Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi On UAE Culture And Art
“The youth are very much a part of the nation’s onward march to the future. Our national vision is very futuristic, and the role of the youth is integral to that vision. Their involvement in nation-building actually starts before they graduate…”
Harper’s Bazaar Interiors Guest Editor Dyala Nusseibeh speaks to Her Excellency Noura Al Kaabi on her role as Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, her thoughts on the youth of today and the UAE Ministry’s growing art collection
You are an inspiring person for women, working in the arts in the UAE as Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development since October 2017. Can you share what some of your challenges were when you started in this position?
It is exactly three years since I was appointed as Minister of Culture. The main challenge was to run a Ministry which is integrally linked to the UAE’s identity in a way that does justice to both our past and present. The role has been a multilayered one. When you deal with the cultural scene, you are interacting with multiple aspects – the historical, the ancient, the modern.
To digest that entire complexity was not easy in the beginning. I remember my first meeting as Minister of Culture with HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to discuss the plans for the first hundred days. He was very specific that the Ministry should function as an enabler of the whole sector and not as a mere operator.
That set the tone for what we did subsequently. The second aspect was to change the narrative about the cultural and creative industries. It is not new to the UAE, but quite fresh for the larger region. A new narrative not only in terms of the sector playing a strategic and knowledge-based role, but also an economic role. That is why we found it important to link the sector to the diversification of the economy, to its contribution to the GDP and so on.
The challenge here was one of language and idiom; to start using a language of measures and attainments. Another important aspect was to look at where we are internationally. For instance, how are we functioning as a country within UNESCO which we first joined within four months of the establishment of the Union. The UAE’s appointment to the UNESCO’s Executive Board last year reflected the wide acknowledgement of the country’s efforts in advancing initiatives in the fields of culture, science and education.
What changes are you most happy about having achieved to date?
I think the most important change is in the language in which we speak about culture. We are now speaking about culture in a more futuristic idiom. We have begun looking at our culture in terms of its sustainability in the long-run. And that we are doing it while also bringing wider attention to the wellsprings of our legacy and heritage is remarkable.
While being very much in awe of our heritage and keeping it as a part and parcel of our identity, we are also able to embrace change. We are also able to engage with other cultures and nationalities living with us in the UAE constructively. I would say that our culture is strong because it is mature and confident enough to interact with the numerous other cultures in our midst with respect and appreciation.
Speaking of your work with UNESCO, a key project for the UAE in recent years is the restoration of the Al Nouri Mosque and two churches in Mosul, Iraq. Can you tell us more about this?
The city of Mosul has for thousands of years been a commercial and cultural link between the North, South, East and West. One of the world’s most ancient cities, its origins date back to the seventh or sixth century BC. As such, the legacy of the city is primarily defined in terms of its centuries of pluralism and cultural coexistence.
The Al Nouri Mosque has been a significant landmark for the Old City of Mosul, and a symbol of its cultural identity, since the 12th century AD. So its importance has to be seen in terms of the city’s architectural and cultural history. Rebuilding it and restoring it to its original glory is an act of resistance.
Can you share your thoughts on how the UAE enables social cohesion at home?
The UAE was founded on strong values – tolerance, respect for other cultures and people, and peaceful coexistence. Look at the way multiple nationalities and cultures live together in this country in absolute peace. The UAE has embraced different cultures with open arms and allocated places of worship for various faiths.
We believe we are living out the true principles of Islam through our embrace of different cultures, respect for all faiths and acceptance of difference. Professionals, businessmen, teachers and so on from across the globe are not only making their living, but also helping in the process of nation-building shoulder to shoulder with the Emiratis. That is what we all grew up seeing, and we knew that was the right thing to do.
You are also, as of July 2020, Minister of Culture and Youth. How would you most like to enable the young to contribute to the development of the UAE?
The youth are very much a part of the nation’s onward march to the future. Our national vision is very futuristic, and the role of the youth is integral to that vision. Their involvement in nation-building actually starts much before they graduate.
Government policies and initiatives in this regard are framed in such a way that they feel a sense of participation very early on in their lives. Their views and ideas are also taken into consideration at all levels. They think differently, and more innovatively, particularly because of the way technology has equipped them to think in a certain fashion, which is different from the previous generation.
Why is investing in the creative ecosystem in the UAE important?
It is important for three reasons. First, the soft power that the country possesses is a unique aspect of the UAE’s identity. Second, the development of a good cultural milieu is crucial to taking forward our vision for a tolerant, moderate country and region. Third, the growth of cultural and creative industries also has great economic potential.
The National Creative Relief Program that we recently launched aims to ensure the sustainability of creative and cultural industry. The program provides financial support to creative individuals and companies disadvantaged by the economic impact of the pandemic.
We hear the Ministry has a wonderful collection of works by Abdul Qader Al Rais, Najat Makki and Abdulraheem Salim amongst others. Can you tell us more about how this collection started? How do you see the collection developing in future?
The collection has been growing over the years. I want to give the credit for this wonderful collection of art to my predecessor HE Abdul Rahman Al Owais. He had commissioned most of the works we have with us.
The artists who contributed these works are our pioneers and we are immensely proud of them. This collection will develop further over time since it is an important part of our efforts at cultural work. It is going to develop through either commissions or acquisitions.
How will people learn more about the collection in future?
We will plan on showing the collection digitally so the wider public can enjoy the beauty of these great works. That will also help the people learn more about the great artists who made this collection possible.
Lead image courtesy of Instagram/@nak by @saifghobash
From the Winter 2020 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Interiors, The Art Issue