Just before the pandemic, I had a direct lesson in the power of museums. I heard my young son complain that his history lessons were dull and boring. I asked him to show me his lesson plan, which included the Code of Hammurabi, humans’ first known, written set of laws, carved into an enormous diorite stone.
So I took him to the Louvre in Paris, to see the code in person. I explained that these laws were written in Babylon, in modern-day Iraq, almost 4,000 years ago, and we discussed why this was such an important achievement. I could see his imagination working. A connection was made, and he returned to his lesson with noticeable enthusiasm.
The next week he wanted to go back, but the museum was closed, because of Covid-19.
The Paris Louvre and Louvre Abu Dhabi are expected to reopen soon, after being closed for nearly four months. While we are not quite there yet, it is a good time to reflect upon what these museums represent, and the importance of not taking blessings, lessons and relationships for granted. In the grand scheme of things, four months is not a long time. But as we all know, our perspective has shifted, highlighting the importance of resilience, culture and beauty – those things of which museums, in good times, are meant to be living reminders.
The Louvre in Paris is one of the greatest museums in the modern world. Its displays include more than 38,000 works of art, and more than 10 million people pass through its doors every year. On Saadiyat Island, Louvre Abu Dhabi became an extension of that tradition, reminding us all that human progress is not the work of a single civilisation. It has been described as the “the first of its kind in the region, combining the cultural progress and openness of the Emirati vision, and French expertise in arts and museums, with the purpose of illuminating the very essence of humanity”.
French architect Jean Novel designed Louvre Abu Dhabi to capture this universal message of beauty and shared humanity, integrating Islamic and Arabian cultural elements into what is now considered a global architectural masterpiece: Consisting of eight different layers, a giant silver dome covers the museum. As the sun moves to the dome’s zenith, its rays pass through star-shaped perforations, bathing the museum’s halls in a “rain of light”.
It is truly a moving experience. As visitors move through the museum, they pass from epoch to epoch, tracing out the march of human progress, not always steady or linear.
Millions under lockdown have sought beauty and hope in art and history through virtual museum tours
In his dedication speech delivered under a full moon, French President Emmanuel Macron called Louvre Abu Dhabi a “testament to our determination”.
“It is from here,” he continued, “that we issue this universal call that seeks to remind the world that beauty is a universally shared experience... this light is our shared message against darkness and isolation.”
Those words certainly ring true today, as we move cautiously out from our isolation.
My son was not the only one wanting to return to the museum during lockdown. Over the past months, it has been remarkable to see the launch of hundreds or more virtual museum tours, as millions under lockdown sought beauty and hope in art and history, as a supplement or even an alternative to the buzz of Netflix and the noise of Twitter.
When the museums open once again, they will resume their role of telling the stories of those who came before us through the art they left behind. And we must not forget that they are there. While this instinct to connect and to be inspired and hopeful is present, we must make it a part of our daily lives so that it does not take more loss to make us remember that life is much more when we listen carefully, and seek deeper perspectives. That beauty and connection are all around us.
This is especially important for children enveloped in digital media, who have not had the exposure to museums that past generations have had. Both the Louvre and Louvre Abu Dhabi have made great efforts to reach out to young people.
While we are counting blessings, the reopening of Louvre Abu Dhabi will be an occasion for the Emirates to honour its relationship with France, which developed under the wise stewardship of Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, may God have mercy on his soul, and the late French President Jacques Chirac.
While it all looked effortless under a full moon two and a half years ago, the creation of Louvre Abu Dhabi was itself an act of beauty, which required an extraordinary degree of co-operation, persistence, trust, and mutual respect.
So while it may be some time before we are back to normal, we must resolve in our “new normal” to make time to incorporate beauty and perspective into our daily routines. We must go to museums – and bring our children.
Ali Al Ahmed is the UAE Ambassador to France
NOTE: This piece has been amended since it was first published, following advice from the Department for Culture and Tourism about when Louvre Abu Dhabi will reopen.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Arrogate's winning run
1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016
2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016
3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016
4. Travers Stakes, Saratoga, August 27, 2016
5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016
6. Pegasus World Cup, Gulfstream Park, January 28, 2017
7. Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, March 25, 2017
England-South Africa Test series
1st Test England win by 211 runs at Lord's, London
2nd Test South Africa win by 340 runs at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
3rd Test July 27-31 at The Oval, London
4th Test August 4-8 at Old Trafford, Manchester
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
PAKISTAN SQUAD
Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (test captain), Babar Azam (T20 captain), Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
The past winners
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2010 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2011 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2012 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2013 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2015 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes)
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
2017 - Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Read more about the coronavirus
RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
Company%20profile
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Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
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