In a powerful reminder of how history often hides in plain sight, a black-and-white photograph of a young boy leaping joyfully into the air became the center of a national conversation in the UAE. The image, posted on Instagram by the Zayed National Museum, featured a radiant schoolboy in mid-jump, taken in 1966 at Al Nahyaniyah School in Al Ain. It came with a simple question: “Who is this student?”
The photo quickly captured the imagination of the public. Social media transformed into a hub of curiosity, as users across the country shared the image in hopes of identifying the young boy. The answer came from an unexpected place—Younis Khamis Abdullah Hadooq Al Baloushi, who recognized the boy as his late father, who had passed away in 2013.
What began as a digital mystery evolved into a deeply personal discovery for the Al Baloushi family. Younis recalled how, as a child, his father had taken him and his siblings to the Al Ain Museum, where the same photo was on display. His father explained that it was taken when he was a student at Al Nahyaniyah School—an institution founded in 1959 by the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Upon learning about the museum’s search, Younis reached out to confirm his father’s identity and shared additional photos and memories from their family archive. This contribution has since become part of the Zayed National Museum’s “Our Beginnings” gallery, which showcases the early days of the nation and Sheikh Zayed’s transformative role as Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain.
“The fact that my father’s photo will be seen by future generations at such a respected institution means everything to us,” Younis said. “He was a simple man who loved his country, photography, and people of all backgrounds.”
Indeed, Younis shared stories of his father’s love for documenting life with a camera—despite the challenges of older photographic equipment—and of his friendships with expatriates, including an American family he taught Arabic to while learning English from them. These snapshots not only tell the story of one man’s life but also reflect the UAE’s long-standing tradition of cultural openness and community.
The museum’s curator, Fatima Al Hammadi, emphasized that the Instagram post was part of a broader initiative to engage the public in enriching the museum’s collection. “The goal was to connect with the community and uncover stories hidden within our photographic archives,” she explained. The image of the schoolboy stood out for its energy and historical context, set against the backdrop of the UAE’s first formal school, a symbol of Sheikh Zayed’s belief in education as the foundation of the nation’s future.
Through this campaign, the Zayed National Museum has reaffirmed its role as a guardian of Emirati heritage—not just through dates and documents, but through the deeply personal narratives that form the true soul of a nation.
Nestled in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, the museum stands as a tribute to Sheikh Zayed’s vision and values. With contributions like the joyful leap of a schoolboy from 1966, it continues to tell the story of the UAE—one photo, one memory, and one family at a time.
