The Louvre Abu Dhabi was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, ten years after the concept was envisioned by then-French President Jacques Chirac, to bridge Eastern and Western cultures in light of the 9/11 attacks.
Addressing guests at the ceremony, current French President Emmanuel Macron (pictured below with wife, Brigitte) said: “My friends, here starts the fight of the generation, for our youth.
“This fight we are fighting with a spirit of conquest because from our side we represent the beauty of the whole world.”
Built following a billion-dollar deal between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and France, the museum is intended to tackle extremism.
Members of Arab royalty including Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum also attended to service.
Sheikh Mohamed said the museum represented the UAE’s “cultural pride”, adding: “The Louvre museum will represent the best of the East and the West and it’s going to be a meeting point for those who love beauty and culture from all over the world.”
The United Arab Emirates is ranked 44th in a list compiled Open Doors of countries where persecution against Christians is most severe.
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