Abu Dhabi:The UAE Hot Air Balloon Team has announced an international partnership with the Saga Balloon Museum in Japan to establish the first comprehensive hot air balloon museum in the Middle East. This facility, named the 'UAE Balloon Museum 7', will further cement the UAE's leadership in tourism, culture, and sports.
According to Emirates News Agency, the agreement was formalized during an official visit by the UAE Hot Air Balloon Team to Japan, where they participated in the 39th Pacific Cup and the Saga International Balloon Fiesta. During this visit, the delegation studied the latest technologies and systems for managing aviation and balloon-related museums and exchanged expertise with their Japanese counterparts.
The 'UAE Balloon Museum 7' will join an exclusive global network, becoming the seventh specialized museum of its kind, alongside museums in the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Japan. This makes the UAE the first and only nation in the Middle East to host such a landmark, which will be operated by Emirati professionals.
Captain Abdulaziz Nasser Al Mansoori, Head of the UAE Hot Air Balloon Team, expressed his pride in this achievement, highlighting that the museum represents a significant advancement and a bridge of knowledge in aviation. Al Mansoori emphasized that the museum will serve as a tourism and cultural experience, as well as an educational hub to transfer global expertise to national talent, aligning with the UAE leadership's vision for innovation.
The museum will showcase the history and technologies of hot air balloons and document the UAE Hot Air Balloon Team's journey, promoting the UAE's message of peace and tolerance. Kiyoshi Mori, Deputy Director of the Saga Balloon Museum, welcomed the collaboration and noted the historic inscription of the UAE team's Arabic name on the museum's honour boards.