ABU DHABI // Artists, entrepreneurs and academics gathered on Sunday evening to celebrate an era of giving by the Mother of the Nation – Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak.
A palm-tree-shaped art piece greeted guests, displaying 80 of Sheikha Fatima’s most significant accomplishments.
The stainless steel artwork took a month to design and was dreamt up by the renowned Emirati jeweller and sculptor, Azza Al Qubaisi.
“The part that required high efforts was finding a way to implement the concept,” Ms Al Qubaisi said. “For the first time, I built a palm-tree sculpture on a hexagonal shape.”
The 35-year-old designer also made sure that each of the palm’s dozen branches were built separately, in order to make the piece easier to move from place to place.
“I also chose stainless steel because it doesn’t get affected by climate changes, so it can be used both indoors and outdoors.”
Among Sheikha Fatima's achievements shown on the tree are her establishment and leading of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, in 2003, and her role as chairwoman of the General Women's Union.
Engineer Fatima Al Jaber, chairwoman of Abu Dhabi Business Women Council, said the event also aimed to highlight the humanitarian side of the business field.
“We like through this event to honour the mother of everyone – who has supported the Emirati woman’s path and has served as a role model,” she said.
Present at the event were successful businesswomen who thanked Sheikha Fatima for being a role model.
Mona Al Mansouri, an Emirati fashion designer who has been in the business for about 28 years, attributed the foundation of her success to Sheikha Fatima.
“We have overtaken ourselves with accomplishments [like that] of a country that is 100 years old,” said Ms Al Mansouri. “The Emirati woman has reached all statuses and has raced the age of the country with her accomplishments, all thanks to Sheikha Fatima’s support.”
The 47-year-old worked as a petroleum engineer for seven years before deciding to turn her fashion-design hobby into a career.
“I opened the path for Emirati female designers to follow being the first one in the field.”
Ms Al Mansouri still hopes to reach an international audience and promote local-style clothes worldwide.
To branch out the designer has started adding talli, a form of traditional embroidery made of silk and silver threads, to jeans and T-shirts.
“Many Emirati families live on producing the talli, and Sheikha Fatima has encouraged its production.”
The event included performances by local poets, singers and speakers.
hdajani@thenational.ae
