Sultan issues decree to set up cultural foundation

His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has issued an Emiri Decree to establish and regulate the Abdulrahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais Cultural Foundation.

This Decree establishes a private arts and culture institution in the emirate, designated as the “Abdulrahman Bin Mohammed Al Owais Cultural Foundation.”

This organisation operates as a non-governmental, non-profit entity endowed with legal personality and the requisite capacity to fulfill its objectives and functions. It possesses financial and administrative autonomy and is owned by its founder, Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al Owais.

The Foundation’s headquarters will be located in Sharjah.

The Board of Trustees is empowered to establish branches or additional offices within the emirate through a formal resolution. Additionally, the Foundation will be registered with the Sharjah Economic Development Department.

The Foundation’s mission, as articulated in the decree, is to support the development of culture and the arts throughout the emirate.

Its objectives include promoting community awareness of heritage, cultural, and artistic values, as well as preserving and showcasing the founder’s valuable collections, which comprise rare manuscripts, artistic artifacts, and heritage items.

The Foundation aims to make these holdings accessible to the public in a manner that enriches general culture and sustains national identity.

The decree delineates that, in furtherance of its goals, the Foundation shall undertake the following responsibilities:

1. To provide support and sponsorship for cultural, artistic, and educational initiatives and projects that align with the Foundation’s mission and contribute to the advancement of culture and the arts within the Emirate.

2. To collect and document heritage artifacts of historical, cultural, and artistic significance, particularly the founder’s personal collection, while preparing comprehensive records for each item, which shall include photographs along with historical and artistic information.

3. To maintain and restore these artifacts to ensure their preservation in optimal condition, engaging experts and specialists as necessary to facilitate this process.

4. To prepare and publish studies and materials that illuminate cultural heritage and national identity while contributing to the dissemination of knowledge. 5. To establish cultural partnerships with governmental and private entities as well as educational institutions, fostering collaborative efforts in cultural development.

The institution is governed by a board that serves as its highest authority and exercises all powers in accordance with the provisions outlined in this decree and the established bylaws.

In the interim, until the board is constituted, the founder is responsible for managing the institution and representing it before all governmental and private entities and individuals. The founder will exercise full powers, issue decisions, and undertake all actions in alignment with the provisions of this decree and the bylaws.

The initial board of trustees is established through a decision made by the founder, who also serves as the chairperson. The composition of the board, the duration of its members’ terms, and the procedures for their appointment and removal will be specified in the institution’s bylaws.

A chairperson and a vice-chairperson will be appointed from within the board’s members. The board shall exercise the powers delineated in this decree and the bylaws.

Separately, Sheikh Sultan issued an Emiri Decree that formalises the approval of the general organisational structure for the Department of Municipal Affairs.

The decree stipulates that the general organisational structure of the Department of Municipal Affairs is hereby sanctioned, and it mandates the Executive Council to issue subsequent resolutions including the following:

1. The comprehensive organisational structure of the Department of Municipal Affairs, along with the necessary resolutions for the implementation of this decree, which shall encompass the approval of job descriptions pertinent to the responsibilities of the organisational units within the department, in accordance with their designated jurisdictions.

WAM