Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Founding Chairman, Al Habtoor Group welcomed HE Dr Mana Saeed Al Otaiba at his office at the Al Habtoor Group head office.
HE Dr Otaiba is the former president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 1971 and 1983, and also served as Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the UAE under president Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan before becoming Advisor to both president Shaikh Zayed and later to President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
HE Dr Otaiba was recently awarded the 4th Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Lifetime Achievement Award at the Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature for his contribution to the literary word. The annual award recognises noted figures from the UAE who have influenced the long-term enrichment of literature in the country.
HE Dr Otaiba is a well-known author. He has written 42 books of poetry in colloquial Arabic, formal Arabic and English.
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor said, “People like Dr Otaiba help preserve our heritage through their writings. We need to encourage more young Emiratis to make a name of themselves in the arts. It helps preserve our culture.”
Al Habtoor said, “Documenting moments in history through literature is more important than ever. Our world runs at a much faster pace than ever before following the explosion of social media where everything happens in an instant, but we need to take stock and pause for a moment to document key moments through more traditional methods to help preserve our culture for future generations.”