French Culture Minister Christine Albanel has led a high-level delegation to Abu Dhabi to seal the Louvre universal museum deal.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, which has been designed by award-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, is one of five major cultural assets planned for the cultural district of Saadiyat Island, off Abu Dhabi, which is being transformed by Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) into signature cultural and leisure destination.

The agreement covers a multitude of operational issues including individual proposals to theme the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s exhibition halls and guidelines for exhibitions to be mounted in the museum.

Planning for the Louvre Abu Dhabi follows a 30-year cultural accord signed last year between the governments of Abu Dhabi and the Republic of France.

The Louvre Abu Dhabi, which has been designed by award-winning French architect Jean Nouvel, is one of five major cultural assets planned for the cultural district of Saadiyat Island, off Abu Dhabi, which is being transformed by Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) into signature cultural and leisure destination.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of the TDIC and Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage and Bruno Maquart, former director of Centre Pompidou and Executive Director of the French Museums Agency, signed the agreement.

“The accord covers our specific requirements to mount arts educational events in the UAE capital and provide a degree of training for nationals wishing to enter the sector for solid career opportunities,” said Sheikh Sultan.

“Together with our French partners we are progressing well on the Louvre Abu Dhabi which will be among the first of Saadiyat’s international cultural institutions to take shape.”

The French delegation also included Henri Loyrette, Chairman and Director of the Louvre and former director of the Musée d’Orsay who also chairs the Scientific Committee of the French Museums Agency.

Work on the Louvre Abu Dhabi is shortly to enter its design and engineering phase with the appointment of an engineering consultant to work in collaboration with Jean Nouvel.

“Discussions with Sheikh Sultan and TDIC encompassed a myriad of topics covering the entire Louvre Abu Dhabi proposition,” Albanel added. - TradeArabia News Service