? AFP file ?? Sheikh mohammed bin Zayed and Sheikh mohammed bin Rashid with french President Emmanuel macron, and his wife brigitte macron at the entrance of the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum during its official inaugurati­on. —
AFP file Sheikh mohammed bin Zayed and Sheikh mohammed bin Rashid with french President Emmanuel macron, and his wife brigitte macron at the entrance of the Louvre Abu Dhabi museum during its official inaugurati­on. —

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