DCT Abu Dhabi Chairman HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak announces formation of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre’s Scientific Committee

15 Mar, 2021

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) Chairman, HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, has announced the formation of a Scientific Committee at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, headed by Chairman HE Dr. Ali bin Tamim. The Committee will consist of nine members who are leading local, regional and international scholars, experts and intellectuals. Its work will involve enhancing the Centre's prominence and promoting Abu Dhabi’s position on the global cultural map.

“The launch of the Scientific Committee consolidates the Centre’s mission to promote the Arabic language while becoming a leader in the cultural, creative and educational sectors,” said HE Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi. “Through the Committee we will be able to provide consultations, recommendations and suggestions to further our support of the Arabic language content industry and promote scientific research in various fields, in addition to finding innovative solutions to the challenges facing the Arabic language.

“This assembly of the most eminent intellectual and cultural figures from around the region and the world will form a specialised consulting unit that, when working in cooperation with the Centre’s own team, will enhance the expertise and excellence of the Centre’s work. It will do so by offering advice for research and development efforts based on experience and best practices, considering the unique identity of the Arabic Language,” His Excellency concluded.

The Committee met for the first time on Monday 8 March with Moza al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, chosen as meeting rapporteur, to discuss the Centre’s programmes and the importance of promoting Arabic literary works that have made a significant impact on other cultures. Members of the Committee also discussed strategic initiatives, such as the Centre’s peer reviewed journal and the suggested working mechanisms for certain projects related to its main programmes.

The Scientific Committee is tasked with advising the Centre and submitting recommendations and proposals for its strategic plans, programmes, projects and activities. The Committee will also make suggestions to advance the Centre’s vision and content policies, while providing scientific recommendations in the areas of publishing, libraries, technology and events.

The Committee will also present proposals to support the Centre's goals and pursue opportunities for cooperation with similarly specialised Arab and international research centres, while preparing agendas for conferences, seminars and workshops that further the Centre's objectives.

The Scientific Committee members are:
• Dr. Paula Santillán Grimm, Arabist, lecturer and translator, who holds a doctorate in Arabic Linguistics from the University of Granada in Spain
• Prof. Dr. Bilal Orfali, Sheikh Zayed Chair of Arabic and Islamic Studies and Head of the Department of Arabic and Near Eastern Languages, American University of Beirut
• Prof. Dr. Khalil Al Sheikh, Director of the Arabic Language Education & Research Department, Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre
• Prof. Dr. Salah Fadl, President of the Arabic Language Academy in Cairo
• Dr. Abdullah Muhammad Al Ghathami, Professor of Criticism and Theory, King Saud University in Riyadh
• HE Prof. Abdullah Majed Al Ali, Executive Director of the National Archives in Abu Dhabi
• Prof. Dr. Vitaly Naumkin, scholar at the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow
• Dr. Muhsin Jassim Al-Musawi, Professor of Arabic and Comparative Studies, Columbia University in New York
• Prof. Dr. Hanada Taha Thomure, Chair of Arabic Language and Assistant Dean at the Centre for Research and Development, Zayed University.

Notably, in November 2020, the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre announced a series of integrated programmes. Among them were initiatives aimed at drafting policies and legislation to reinforce the Arabic language and elevate its status in a manner befitting its civilisational and cultural heritage, which has influenced humanity throughout the ages.