Teachers can comfortably take history classes to the forefront of academic syllabus in schools after the inauguration of the long-awaited Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi.
To be proud of one’s culture doesn’t essentially mean to know one’s roots. Not everyone is aware of their or others cultural heritage, feel a connection to the earlier generations or understand the history of where they come from. Understanding classroom diversity is one of the main key points where schools excel. This, without a doubt is important as any for schools and parents to understand that it’s a vital aspect of building a healthy community, else, it’s just another bungalow with some books in it.
This especially holds true for the youth of today. It’s very important to nurture creative minds in the right way as they will take their righteous path in the world someday as ambassadors. What students in the UAE would know that Abu Dhabi is the capital city of UAE that gets a year long of the sun, not many would know that it is also a city of unique culture, history and traditions.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first universal museum of the Middle East, will proudly bring together and depict the cultural heritage of not just the UAE, but the civilisations of the world. The museum will be a focal point for education, tolerance and world culture.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority said “ Abu Dhabi has put its hand on its heart and said that the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s messages are ones that it wants to send to the rest of the world: messages of unity, acceptance, connectivity and tolerance. These were messages that were important 1,000 years ago, but are even more important today. Abu Dhabi is the beacon that will broadcast these messages to the Arab world and to the rest of the world.”
The Louvre Abu Dhabi – The Museum of then, now and the future
The Louvre Abu Dhabi aims to narrate the story of world art and humanity in 12 chapters, from prehistoric times to the present day of modernisation. Rather than highlighting the differences of nations or regions, the galleries will embody an unbiased and global approach.
It will represent common connections throughout human existence by presenting cultures and objects in dialogue. It will allow visitors to engage with the cultures of the world irrespective of the era, or the region.
So far, nearly 600 pieces of art are ready for display at the billion dollar Museum, including masterpieces – a self-portrait by Vincent Van Gogh, Jacques-Louis David’s Napoleon Crossing the Alps and Osman Hamdi Bey’s painting of A Young Emir Studying, – many of which will be seen in Abu Dhabi for the first time.
The Louvre Abu Dhabi – A start to cultural conversations
The Museum will inspire conversations on culture and open up fresh perspectives on the world, breaking the myth of barriers between the east and the west. It will be a meeting place of cultural rendezvous, mutual understanding and respect.
This will be a great start for teachers to enlighten the students about the mesmerizing artifacts and paintings the museums boasts . It’s also a great starting point to discuss why students should be aware of their peer’s cultural tradition. A school trip will bedazzle students and most definitely help broaden their horizons with chronological time-lapse and theme-based display, traversing different periods and civilizations.
The museum will specifically open up the tender minds of students, enlighten and inform them about the world and other cultures. To spread awareness about Louvre Abu Dhabi, 24 Emirati students from seven different universities from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain were trained under a programme to undertake the role of brand ambassadors. They will motivate much more students to follow their footsteps.
At a time when barbarity across the world is creating boundaries between cultures, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will show through art that the world has several connections, similarities and consistencies and that heritage has more bridges than walls between them.
