Sharjah Ruler to inaugurate 'The Beauty of Words' at AUS

The official opening of this exhibition, which will be at the AUS Main building Rotunda for a month, takes place on 7 October 2012 and will be attended by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad al Qassimi and H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al Thani, collector and owner of Faisal Bin Qassim Museum.

The exhibition will present a selection of some 100 distinctive items of Islamic calligraphy from Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al Thani Museum in Doha, Qatar.

AUS Chancellor Dr. Peter Heath expressed his gratitude to H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani on supporting this initiative "One significant dimension of the University's mission consists in cultivating the fine arts, literature, and sciences within the Emirates. Moreover, this initiative aims to create a regional network, which will help merge academia and the arts in order to empower students and alumni to interact in the UAE and beyond and expose them to the most distinguished and unique artworks," commented Dr. Heath.

The Chancellor commented that this project had been carried out as a tripartite collaboration between the University's Office of Public Affairs, the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, and the College of Architecture, Art and Design to the theme 'Art through University and Community Dialogue' launched at the AUS Alumni Reunion Dinner last January.

Vice Chancellor Salem Al Qaseer and Vice Chancellor Nada Mourtada expressed their appreciation to H.E. Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani for his vision in selecting the American University of Sharjah as a venue for this first 'Voyaging Museum' exhibition in the Middle East, which is in line with the University's mission in establishing strong ties with the community and exposing the finest collections to the various audiences that looked up to AUS as a distinctive hub for the display and enhancement of art, heritage, and culture.

Sheikha Al Anood Bin Faisal Al Thani, Vice-Chair of Board of Trustees of Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Museum, commented, "We are especially proud of this initiative, which demonstrates our mission to encourage cultural exchange and promote heritage. AUS is a particularly distinguished partner to work with and we invite all people to visit the exhibition and get a better understanding of the rich heritage of the Islamic Calligraphy. We are very glad that we could gather these beautiful and interesting pieces all together. Our purpose is to make them accessible to those who share the same enthusiasm for history and art."

Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani is one of Qatar's leading entrepreneurs, regarded as a key player in promoting the heritage and culture of Qatar. Sheikh Faisal pioneered the establishment of a heritage venue, with the objective of reviving public interest and appreciation of local culture.

The venue expresses his vision, combining and displaying his private collection of unique coins, books, manuscripts, ceramics, and antique cars. This window to the beauty and splendor of the past of Qatar and the Islamic world has been opened for people from all walks of life to view and experience.

In 2012, Sheikh Faisal was awarded a new and well-deserved title, 'Heritage Personality of the Year', for noteworthy achievements in heritage preservation organized under the patronage of the League of Arab States. The 'Beauty of Words' exhibition is curated by Dr. Dieter Marcos, Director of Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al Thani Museum.