The Falaj Water Channel at the Founder’s Memorial is a remarkable symbol of the UAE’s efforts to showcase and preserve the country’s extensive cultural heritage.
This contemporary water feature pays rich tribute to the impressive green legacy of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and chimes with the timeless values that drive the country’s progress since its formation.
The Founder’s Memorial introduces visitors to the illustrious life of the Founding Father through narrating his inspiring journey, his deep appreciation of history and the ancestors authentic cultural heritage. It also signifies his persistence in spearheading the country’s comprehensive development to provide a decent livelihood for his people.
This story will also provide visitors with the opportunity to gain deep insight into Sheikh Zayed through a series of immersive multimedia experiences that comply with rarely seen footage, images, and testimonials from people that knew Sheikh Zayed personally.
The Falaj Water Channel is located in front of the Constellation at the Founder’s Memorial. Its unique design tells the history of the ancestors, their persistence to overcome the challenging environment and creativity in securing water for their agricultural lands using simple techniques.
Falaj was an innovative irrigation system that was used by people in the Arabian Peninsula to bring water from its source, which mostly originated from the foothills of mountains. They used this system to irrigate their farms from the water flowed through a water channel based on the force of gravity, which indicates an ingenious engineering.
Offering a glimpse into the country’s rich cultural heritage, the Falaj Water Channel is a testimony to the Founding Father’s grand vision and efforts to preserve the legacy of ancestors. Since the very beginning of his leadership, the late Sheikh Zayed realised the importance of water as a vital source of development. During his rule of Al Ain city in 1946, he ordered the provision of water to citizens for free since its cost was too high for farmers.
He also launched special programmes to maintain water resources, especially the Falaj channels.
The Water Channel’s location next to the Heritage Garden symbolises the Founding Father’s passion for nature and his role in protecting the UAE’s natural resources thanks to his wise vision. The late Sheikh Zayed developed plans to protect the environment and its sustainability and to inculcate environmental awareness in people’s minds. This was evident through his efforts to turn the desert into green fields and more hospitable to human life.
As a result, farming areas were expanded, millions of trees were planted in the desert, and endangered species were saved. These efforts reflect a visionary and determined leader who was keen on providing the best ways to develop agriculture despite the challenging desert environment.
His role in achieving the sustainability of natural resources articulates his vision that made the UAE a global model in protecting natural resources and one of the most influential countries in dealing with environmental challenges.
The Founder’s Memorial was inaugurated in February 2018 in line with the country’s celebrations of the Year of Zayed that marked the 100th birth anniversary of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who established an inspiring model for tolerance, development, and coexistence in the UAE.