Sheikh Zayed Festival 2026.. The National Archives and Library highlight the importance of oral history
Abu Dhabi, 17 March / WAM / The National Archives and Library have allocated a corner for oral history within the “Memory of the Nation” platform, which is participating in the Sheikh Zayed Festival 2026, with the aim of informing the public of the importance of this type of documentation in enriching the nation’s memory with documented information about the lives of fathers and grandfathers before the establishment of the Union.
The corner reviews the role of oral history in preserving national identity and preserving Emirati heritage, by linking present generations to the past of parents and grandparents, and transforming heritage into a living source of knowledge, in addition to highlighting the possibilities of employing advanced technologies in developing oral history interviews and preserving them for future generations.
The corner also introduces oral history and the importance of interviews with witnesses of the era in collecting information that complements historical documents and contributes to enriching the national memory with the exploits of fathers and grandfathers and their lifestyles on land and sea, and on land and travel, as well as shedding light on Emirati customs and traditions and the expressions of the local dialect, in a way that enhances the consolidation of authentic values and deepens belonging to the homeland and loyalty to its leadership.
The corner presents a presentation of the most prominent topics of oral history, which include introducing the speaker or narrator, talking about sheikhs, leaders, and historical events, in addition to the narrators’ personal experiences working outside the Emirates and education, as well as topics of heritage and agriculture, aflaj and folk medicine, traditional treatments, women’s conditions, industries and professions, construction and homes, life before and after the union, in addition to local words, markets, names of regions, and others.
The Oral History Corner also highlights the efforts of the Archives and the National Library in collecting oral history as one of the most important forms of historical documentation, and working to preserve it and employ it in academic lectures and specialized publications presented to those interested in the history of the United Arab Emirates at various stages of its development, while emphasizing that the mechanisms and strategies for collecting this type of history and its performance indicators are consistent with the latest international practices and standards in this field.
The oral history corner of the “Memory of the Nation” platform was decorated with photographs documenting the efforts of the archive and the National Library, including the organization of the annual UAE International Oral History Conference, and the awareness lectures it organizes to introduce generations to its importance, in addition to displaying some important interviews that enriched the oral history archive, and a number of books published based on this archive.
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