UAE Minister Unveils National Committee to Craft the Emirates' Unification Narrative

The UAE has established a new National Committee for the Union Narrative to create the country's single official version of how the nation was founded. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered the committee's formation to document the precise historical events before and during the UAE's creation in 1971, with special focus on founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's central role.

Ahmed Jumaa Al Zaabi, advisor to the UAE President, will chair the committee. The group includes representatives from all seven emirates plus key federal institutions like the Presidential Ceremonial Office, National Media Office, Education Council, National Archives, and various executive councils.

Here's what makes this significant: The committee becomes the sole authority for approving any content about the UAE's formation. All government agencies, media outlets, schools, and cultural institutions must now submit materials about the union or national symbols to this committee before publishing or broadcasting them.

The committee will create an official document that establishes the exact sequence of historical events leading to the UAE's formation. This includes standardizing terminology and ensuring all national, media, educational, and cultural content aligns with the approved narrative.

But the committee's reach goes beyond just documentation. It must approve national campaigns related to the union and state symbols before launch. It will also coordinate with government bodies and national institutions to ensure unified messaging across all platforms that discuss the UAE's founding or its symbols.

The move reflects a broader trend across Gulf states to centralize control over historical narratives. For the UAE, which was formed through a complex process involving seven separate emirates, having one official version helps reinforce national unity and identity.

The committee can form working groups and consult with experts and advisors, though these consultants won't have voting rights on decisions. It will also periodically review and update the union narrative based on reliable research and historical developments while maintaining core principles.

This centralized approach to historical narrative gives the UAE government significant control over how its founding story gets told in schools, media, and public discourse. Any content that contradicts the official version will need revision before publication.