Some chapters of history live in official documents. Others survive in the memories of the people who were there.
At ADIHEX 2026 in Abu Dhabi, The Founder’s Office is giving members of the public an opportunity to preserve those personal memories through the “Zayed Oral Archive”, a dedicated initiative collecting stories, photographs and personal keepsakes connected to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The archive is being hosted at The Founder’s Office pavilion at ADNEC Abu Dhabi, where a specialised team is meeting visitors who knew Sheikh Zayed or have personal material connected to him.
Visitors can bring photographs, share stories about encounters with Sheikh Zayed or present personal keepsakes. The team listens to their accounts and documents the information, creating a record that can be preserved for future generations.
Since the exhibition opened, the pavilion has already welcomed people who lived during Sheikh Zayed’s time and have shared first-hand memories of meeting him and experiencing his leadership.
It is these personal perspectives that give the archive its particular value. A photograph may capture a moment, while a personal recollection can provide the story behind it, revealing details and experiences that may not appear in conventional historical records.
The initiative forms part of The Founder’s Office’s wider work to research, document and preserve material relating to Sheikh Zayed’s life and legacy. By bringing together documented historical material with memories held within the community, the archive seeks to create a richer picture of the UAE’s Founding Father.
The setting is particularly fitting. ADIHEX brings together many of the traditions that were closely associated with Sheikh Zayed, including falconry, hunting and equestrian culture, making it a natural meeting point for people with memories connected to the UAE’s heritage.
The Founder’s Office is inviting the public to visit its pavilion at 5-040 in Hall 5 before ADIHEX 2026 closes on September 6 and contribute photographs, stories or personal keepsakes connected to Sheikh Zayed.
Because when an eyewitness shares a memory, it becomes more than a personal story. It becomes part of the collective record of a nation.
