From left: Zayed National Museum construction site, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi; Louvre Abu Dhabi site, Saadiyat Island. Photos: Marily Konstantinopoulou
Since the country’s formation in 1971, the United Arab Emirates—a federation of seven emirates—has undertaken significant social and political reforms in order to both demonstrate openness to international intellectual influence, and become an exemplar of cosmopolitanism in the Gulf region.