King attends Louvre Abu Dhabi opening

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa today attended the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum in the Island of Saadiyat in the UAE capital.

HM the King was welcomed at the museum by UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and UAE Armed Forces Deputy Supreme Commander HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Executive Council Deputy Chairman HH Shaikh Hazza bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and senior officials.

HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan hailed the presence of HM the King at the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum. HM the King also thanked HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan for the invitation.

HM the King and other senior attendees toured different sections of the museum which showcases artworks and artifacts reflecting past and contemporary world human heritage.

HM the King also saw a collection of acquisitions and rare religious manuscripts which date back to old civilizations, including a borrowed collection of artifacts from French museums, comprising an ancient Chinese funerary mask and an 8,000-year-old double head carved stone statue from the Jordanian Department of Antiquities, in addition to a statue that dates back to 1600 BC from Al-Ain Museum and the statue of Ramses II of Egypt.

HM the king held cordial talks with heads of states who attended the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi Museum, focusing on Bahrain’s relations with their countries.

HM the King congratulated the United Arab Emirates, led by President HH Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Vice President, Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and UAE Armed Forces Deputy Supreme Commander HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, on the opening of the cultural milestone, the first world-standard museum in the Arab region and the Middle East.

"The museum, inspired by the Arab architecture, has become a new destination that mingles the global historical heritage with contemporary creations, thus reflecting the UAE openness to all cultures and civilisations and keenness on building bridges of science and knowledge with all peoples in the world", he said.

HM the King hailed deep-rooted fraternal relations binding Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, lauding advanced cooperation on all levels, particularly culture, arts and museums.

HH Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum and French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the grand opening ceremony. An orchestra played international musical works that included excerpts from Orfeo ed Euridice Opera accompanied by oud, fife and zither soloists.