Rare Photographs from HE Zaki Nusseibeh’s Private Collection

Sheikh Zayed and HE Zaki Nusseibeh covered in flower petals during a visit to India, February 1975. Courtesy of HE Zaki Nusseibeh and Akkasah Center for Photography.

Akkasah, the Center for Photography at NYU Abu Dhabi, has unveiled 137 photographs from the private collection of HE Zaki Nusseibeh

Press Release

In honor of the UAE National Day, Akkasah, the Center for Photography at NYU Abu Dhabi, has made available 137 photographs from the private collection of His Excellency Zaki Nusseibeh on their website.

Available on the Akkasah site, these photographs are an insightful window into the early days of Abu Dhabi as the city grew into the burgeoning commercial and cultural center it is today. In addition, the photos reveal an intimate and unique view into the public life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan to whom HE Nusseibeh was a key aide, advisor, and interpreter, among other roles. HE Nusseibeh’s personal collection of photographs reflects his dedicated service to the nation's founder and his distinctive insight into the history of the UAE.

Akkasah, the Center for Photography at NYU Abu Dhabi, is home to an archive of the photographic heritage of the Middle East and North Africa. The Center is dedicated to documenting and preserving the diverse histories and practices of photography from the region, and its growing archive contains at present over 60,000 images, with over 9,000 currently available online.


About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 115 countries and speak over 115 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

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