Abdullah bin Zayed lauds UAE participation at Venice Biennale

posted on 02/06/2011: 59 views

HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, said yesterday he was deeply satisfied with the youths' engagement in the UAE Pavilion at the 54th International Art Exhibition - la Biennale di Venezia.

UAE participates with its second National Pavilion in the Arsenale under the theme "Second Time Around" proudly presenting the work of three Emirati artists to the international community.

'What is important to us is the participation of the UAE in the global highly profile exhibition ....... this is our second participation and we have managed to prod other Arab countries like Saudi Arabia and Iraq to have strong presence in this year's edition, ' Sheikh Abdullah said in an interview with Italian AGI news agency.

'We concentrate on the presence of Emirati young artists - two females and a male - who are feeling the ongoing changes around them and portraying them in their works effectively and strongly.

I think the UAE will actively engage in the upcoming international and regional cultural and artistic gatherings through our youths whom we are proud of,' Sheikh Abdullah added. The UAE foreign minister described the UAE-Italy bonds as ' developing steadily'. He disclosed that he would visit Rome in the coming few days at an invitation from his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini.

'Our relations are developing rapidly as the UAE is the major trade partner to Italy in the Middle East and we want this relationship to meet the needs of the two partners - not Italy only - and specifically our requirements in the cultural field........... Our presence today in the Venice Biennale signals that the cultural side will be lent increasing attention in future,' Sheikh Abdullah noted.

The UAE Pavilion has been initiated and supported by Abdul Rahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy and the Tourism Development '&' Investment Company (TDIC). - Emirates News Agency, WAM

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