Zaki Nusseibeh Collection
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Abstract
The Zaki Nusseibeh Collection is a series of photographs from the private library of His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh, UAE Minister of State. The photographs are an insightful window into an Abu Dhabi as the city took its first steps toward becoming the burgeoning commercial and cultural center it is today. In addition, they reveal an intimate and unique view into the public life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Mr. Nusseibeh was a key aide to His Highness Sheikh Zayed as an advisor and interpreter among many other roles, and his personal collection of photographs reflect his dedicated service to the nation's founder. The Zaki Nusseibeh Collection is a celebration of the UAE in its inception - we see the buildings of the modern city of Abu Dhabi rise in the nineteen-sixties and seventies, as Sheikh Zayed visited countries throughout the world and hosted foreign leaders at home in the UAE. The Collection brings the viewer into the eighties as well, with candid images of other honored Emirati leaders including HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan. Akkasah is honored to invite the world to view this enlightening collection of images, made possible by the generosity of HE Zaki Nusseibeh.
Biographical / Historical
Zaki Nusseibeh was born in Jerusalem, studied there and in Cambridge University, UK, gaining a Masters degree in Economics. He moved to Abu Dhabi in 1967 and became Sheikh Zayed's personal translator in 1968 being bestowed UAE citizenship shortly afterwards.
He has held various positions within the Abu Dhabi government including Director of Information, Director of the Press Office for HH the President, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation and Cultural Advisor at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Deputy Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage Authority, and most recently Minister of State. He has also served on numerous boards, including; Chairman of the London School of Economics LSE Middle East Centre Advisory Board and member of London School of Oriental and African Studies SOAS Middle East Centre Advisory Board, and of the Alliance Française Foundation in Paris. He was also the President of the Alliance Francaise Abu Dhabi and the UAE chapter of the International 'Friends of Richard Wagner' society. He helped in founding the Abu Dhabi Classics program in Abu Dhabi and the Al Ain Music Festival in Al Ain. In 2014 he was also asked to chair the Wagner Foundation in Leipzig, Germany and is a member on the Board of Trustees of the Agha Khan Museum in Toronto and of the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris.
Arrangement
This collection has been processed as it was received.
Scope and Contents
The Zaki Nusseibeh Collection comprises of scans of 149 photographic prints from the library of Zaki Nusseibeh, an Emirati Minister of State. The photographs represent a number of setting inside and outside the United Arab Emirates between the early 1950's and 1990's. Notable subjects are Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan meeting with a number of notable world leaders and dignitaries from throughout the world, and images of the building of infrastructure in Abu Dhabi from the 1960's into the 1980's.
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Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Any rights (including copyright and related rights to publicity and privacy) held by Zaki Nusseibeh are maintained by New York University. Permission to publish or reproduce materials in this collection must be secured from repository. Please contact Akkasah at akkasah@nyu.edu
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date; Zaki Nusseibeh Collection; AD_MC_020; box number; folder number or item identifier; Akkasah Center for Photography, New York University Abu Dhabi.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Original photographs were obtained directly from Zaki Nusseibeh, digitized, and returned.
Content Description
The Zaki Nusseibeh Collection comprises of 149 gelatin silver prints scanned at 400ppi, they are mainly press shots of Sheikh Zayed and Zaki Nusseibeh on numerous state visits including to India, Pakistan, Morocco, France, the USA and UK. There are also some photographs of buildings and streets in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, the bulk of the images are dated between 1970-1980.