The UAE Hot Air Balloon Team has entered into a global partnership with Japan’s Saga Balloon Museum to create the Middle East’s inaugural comprehensive hot air balloon museum in the UAE, enhancing the nation's cultural, tourism, and aviation attractions.
The UAE Balloon Museum 7 will be the seventh dedicated hot air balloon museum globally, alongside two in the United States and others located in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Japan. Emirati professionals will operate and manage the museum, positioning the UAE as the first nation in the Middle East to house such an institution.
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The contract was formalized during an official trip by a UAE Hot Air Balloon Team delegation to the Saga Balloon Museum in Japan, aligned with the team's involvement in the 39th Pacific Cup and the Saga International Balloon Fiesta.
Throughout the visit, the delegation examined global technologies and management strategies employed in specialized aviation and balloon museums, while sharing knowledge with their Japanese counterparts to aid in the establishment of the proposed facility.
Captain Abdulaziz Nasser Al Mansoori, Head of the UAE Hot Air Balloon Team, says, “We are extremely proud that the United Arab Emirates has become the first nation in the Middle East to possess a comprehensive, integrated system in the world of hot air ballooning. The establishment of the ‘UAE Balloon Museum 7’, in collaboration with prestigious international institutions such as the Saga Balloon Museum, represents a qualitative leap and a knowledge bridge connecting our region to the horizons of aviation, both in its historical and modern aspects.”
He adds, “This project is not merely a unique tourism and cultural experience; it also serves as a comprehensive and sustainable educational and training hub, facilitating the transfer of global expertise to our national talent".
"This aligns with the vision of our wise leadership to embrace innovative projects that consistently position the UAE at the forefront globally”.
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The museum will display the history and evolution of hot air ballooning, highlighting the technologies used in balloon production and functioning. It will additionally record the UAE Hot Air Balloon Team's global travels and involvement in events worldwide.
A specific area will emphasize the group's aim of fostering peace and tolerance with a balloon featuring the phrase, “The world will never forget you, Zayed.” The initiative pays tribute to the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE.
Kiyoshi Mori, Deputy Director of the Saga Balloon Museum, expressed his approval of the collaboration and reiterated the Japanese institution's backing for the UAE initiative. He additionally remembered the UAE team's groundbreaking involvement in the 39th Pacific Cup and Saga International Balloon Fiesta in 2006, marking the first instance of an Arabic name being etched on the museum's honor boards.
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The collaboration aims to promote knowledge exchange and enhance global cooperation in ballooning, museum administration, and aviation heritage. The UAE Hot Air Balloon Team seeks to establish a site that integrates tourism, cultural conservation, education, and professional training through the UAE Balloon Museum 7, while familiarizing visitors with the history and global evolution of hot air ballooning.