Abu Dhabi tells the story of the land

Editor's Note: "Our fathers and grandfathers lived on this land, and they coexisted with our environment in the desert and the sea. They instinctively and with keen senses understood the need to preserve it, taking only what they needed and leaving what future generations could find as a source of goodness and a spring of giving." With these immortal words of the late, God willing, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the entrance of the "Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi" is adorned. These words summarize our relationship with this edifice and ignite within us the spirit of desire and excitement to discover it. It is the newest jewel added to the string of cultural, artistic, and historical gems that adorn Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It was opened last November to tell the world the story of the land through the voices of those who lived on it from creatures across ages, and to be a center for researchers and learners. From there, your journey begins with this issue, where we tell you the story of the museum's establishment and the major challenges faced, starting from design and construction, and ending with acquiring and installing exhibits... until the opening was successfully achieved on time. And 600 meters from this cultural edifice, there is the famous "Louvre Abu Dhabi" Museum, where precious artifacts tell the story of human creativity across civilizations. Among these archaeological finds, there is one dating back to the Byzantine Empire, which is discussed in the following investigation as we delve with a team of submerged archaeologists trying to interpret ancient treasures about what really happened to this empire during the "Dark Ages." We conclude this issue's topics with a file about 33 unique personalities chosen by National Geographic this year in honor of their efforts—and still— in protecting our planet and inspiring people to love, respect, and preserve it. I wish you an enjoyable read! May our homeland remain proud, secure, and safe. In this issue: Abu Dhabi tells the story of the land... a new cultural jewel adorning the UAE's necklace Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi The wreck of the Byzantine ship Inspiring National Geographic 33