Sheikh Abdullah reflects on Zayed’s legacy at British Museum gallery opening

The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Gallery will house artefacts relating to agricultural development

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Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed has paid tribute to his father at the inauguration of a new gallery of the British Museum.

The UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation attended the event to open the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Gallery for Europe and the Middle East in London.

"The naming of one of the British Museum’s important galleries after our late father, Sheikh Zayed, is to honour his tireless efforts to provide welfare for all, and support the growth of cultural discourse and connection,” said Sheikh Abdullah.

“In addition to achieving unity between the seven Emirates, he also paid very close attention to culture, heritage and archeology, and here we see today the fruits of his efforts flourishing through this international recognition.

“This is especially rewarding as the gallery now carrying his name focuses on revealing the deep ties that the ancient Middle East established with Europe through cultural exchange, including the development of agricultural practices that have brought a radical change in lifestyle leading to a profound development in the general living conditions, and eventually to prosperity."

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The newly-named Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Gallery shows visitors the history of agricultural development between 10,000 and 800 BCE, as it began in the Middle East and spread to Europe.

The gallery’s opening follows an agreement signed last June by the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi) and the British Museum, in recognition of the late Founding Father's support for culture in the UAE and the world.

In addition to renaming the gallery, the agreement provides for the loan of important items from the British Museum’s collection to be displayed at the galleries of the Zayed National Museum, as part of its permanent collection and museum narrative.

The ceremony was also attended by Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development; Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State; Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi; Saif Saeed Ghobash, undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi; Sulaiman Al Mazroui, UAE Ambassador to the UK; Hartwig Fisher, director of the British Museum; Patrick Moody, UK Ambassador to the UAE; and Sir Richard Lambert, chairman of the British Museum.