Letter from the
Executive Director

We have had a very exciting first half of 2016 with all of our most popular programs continuing and a number of new initiatives coming on stream.

Our new arts venue, Warehouse421, has hit the ground running since opening in November 2015. In that short time five major exhibitions have been hosted at the venue, including the landmark Lest We Forget vernacular photography project. In May, we took down some of the inaugural exhibitions to show our newest exhibition Departure which explores the themes of passage and mobility through the works of Spanish artist Xavier Mascaró which includes installations of 27 iron and bronze boats, on until 4 September 2016. Meanwhile, the inaugural season of Wednesdays at the Warehouse a diverse mix of of workshops, film screenings and panel discussions was so successful, the Foundation has started a special summer edition of Wednesdays at the Warehouse. If you and your family are in Abu Dhabi for the summer, we invite you to join us at warehouse421.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) took center stage in our health program this year. The Foundation supported several initiatives to increase awareness of this illness with health care professionals and the general public. The Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, in partnership with the Foundation, hosted an informative two-day symposium on MS and other neurological disorders for healthcare care professionals in the UAE. The Foundation also hosted three inspirational speakers at Muntada to increase public awareness about MS, share success stories and empower those diagnosed with the disease by highlighting how life is full of possibilities.

And we also continued our public programming with the ever popular Parenting Talks and Muntada programing. In addition to our programming here in the UAE, the Foundation took Emirati Architecture to Venice, Italy.

La Biennale di Venezia - International Architecture Exhibition is on again in Venice from 28 May to 27 November 2016. As Commissioner of the National Pavilion of the United Arab Emirates, and in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, the Foundation has proudly unveiled Transformations: The Emirati National House at this prestigious international event. Curated by Yasser Elsheshtawy, Associate Professor of Architecture at UAE University, the exhibition explores a distinctive form of housing known as the Sha’abi house and the many ways it has been adapted by UAE residents since its introduction in the 1970s. We welcomed almost 2000 international visitors in the first two days of the opening. We welcome you to visit the UAE’s pavilion if you are in Venice this summer.

We look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming events (see Save The Date!) in the near future, and would like to wish everybody in the UAE a healthy, happy and creative Summer 2016.

Angela Migally

Executive Director

Arts, Culture
& Heritage

Warehouse421: A New Way To Experience Art and Culture in Abu Dhabi

Since opening in November 2015, Warehouse421 has quickly established itself as a unique addition to Abu Dhabi’s arts and cultural landscape, hosting four major exhibitions and introducing the bi-weekly Wednesdays at the Warehouse program.

La Biennale di Venezia: Showcasing Emirati Architecture

In its capacity as Commissioner of the National Pavilion of the United Arab Emirates, and in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation is proud to be presenting Transformations: The Emirati National House at La Biennale di Venezia’s International Architectural Exhibition from 28 May to 27 November 2016 in Venice.

Education

Early Childhood Development: Forging New Connections With International Expertise

The Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation’s Early Childhood Development program has continued its popular parenting talks at Manarat Al Saadiyat in 2016. In February, Dr. Heidi Alaskary, Amna Al Yahal and Birgit Ertl spoke on Language Learning Basics: Supporting Your Child in Learning Multiple Languages – a highly relevant topic in the UAE given its culturally and linguistically diverse population.

Health

Understanding Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy and Neurological Disorders

A key priority of the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation’s health program is supporting and investing in efforts to expand awareness and understanding of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). To that end, the Foundation has partnered with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and is providing direct support to its MS program.

Muntada

The Importance of Girls’ Education

In January 2016, Dr Tererai Trent, Dr Sakena Yacoobi and Maysa Jalbout presented a Muntada talk on the importance of girls’ education in Afghanistan, the Arab world and internationally.

The Path To Success: Linear, Random or Somewhere in Between

In February 2016, H.E. Mohamed Alabbar and Fadi Ghandour presented a Muntada talk entitled The Path To Success: Linear, Random or Somewhere in Between that drew on their individual experiences on the frontline of entrepreneurialism in the UAE.

#strongerthanMS

On the occasion of World MS Day in May 2016, Dr Nicoline Schiess, Wendy Booker and Maha Abbas presented a Muntada talk entitled #StrongerThanMS, that sought to increase public awareness of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and empower those impacted by it.

International Humanitarian Projects

FBMI @ Design Days Dubai

The Fatima bint Mohamed Initiative (FBMI) participated in Design Days Dubai from 14 to 18 March 2016, showcasing their new Antique Wash rug collection in which natural vegetable dyes were used to create antique rugs that resemble the color of stones. Also displayed, was a unique piece by Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Khalifa Bin Saif Al Nahyan. The Emirati designer combined various elements of her own jewelry collection with intricate Afghan designs to create a stunning, one-of-a-kind table rug.