President Sheikh Mohamed, in his capacity as Sovereign of Abu Dhabi, has promulgated a law creating the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, which will have the following tasks:
- developing strategies to preserve Emirati heritage and traditions;
- promoting traditional and national identity values; documenting heritage practices;
- conducting studies and research into literature and traditions
- documentation of Emirati initiatives in the Nabati language and classical Arabic poetry, historical studies and publications focusing on the Emirate's oral history
- organising festivals, exhibitions and heritage programmes inside and outside the Emirate.
The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority replaces two institutions: the Emirates Heritage Club and the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee.