SHARJAH, 1st July, 2026 (WAM) -- The Sharjah Institute for Heritage (SIH) welcomed a delegation from the UAE National Orchestra, led by Managing Director Sheikha Alia bint Khalid Al Qasimi, as the two institutions look to deepen ties between the country's heritage and music sectors.
Egyptian composer Hisham Nazih joined the visiting group along with Farah Jadeed, Senior Manager at the Office of the Managing Director.
Dr Abdulaziz Al Musallam, Chairman of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, received the delegation alongside several of the institute's department heads.
The delegation toured the institute's facilities, where staff explained its mission to safeguard Emirati intangible cultural heritage through documentation, research, and training programs for younger generations. The group also heard about the institute's efforts to raise the profile of Emirati heritage regionally and internationally.
Dr Al Musallam said the visit reflected the value of joining forces across the country's cultural institutions, describing it as an opportunity to channel Emirati heritage into new creative projects that reinforce national identity.
He extended a welcome to Nazih specifically, saying the composer's presence carried real cultural weight—building a bridge, as he put it, between heritage and musical creativity and opening the door to reworking elements of Emirati tradition into pieces that speak to both national identity and a global audience.
Both sides agreed to broaden cooperation between cultural and artistic institutions, with a shared interest in launching joint initiatives that put Emirati heritage at the centre of contemporary creative output – and, in doing so, give the UAE's cultural legacy a stronger platform both regionally and worldwide.