Françoise Nyssen, Minister of Culture, visited the United Arab Emirates on November 8 and 9 where she accompanied the President of the Republic on the occasion of the official inauguration of the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
The Minister of Culture was particularly touched by the achievement of Jean Nouvel who knew how to feed on the places and the history and fundamentals of Middle Eastern architecture and create a «masterpiece», «a shower of lights».
This museum, which bears an exceptional universal dimension due to its collection from all ages, from all geographies, promises visitors a museum and architectural experience of great intensity at the service of a fruitful dialogue between cultures. At a time when certain forces are attacking history, destroying works, taking our heritage hostage, the Louvre Abu Dhabi is a striking response to barbarism, which France and the United Arab Emirates can congratulate themselves on.
The Minister of Culture Françoise Nyssen underlined, 10 years after its signature, the quality of the intergovernmental agreement between France and the United Arab Emirates, which allowed this exceptional achievement. She warmly welcomed the active participation of the 13 French national museums and cultural institutions that are directly involved in this extraordinary collective adventure.
The Minister of Culture had the opportunity to meet and discuss several times with her counterparts present in Abu Dhabi for this exceptional event, especially those of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Oman.
She went with the President of the Republic to the University Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi (UPSAD). Ten years ago, the creation of the first French university outside the national territory was the subject of an international partnership contract involving the University Paris-Sorbonne and the Ministry of Education of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This cooperation agreement has been extended for a period of ten years, thus strengthening international university exchanges for the benefit of students.
It was then signed in Dubai with the Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development Noura AL KAABI, and in the presence of the Deputy President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Dubai, a cultural cooperation agreement to launch a Franco-Emirati cycle of exchanges, festivities and meetings, led by its services and the French Embassy, which completes the 1975 cultural agreement.
During her visit, the Minister thanked Agence France Muséums by recognizing 24 people for their commitment to this international cooperation and their involvement in the realization of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, by appointing them to the National Order of Arts and Letters.
She also presented the insignia of Knight of the Legion of Honour to Ms Hoda Kanoo, founder and president of the Abu Dhabi Music & Art Foundation, distinguishing one of the “spokespersons for the message of tolerance, humanism, universalism, diversity and generosity”. of Abu Dhabi.
Finally, she participated in the inaugural evening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, where the extraordinary show of Groupe F, whose flames and sparks helped reveal many of the masterpieces of the permanent collection.