Egyptian composer Hisham Nazih joined the visiting group along with Farah Jadeed, Senior Manager at the Office of the Managing Director. Dr Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, received the delegation alongside several of the institute's department heads.

A tour through the Institute's work

The delegation toured the institute's facilities, where staff explained its mission to safeguard Emirati intangible cultural heritage through documentation, research, and training programs for younger generations. The group also heard about the institute's efforts to raise the profile of Emirati heritage regionally and internationally.

Al Musallam: partnerships that spark creativity

Dr Al Musallam said the visit reflected the value of joining forces across the country's cultural institutions, describing it as an opportunity to channel Emirati heritage into new creative projects that reinforce national identity.

He extended a welcome to Nazih specifically, saying the composer's presence carried real cultural weight—building a bridge, as he put it, between heritage and musical creativity and opening the door to reworking elements of Emirati tradition into pieces that speak to both national identity and a global audience.

A new work rooted in heritage

The visit is tied to a wider programme run by the UAE National Orchestra during Nazih's residency, which runs from 25 to 30 June. During that time, he's working on a new orchestral piece drawing on the depth and variety of Emirati cultural heritage, using meetings with local institutions and heritage specialists to inform the work's artistic direction.

Looking ahead

Both sides closed the visit by agreeing to broaden cooperation between cultural and artistic institutions, with a shared interest in launching joint initiatives that put Emirati heritage at the centre of contemporary creative output – and, in doing so, give the UAE's cultural legacy a stronger platform both regionally and worldwide.