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The carrying out of studies into our history, heritage and culture is a fundamental part of the way in which the Emirates must prepare itself for the future," the Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, has said.
He was speaking after presenting the annual awards of the Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Natural History Group, ENHG.
"If we are to make solid and sustainable progress, it is important both that we collect together and share as much information as possible about the country as it is today and that we deepen our knowledge of our past. The achievements for which we strive today and tomorrow will be built on those of the past; our ability to create a sustainable future depends on a proper understanding of all aspects of our country's natural resources."
"That," Sheikh Nahyan said, "is why I have long encouraged those, citizens and expatriates alike, who have devoted their time to studying and recording our wildlife and to promoting knowledge of our environment and history."
Quoting the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's saying that 'a knowledge of the past was crucial to understanding the present and preparing for the future', Sheikh Nahyan went on to praise the country's leadership, headed by the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for their support for such research.
"Amidst the other challenges that face them in the building of the nation, they have always ensured that these aspects of our development are encouraged and given due priority," he said.
The winner of the 2016 Sheikh Mubarak bin Mohammed Prize for Natural History was Binish Roobas, a Dubai-based Indian zoologist, who has undertaken ground-breaking studies of the country's wildlife, including the first-ever study of the many species of spider to be found in the UAE.
The Bish Brown Award was won by John Stewart-Smith, an 84 year old veteran of the Abu Dhabi Defence Force, ADDF, who served as a pilot here between 1969 and 1977. Stewart-Smith, who was the first chairman of the ENHG, was also one of the early pioneers in collecting data on the UAE's wildlife and is currently assisting historians at Khalifa University with research into the early history of the UAE Armed Forces.
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