RULER OF SHARJAH VISITS ARMENIA
Azad-Hye, United Arab Emirates
Sept 14 2005
AZAD-HYE (Dubai, 14 September 2005): His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan
bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE)
Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah is expected to pay an official
visit to Armenia from 19-21 September 2005. This is the highest ranking
official from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to visit Armenia. His
Highness has been the Ruler of Sharjah since 1972 and is educated at
the Universities of Cairo and Exeter (England), having a PhD degree
from the later. In Armenia he will be bestowed with honorary doctorate
from prestigious Armenian university, as a token of appreciation for
his contribution to the well being of the Armenians in his Emirate
and his continuous attentiveness to develop the relations between
Armenia and the UAE, on cultural and other levels.
Dr Sheikh Al Qasimi will attend the opening ceremony of the Sharjah
Cultural Week in Armenia (19-23 September 2005), an event that will
further develop the existing warm relations between the two sides. A
delegation of 20 artists from Sharjah will introduce to the Armenian
public the traditions and recent cultural achievements of Sharjah. It
is worth mentioning that Sharjah is considered as one of the most
culturally oriented cities in the Arab World. In 1998 it was designated
by UNESCO as the cultural capital of the Arab World.
Sharjah International Art Biennial is a well known event worldwide.
The Sharjah Cultural Week is taking place within the framework of
cultural exchanges between Armenia and Sharjah. The details of this
cooperation has been discussed in December 2004 during the visit of
the Minister of Culture of Armenian Hovig Hoveyan to Sharjah, who
attended, together with Dr. Sheikh Al Qasimi and Dr. Arshak Poladian,
Ambassador of Armenian to the UAE, the opening ceremony of the Armenian
Cultural Week in Sharjah (11-17 December 2004).
During the above visit to Sharjah the Minister of Culture Hovik Hoveyan
was awarded two rare breed horses. Both Arab horses contributed to
the development of horse-breeding in Armenia. Dr.
Sheikh Al Qasimi will take with him this time two more horses, thus
enabling to enlarge the circle of rare horse breeding in Armenia.
(Click Read More).
Dr. Sheikh Al Qasimi will meet also the President of Armenia, whom
he hosted in Sharjah previously on 21 April 2002, during Kocharian’s
official visit to the UAE. His Highness will be congratulating Armenia
on its independence day (21 September).
The only Armenian church in the UAE has been constructed on land
donated by Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi. The permission
to build the church was granted in 1997. The project began at the
end of the same year and was completed in one year time. It was
was officially consecrated in the Al Yarmook district of the city of
Sharjah in November 1998 by His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of the Holy
See of Cilicia. The built-up area of the church is 400 square metres,
while the whole project (together with adjacent parts, including the
Community Hall) covers a total area of 1200 square metres. The church
has been large enough to serve the 3000 Armenians who live in the
Northern Emirates (Dubai, Sharjah and other emirates except Abu Dhabi
which is located relatively far). This one million dollar project has
been financed by the members of the Armenian community in the country.