Exhibition & Symposium – 50 Years of Shared History: Celebrating United Arab Emirates – France Friendship
Date: Wednesday 6 November – Sunday 8 December 2024
Exhibition Inauguration: Wednesday 6 November 10:30 am
Symposium: Wednesday 6 November 11:30 am
Venue: Library, SUAD Campus
Open to public
Abstract
Upon the proposal of H.E. Nicolas Niemtchinow, Ambassador of France to the United Arab Emirates, the French Institute in the UAE undertook the project of a traveling exhibition to celebrate the longevity and quality of French-Emirati relations on the occasion of its jubilee in 2024. Since the opening of the first French embassy in the UAE in 1974, the diversity of political, diplomatic, cultural, scientific, and military cooperation has manifested through numerous projects, solidifying this relationship as an exceptional partnership. This exhibition, equally showcasing French and Emirati archives with the collaboration of the UAE National Archives, will be complemented by public and private French archives from local stakeholders. Finally, an academic conference, led by both French and Emirati scholars, will highlight key aspects of this cooperation, on November 6th.
About the speakers
Prof Makram Abbès current Director of the CEFREPA, is a Professor at the École Normale Supérieure in Lyon and a former junior member of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF, 2010-2015). After completing a dual program in Arabic and French literature at the ENS of Fontenay-Saint-Cloud and the universities he attended (Paris IV, Paris VII-Denis Diderot), he chose to deepen his knowledge in the field of political thought starting in 1997/1998 by pursuing a PhD in Arab political philosophy (“Andalusian Political Philosophy in the 12th Century through the Works of Ibn Bâjja (Avempace), Ibn Tufayl, and Ibn Rushd (Averroes)”), while simultaneously enrolling in the Paris Institute of Political Studies (IEP). Since his appointment at the École Normale Supérieure in Lyon in 2000, Makram Abbès has served as the head of the preparation for the Arabic agrégation exam and the monitoring of students specializing in Arabic studies. Starting in 2014, he became the director of the Arabic Studies section within the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Foreign Civilizations at ENS Lyon. Since then, he has been responsible for the Master’s program in Arabic Studies, which focuses on the study of classical and contemporary Humanities, and he is the founder, in 2017, of the Master’s program in Middle Eastern Studies, part of the “European and International Studies” track, designed for students wishing to specialize in this geographical area. Makram Abbès is also in charge of the Master’s in Religious Sciences and Societies, co-accredited with Lyon 3 University and Lyon 2 University.
Hamad Abdulla Al Mutairi has great passion for Information Technology and has vast practical experience in the field, including Strategic Planning, Risk Management and Archives management. Hamad joined the National Archives in 2009 and currently serves as Director of the Archives Department overseeing five key divisions of the National Archives: Government Archives, Historical Archives, Presidential Archives, Electronic Archives, Preservation and restoration.
Prof. William Guéraiche is the Head of Research and Publications at the Abrahamic Family House (AFH). He has more than 90 publications (single author). In his last edited volume on traditional and non-traditional issues, Facets of Security in the United Arab Emirates, Routledge, 2022, he explores different topics such as Cybersecurity, Demographics and Community security, or the securitisation of the Covid 19. He also published many articles on the meaning of Cultural Diplomacy in the French Foreign policy.
Dr. Mohammed Ahmed Binomair Al Muhairi is the Executive Director of the Infrastructure Development Sector in Ajman, with over 20 years of experience in urban planning and engineering management. His expertise spans infrastructure projects, roads, buildings, and spatial systems. He holds a PhD in Architecture and Sustainability from Wolverhampton University, as well as a Master’s in Engineering, Architecture, and Urban Planning from the Ecole d’Architecture de Paris Malaquais. He is French speaker and studied in France from 1996 to 2004.
Mélissa Tédafi holds a Master’s degree in International History/Geopolitics and is currently working on a history PhD entitled “The Arab World Institute, a policy of cultural cooperation at the service of Franco-Arab diplomacy”, in partnership with the French Research Centre for the Arabian Peninsula (CEFREPA) in Kuwait City, under the supervision of Alain Messaoudi (Nantes University) and Luc Chantre (Rennes 2 University).
Sofia Issaikina is an art historian, PhD candidate at Sorbonne Université (Centre André Chastel). Her research focuses on cultural exchanges between the UAE and France, as well as cultural heritage policies. Her work has been granted support from the National Centre for Scientific Research.
After a BA degree in history and political science with a major in Italian literature at the University of Rennes 2, Melissa Tedafi continued her studies at the University of Nantes. She holds a Master’s degree in International History/Geopolitics and is currently working on a history PhD entitled “The Arab World Institute, a policy of cultural cooperation at the service of Franco-Arab diplomacy”, in partnership with the French Research Centre for the Arabian Peninsula (CEFREPA) in Kuwait City, under the supervision of Alain Messaoudi (Nantes University) and Luc Chantre (Rennes 2 University).
After a BA degree in history and political science with a major in Italian literature at the University of Rennes 2, Melissa Tedafi continued her studies at the University of Nantes. She holds a Master’s degree in International History/Geopolitics and is currently working on a history PhD entitled “The Arab World Institute, a policy of cultural cooperation at the service of Franco-Arab diplomacy”, in partnership with the French Research Centre for the Arabian Peninsula (CEFREPA) in Kuwait City, under the supervision of Alain Messaoudi (Nantes University) and Luc Chantre (Rennes 2 University).
Exhibition Curators
Dr Yann Rodier head of the History Department and Associate Professor at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, has implemented, developed and still led executive, undergraduate, and postgraduate programs in records management and archival science, in collaboration with Sorbonne University (Dr. Bertrand Haan) and the UAE’s National Library and Archives (Hatem Younis). Dr. Rodier holds a PhD in Early Modern History, supervised by Prof. Denis Crouzet, and in 2020, his thesis was awarded the Prix du XVIIe. His current academic research focuses on the archival resources related to the European presence in the Indian Ocean from the Swahili coast to the Gulf of Bengal, passing through the Gulf, in the 16th to 17th centuries.
Dr Luc Chantre is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris and a PhD holder in contemporary history (University of Poitiers, 2012), Luc Chantre has been a lecturer in contemporary history at the University of Rennes 2 since 2019. His research focuses on the territorial and sociological approach to contemporary Islam and the history of the Arabian Peninsula. He is also in charge of the “Archives of Arabia” research program at the French Center for Archaeology and Social Sciences (Kuwait). He published Pèlerinages d’empire. Une histoire européenne du pèlerinage à La Mecque (Paris, 2018) and co-directed Politiques du pèlerinage du XVIIe siècle à nos jours (Rennes, 2014). He is working on an Anthologie de langue française sur le hajj (1798-1963). In 2018, he curated an exhibition on Cultural Diplomacy during the Era of Sheikh Zayed (1974–2004) at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. He also contributed to the publication of a booklet celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Alliance Française in Abu Dhabi.
Sofia Issaikina is an art historian, PhD candidate at Sorbonne Université (Centre André Chastel). Her research focuses on cultural exchanges between the UAE and France, as well as cultural heritage policies. Her work has been granted support from the National Centre for Scientific Research.
After a BA degree in history and political science with a major in Italian literature at the University of Rennes 2, Melissa Tedafi continued her studies at the University of Nantes. She holds a Master’s degree in International History/Geopolitics and is currently working on a history PhD entitled “The Arab World Institute, a policy of cultural cooperation at the service of Franco-Arab diplomacy”, in partnership with the French Research Centre for the Arabian Peninsula (CEFREPA) in Kuwait City, under the supervision of Alain Messaoudi (Nantes University) and Luc Chantre (Rennes 2 University).
After a BA degree in history and political science with a major in Italian literature at the University of Rennes 2, Melissa Tedafi continued her studies at the University of Nantes. She holds a Master’s degree in International History/Geopolitics and is currently working on a history PhD entitled “The Arab World Institute, a policy of cultural cooperation at the service of Franco-Arab diplomacy”, in partnership with the French Research Centre for the Arabian Peninsula (CEFREPA) in Kuwait City, under the supervision of Alain Messaoudi (Nantes University) and Luc Chantre (Rennes 2 University).
Partners:
The exhibition descriptions will be presented in French, Arabic and English
The Symposium will be delivered in French and Arabic. To confirm your participation in the symposium , kindly register below.
By attending this event, you agree to your image being captured and used in event photos and videos for promotional purposes.
Please fill-in the registration form below to confirm your participation on campus
Bookings are closed for this event.
