Abu Dhabi: A collection of photographs of Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan went on public display for the first time at the Paris Sorbonne University on Sunday, with the pictures dating back to 1968.
The pictures are from an archive belonging to French photographer and filmmaker Raymdon Depardon, who visited the UAE in the late 1960s and was given exclusive access to Shaikh Zayed. Depardon managed to capture important moments during the formative years of the UAE.
Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, attended the opening of the exhibition and was given a guided tour of the premises.
Speaking to Gulf News, Prof Eric Fouache, Vice-Chancellor at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, said it was special to have a Frenchman documenting the history of the UAE. “We are proud to exhibit this photo collection and to be a bridge between different civilisations,” he said.
SNAPSHOTS OF HISTORY: Rare pictures from an archive belonging to French photographer and filmmaker Raymond Depardon, who visited the UAE in the late 1960s.
“Depardon is one of the most famous photographers of the 20th century and, in 1968, he was at the top of his form, covering a lot of international events,” Prof Fouache added.
Prof Fouache also remarked on the uniqueness of Depardon’s experience. “What is interesting is that Depardon had complete freedom to take these photos. Today, we can probably say that photographers would not get such unrestricted access to such political environments,” he said.
Dr Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Cultural Adviser at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, also attended the opening of the exhibition. Nusseibeh has a long history with the UAE, having served as Shaikh Zayed’s personal interpreter in 1968.
“The photographs make for an important historical record, especially now with the celebrations of the 44th National Day,” Nusseibeh told Gulf News.
“It is important for our next generations to see where we started from, and how far we have come. We need to remember our roots and continue to build on what our founding fathers gave us,” he added.
