The UAE Hot Air Balloon Team has signed an international partnership with Japanâs Saga Balloon Museum to establish the Middle Eastâs first comprehensive hot air balloon museum in the UAE, further expanding the country's cultural, tourism and aviation-related attractions.
Named the UAE Balloon Museum 7, the facility will
become the seventh specialised hot air balloon museum worldwide, joining two
institutions in the United States and others in the Netherlands, the United
Kingdom, Switzerland and Japan. The museum will be operated and managed by
Emirati professionals, making the UAE the first country in the Middle East to
host such an institution.
The agreement was signed during an official visit by a UAE
Hot Air Balloon Team delegation to the Saga Balloon Museum in Japan, coinciding
with the team's participation in the 39th Pacific Cup and the Saga
International Balloon Fiesta.
During the visit, the delegation explored international
technologies and management systems used in specialised aviation and balloon
museums, while exchanging expertise with Japanese counterparts to support the
development of the proposed facility.
Captain Abdulaziz Nasser Al Mansoori, Head of the UAE Hot
Air Balloon Team, said: âWe are extremely proud that the United Arab Emirates
has become the first nation in the Middle East to possess a comprehensive,
integrated system in the world of hot air ballooning. The establishment of the
âUAE Balloon Museum 7â, in collaboration with prestigious international
institutions such as the Saga Balloon Museum, represents a qualitative leap and
a knowledge bridge connecting our region to the horizons of aviation, both in
its historical and modern aspects.â
He added: âThis project is not merely a unique tourism and
cultural experience; it also serves as a comprehensive and sustainable
educational and training hub, facilitating the transfer of global expertise to
our national talent. This aligns with the vision of our wise leadership to
embrace innovative projects that consistently position the UAE at the forefront
globally.â
The museum will showcase the history and development of hot
air ballooning, including the technologies involved in balloon manufacturing
and operation. It will also document the UAE Hot Air Balloon Team's
international journey and participation in events around the world.
A dedicated section will highlight the team's mission of
promoting peace and tolerance through a balloon carrying the slogan, âThe world
will never forget you, Zayed.â The initiative honours the legacy of the UAE's
Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Kiyoshi Mori, Deputy Director of the Saga Balloon Museum,
welcomed the partnership and reaffirmed the Japanese institution's support for
the UAE project. He also recalled the UAE team's historic participation in the
39th Pacific Cup and Saga International Balloon Fiesta in 2006, when it became
the first team to have an Arabic name inscribed on the museum's honour boards.
The partnership is expected to facilitate knowledge transfer
and strengthen international cooperation in ballooning, museum management and
aviation heritage.
Through the UAE Balloon Museum 7, the UAE Hot Air Balloon Team aims to create a destination combining tourism, cultural preservation, education and professional training, while introducing visitors to the history and international development of hot air ballooning. -TradeArabia News Service
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