The venue, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (Adnec), will have as its highlight this Friday a conference on sustainable development in the areas of cultural heritage, information and the role of non-governmental organizations.
Josée Kirps, President of ICA, will take part in the distinguished jury; Aparna Tandon from the International Center for Studies for the Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Property; Emma Nardi from the International Council of Museums.
Simon Musasizi from the Climate Heritage Network will also take part; Vicki McDonald of the International Federation of Library Associations and Libraries; and Fackson Banda of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Before the meeting concludes, Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and Director of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), a non-governmental organization consisting of experts and sponsors, will also speak on the country’s transition to a green economy.
Under the theme “Enriching Knowledge Societies,” the ICA Congress gathered nearly four thousand people from around 100 countries with the aim of promoting access to reliable information in the modern world and new technologies.
According to the organizers, the event was a unique opportunity for exchange between archivists, librarians, records managers and other information professionals to share best practices, experiences and ways to address current challenges.
It also served to establish direct contacts with key players in the Middle East, at a time of unprecedented interest in the areas of archive management and digital document preservation.
Opening the event, Kirps highlighted the support of the UAE authorities for the management of ICA around the world, calling it the most important forum for institutions dedicated to the management of archives, documents and information.
The director of the National Archives of Luxembourg explained that up to this Friday the forum had hosted more than 300 presentations, workshops and conferences on topics such as new technologies, preservation of cultural heritage, effects of climate change, peace and tolerance.
For his part, Chairman of the Board of the National Library and Archives of the United Arab Emirates, HE Hamad Bin Abdulrahman Al Midfa, emphasized that this is the first ICA Congress to be held in the Middle East.
npg/mml