Dr. Faleh Handal

Dr. Falih Handhal, from the Republic of Iraq,is a historian, author and co-writer of more than 35 books on the history and culture of the UAE as well as the region. He came to Abu Dhabi more than 40 years ago, and in 1977 began working in the oil and gas industry where he developed a unique interest in capturing the UAE’s local dialects and poetry. His hobby became a passion and led to one of the UAE’s most important historical works, ‘A Dictionary for the Arabic Dialect and Spoken Words of the UAE,’ which preserved the linguistic riches of Bedouin oral culture. Even as the traditional ways of life and reliance on the spoken word continue to change, the vibrant expressions and poems of the past have a way to live on through his invaluable research.