emirates7 - The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has launched an initiative titled ‘The Image Bears Witness’, aimed at cementing the role of photographs in strengthening cultural identity.
The initiative seeks to highlight the power of images in preserving human experiences and cultural memory, while promoting the creation of an archive documenting the UAE’s development and its capital, Abu Dhabi.
Its programme includes photography exhibitions and competitions, panel discussions and cultural seminars, as well as the publication of documentary materials, with the aim of expanding the use of images in the cultural and knowledge landscape.
Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC, said images represent an important legacy that should be preserved and made accessible to future generations, while also equipping them with the skills to interpret and understand visual content.
He added that the initiative aligns with the “Year of the Family” by engaging various segments of society, particularly youth, and supporting efforts to enhance cultural documentation and the publishing sector.
For the first edition of the initiative, the ALC has chosen Qasr Al Hosn – the oldest and most prominent landmark in Abu Dhabi – as a venue, drawing on the earliest known photograph of the fort taken by Samuel Zwemer, who visited Abu Dhabi from the United States in 1901.
Zwemer described the fort, which stood as a symbol of leadership, heritage, and national identity for decades, as an “imposing fort”. His photograph of Qasr Al Hosn marked the beginning of modern visual documentation of the history of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi .
The programme features a photography competition inviting participants to document Qasr Al Hosn across four categories, including architecture, black-and-white photography, light and shadow, and creative editing using artificial intelligence tools. It also includes an interactive initiative featuring digital Q&A sessions held during the Qasr Al Hosn Festival, aimed at promoting reading and cultural engagement.
It also includes panel discussions and seminars with photographers and researchers exploring the role of images in preserving collective memory and presenting heritage in a contemporary visual language.
The initiative will also organise a photography exhibition titled ‘Layers of Memory’, presenting historical and contemporary images that document Abu Dhabi’s journey and comprehensive development, as well as major cultural and urban transformations, through an interactive display that combines still photography with visual projections.
A documentary book featuring the selected images from the initiative is also set to be published.
The initiative seeks to highlight the power of images in preserving human experiences and cultural memory, while promoting the creation of an archive documenting the UAE’s development and its capital, Abu Dhabi.
Its programme includes photography exhibitions and competitions, panel discussions and cultural seminars, as well as the publication of documentary materials, with the aim of expanding the use of images in the cultural and knowledge landscape.
Saeed Hamdan Al Tunaiji, Executive Director of the ALC, said images represent an important legacy that should be preserved and made accessible to future generations, while also equipping them with the skills to interpret and understand visual content.
He added that the initiative aligns with the “Year of the Family” by engaging various segments of society, particularly youth, and supporting efforts to enhance cultural documentation and the publishing sector.
For the first edition of the initiative, the ALC has chosen Qasr Al Hosn – the oldest and most prominent landmark in Abu Dhabi – as a venue, drawing on the earliest known photograph of the fort taken by Samuel Zwemer, who visited Abu Dhabi from the United States in 1901.
Zwemer described the fort, which stood as a symbol of leadership, heritage, and national identity for decades, as an “imposing fort”. His photograph of Qasr Al Hosn marked the beginning of modern visual documentation of the history of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi .
The programme features a photography competition inviting participants to document Qasr Al Hosn across four categories, including architecture, black-and-white photography, light and shadow, and creative editing using artificial intelligence tools. It also includes an interactive initiative featuring digital Q&A sessions held during the Qasr Al Hosn Festival, aimed at promoting reading and cultural engagement.
It also includes panel discussions and seminars with photographers and researchers exploring the role of images in preserving collective memory and presenting heritage in a contemporary visual language.
The initiative will also organise a photography exhibition titled ‘Layers of Memory’, presenting historical and contemporary images that document Abu Dhabi’s journey and comprehensive development, as well as major cultural and urban transformations, through an interactive display that combines still photography with visual projections.
A documentary book featuring the selected images from the initiative is also set to be published.
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