Sheikha Fatima Receives Female Participants Of Al Burda Festival

H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), today received, at Qasr Al Bahr, several of the female participants of the Al Burda Festival.

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 14th Nov, 2018) H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), today received, at Qasr Al Bahr, several of the female participants of the Al Burda Festival.

Sheikha Fatima welcomed the delegation that participated in the festival, which was organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, while affirming the UAE’s efforts, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to promote and care for culture and national heritage, especially Islamic heritage, to highlight the greatness of the Islamic civilisation, as well as its humanity and creativity throughout history.

Sheikha Fatima called on the participants to encourage future generations to study Islam’s cultural heritage and art. "We must listen to the words of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who always said that those who have no past, have no present," she said.

Sheikha Fatima highlighted the necessity of promoting the role of women in Islamic art, and in helping to create its future while focussing on developing the work of cultural institutions in the digital age, restoring Islamic cultural sites, and helping artists gain the necessary skills and identify the demands of their various audiences.

She also stressed the importance of highlighting the role of Islamic architecture in changing the world, and how to employ modern technologies to create environments that will answer the needs of future generations.

The delegation included Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities, Dr. Inas Abdel Dayem; Minister of Culture of Egypt, Sheikha Hala bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Director-General of Culture and Arts at the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities.

The ministry organised the first edition of the festival, which was held in Warehouse 421 in the capital, Abu Dhabi, with the attendance of senior officials, decision-makers and artists, and with the aim of anticipating the future of Islamic art and encouraging artists and creatives from various countries to create artistic works that are inspired by the authenticity of the past and the beauty of the present, which will help strengthen the presence of Islamic art in international communities.

The festival celebrated the creativity of the Islamic civilisation and its art, which are part of human civilisation, through various creative programmes, knowledge platforms, dialogue sessions, and a series of art exhibitions and live shows that are devoted to the UAE’s efforts to promote dialogue, culture and art.