ABSTRACT
The Louvre Abu Dhabi, or the Universal Museum of Abu Dhabi, was officially launched with the signing of an agreement between the Governments of the UAE and France. The Tourism and Investment Development Company (TDIC), a public sector enterprise founded only a few years ago by the Abu Dhabi Emirate Government and owned by it, which is in charge of a large part of urban development in the capital city. The issue of national identity is particularly significant in the context of a multicultural society, and the emergence of English as the main language of communication has compelled the authorities to think of the future of Arabic, which is disregarded by almost the entire foreign population. The economic, social and political situation, however, make the issue of inventing the future all the more urgent. Abu Dhabi made a proposal to Paris in which it sought French cooperation in designing and in elaborating the content of the Saadiyat Island classical museum'.
