(Dubai) – Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched, in presence of H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, an AED 1 billion project to build the largest library in the region.
The seven-storey, one million square feet Mohammed bin Rashid Library will be built in Al Jaddaf area. It is scheduled to open in 2017 and will house more than 4.5 million books and include several areas for interaction, events, activities, educational and cultural festivals. The library will also host several cultural and cognitive initiatives, such as the Dh2.4 million ‘Arabic Language Award’, launched recently to help people embrace their Arab identity.
There will also be a museum of the Arab heritage and the history of human civilisation as well as venues for arts and literary exhibitions, heritage preservation initiatives and a 500-seat theatre for lectures, seminars and launching of intellectual and cultural initiatives regionally and globally.
Present were Dr. Amal Abdullah Al Qubaisi, Speaker of Federal National Council (FNC), H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chief Executive of Emirates Group, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gargawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs, senior officials and members of the literary community.
(Courtesy WAM)
