This paper examines the role of memorial sites as educational tools for peace in the UAE, framed within the context of the 2020 Abrahamic Accords, which normalized relations with Israel. The study investigates how the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi and the Museum of the Crossroads of Civilizations in Dubai transcend symbolic gestures to serve as pedagogical tools for peace education. Using Henri Lefebvre’s theory of differential space, the research explores how these sites foster critical engagement with reconciliation, intercultural dialogue, and collective memory through workshops, lectures, and community events targeting students and educators. By comparing the Abrahamic Family House’s focus on religious coexistence with the Museum’s emphasis on historical narratives of cultural interaction, the study critiques their effectiveness in delivering meaningful peace education. It interrogates whether these spaces genuinely contribute to sustainable peace-building or risk being reduced to performative political gestures. Through the lens of critical pedagogy, the research proposes a hybrid model that leverages the strengths of both institutions to enhance their educational and reconciliation efforts. By aligning these initiatives with the vision of the Abrahamic Accords, this paper underscores the transformative potential of memory sites in fostering cultural understanding, social justice, and sustainable peace through education.

Authors:
Najwa Belkziz, New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Najwa Belkziz is a Lecturer of Writing at New York University in Abu Dhabi. Her projects explore post-conflict memorialization in the Arab region, focusing on cultural memory, reconciliation, and memorial sites as spaces for peace education.

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