Abu dhabi: Pursuant to the resolution issued by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the newly established National Committee for the UAE Union Narrative held its inaugural meeting. Chaired by Ahmed Juma Al Zaabi, the session included members from relevant entities and took place at the Presidential Court in Abu Dhabi.
According to Emirates News Agency, the committee's primary focus is to implement a mandate centered on preparing and approving the official Union Narrative document. This document aims to chronologically outline the historical events leading to the establishment of the United Arab Emirates, utilizing approved terminology and references.
The committee is also tasked with unifying the national narrative to ensure consistency across national, media, educational, and cultural content. This involves approving national campaigns related to the Union and its symbols before their launch and ensuring their alignment with the Union Narrative in coordination with relevant entities.
In addition, the committee will oversee the approval of national content related to the Union and state symbols across various platforms, including media outlets, educational curricula, and publications. It will coordinate with government bodies and national institutions to maintain a unified narrative in all content addressing the Union's establishment or its symbols. The committee will also provide recommendations and guidance to government, media, and educational entities to adhere to the approved narrative.
Ahmed Juma Al Zaabi stated that the formation of the committee underlines the state's commitment to establishing a single, authoritative reference for the UAE's establishment narrative. This initiative aims to safeguard historical accuracy and prevent unregulated interpretations when discussing the founding moment and its symbols.
Al Zaabi emphasized that the Union Narrative is not merely a documentation exercise but a comprehensive national framework reflected across media, education, cultural content, and national campaigns. This framework will be presented to current and future generations to tell the story of the Union.
The committee's role is not to rewrite history but to consolidate it in its accurate and approved form. The official Union Narrative document will serve as the primary reference for all content addressing the state's establishment. This task requires full cooperation among all entities represented on the committee.
Al Zaabi noted that the committee's diverse representation reflects the state's recognition of the importance of partnership and integration in building a unified national narrative. The committee's work will focus on ensuring consistency and accuracy without unnecessary complexity.
Periodic review of the approved narrative will be part of the committee's responsibilities, aligning it with credible new historical research while preserving core principles that are not open to reinterpretation.
Committee members shared their perspectives on the importance of the National Committee for the Union Narrative in supporting a unified and well-documented narrative of the Union through the participation of all represented entities.
The committee also reviewed its 2026 work plan, notably the project to prepare the official Union Narrative document. Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Director-General of the National Archives and Library, presented this project, addressing the core concept of the state narrative, international case studies, tools for embedding the narrative, and the methodology for developing the Union Narrative.
The meeting was attended by several key figures, including Hajer Ahmed Althehli, Abdullah Majid Al Ali, Khaled Ibrahim Mohammed bin Bishr Al Merri, Mohammed Saeed Al Dhanhani, Abdullah Ali Al Mahyan, Abdulrahman Al Shaib Al Naqbi, Reem Al Shamri, Dr. Jamal Al Kaabi, Mohammed Ali Mohammed Aldhuhoori, Mohammed Abdullah Al Kaabi, Sabah Salem Al Shamsi, and Hamad Al Hammadi.
The National Committee for the UAE Union Narrative stands as the sole approved reference for the narrative of the UAE's establishment. It is responsible for accurately documenting historical events related to the Union's formation and ensuring consistency across national, media, and educational content, reflecting the pivotal role of the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Source: Emirates News Agency