ABU DHABI // Students were able to learn about European culture and identity with community leaders and diplomats from the European Union on Wednesday.
About 180 students from the Higher Colleges of Technology, NYU Abu Dhabi and Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi gathered for the event, held at the Paris-Sorbonne campus to celebrate Europe Day.
It was attended by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, and Dr Mihai Stuparu, the EU ambassador to the UAE.
“Europe is an integral element of our nation’s global nature,” said Sheikh Nahyan. “Diversity defines our population and the students at NYU Abu Dhabi are a microcosm of that diversity. Our country is a global crossroads, built on understanding and respecting all human beings.”
The students were able to gain an insight into key values pertaining to identity, unity and peace in Europe. They also learnt about EU-UAE relations.
“To safeguard its values, the EU needs strong partners,” said Dr Stuparu. “This is why we have deepened our relationships with strategic partners like the UAE. Relations between [both countries] have gone beyond diplomacy and cultural exchange, and having this prestigious European university in the UAE is a great example of these strong relations.”
Sheikh Nahyan added: “We can always learn more about the countries of the EU. And despite the vast knowledge and sophistication of the diplomatic corps, it could probably learn even more about the young men and women in our colleges and universities.”
cmalek@thenational.ae
