Opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi ‘a very bad day for extremists’

The opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi has been "a very bad day for extremists," but, at the same time, has managed "to give the people of this region, the countries and leaders of this region, some hope," H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has said.

In an interview with Becky Anderson on the CNN ‘Connect the World’ programme, Sheikh Abdullah stressed the necessity "to be really ready in addressing extremists, their ideology, their hate."

"I think the opening of this museum has been a very bad day for extremists," he added. "Luckily enough, for many of us, it’s been a wonderful day."

The museum, Sheikh Abdullah said, provided an example of the way in which the United Arab Emirates is a tolerant, open and modern society. At the same time, drawing Anderson’s attention to an exhibit in the museum from the early Christian monastery on Abu Dhabi’s island of Sir Bani Yas, Sheikh Abdullah noted that, traditionally, "people came here (to the UAE), and felt comfortable, worshipping in the way that they found fit."

Describing his own views about the museum and what it represented, Sheikh Abdullah said "Most of my generation were the first of their generation to go to school, that is true. This is a country which did not have much resources and to me, at 45 years old, I’ve seen what the UAE looked like in the last few decades but I’ve also seen how people were welcoming others."

In that context, he noted, many people do not see the UAE’s decision to build the Louvre Abu Dhabi as a surprise. "They see it as part of the jigsaw puzzle you are seeing coming up in the Emirates. Just look at our new cabinet having nine females in it, or having the youngest Minister, in charge of youth. All these things are part of what we are trying to aim for here. It’s true it’s about youth and getting the youth involved but it’s also about preserving and protecting and celebrating our culture, celebrating our values and moving forward with it."

Sheikh Abdullah also welcomed the role that the Louvre Abu Dhabi could play in terms of promoting and diversifying the UAE’s relationship with France. Recalling the speech by France’s President Macron at the inaugural ceremony, he added, "Listening to President Macron describing what kind of a soft instrument our relationship with France could create in the region in terms of a positive ripple effect, made me very proud."

"You look at our relationship with France historically," he said, "and it was about political or military cooperation or investments. This is a project that is going to go on for at least one more generation and it will touch all Emiratis. These are the kind of projects that would not only enhance a government to government relationship but also a people to people relationship, which I think is always far more important."

The Louvre Abu Dhabi is just the beginning of a process, he said. "In a few years, we are going to have even more cultural centres in the Emirates. In 2020 we are going to have the first EXPO in a Muslim country and that’s a way for the world to recognise the Emirates for what we have accomplished."