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.
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
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
More on Quran memorisation:
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
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Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books
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The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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MATCH INFO
First Test at Barbados
West Indies won by 381 runs
Second Test at Antigua
West Indies won by 10 wickets
Third Test at St Lucia
February 9-13
Paltan
Producer: JP Films, Zee Studios
Director: JP Dutta
Cast: Jackie Shroff, Sonu Sood, Arjun Rampal, Siddhanth Kapoor, Luv Sinha and Harshvardhan Rane
Rating: 2/5
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
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One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
