Page 15 - ICA PR REPORT - SEPTEMBER 2023

Press Release

The UAE is the first country in the Middle East to host this flagship global event. This event's

selection of Abu Dhabi as its host city underscores the nation's unwavering dedication to the
preservation of cultural heritage and the vital role archives play in ensuring access to valuable

information. The National Library and Archives, in particular, stands at the forefront of
safeguarding the cultural heritage, while the ICA Congress serves as a platform to elevate the

significance of archives on an international scale, fostering global cooperation and facilitating

cultural exchange.

During the 2023 session, the Council will organise several events, including the “ICA
Hackathon”, which includes schools and universities in the UAE. The competition will award

US $20,000 to the winning university team and US $10,000 to the winning high school team.

Hackathon participants, both from universities and schools, will gain access to previously
unpublished archival materials possessing immense potential for researchers and historians.

These materials, in their current state, remain inaccessible and indecipherable, risking their loss
of value for future generations. The hackathon teams will face the challenge of transforming

this ‘pile of data’ into an invaluable and usable resource for the future generations to come.

Abdullah Abdulkarim, Acting Executive Director of the Editorial Department at

Emirates News Agency (WAM) expresses satisfaction regarding the media partnership
between the Emirates News Agency and the ICA Council - Abu Dhabi 2023. This collaboration

aligns with WAM's media mission to highlight worldwide conferences and significant events
hosted by the UAE, under the guidance of the wise leadership of His Highness Sheikh

Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the country.

On this occasion, the Acting Executive Director of WAM commended the UAE's hosting of

this important international event, which provides an important platform for strengthening
international cooperation and highlighting the importance of communication and cooperation

in archiving and documentation, nationally and globally. He noted that the ICA Congress - Abu

Dhabi 2023, themed ‘Enriching Knowledge Societies’ and held in Abu Dhabi under the
generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President,

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, from October 9 to 13, reaffirms
the well-established position of the UAE in organizing and hosting international events and

conferences covering all areas of life.