Middle East – Topics & Arguments #03–2014 Cultural heritage was a major factor in the formation of politics and identity for na- tion-states. Yet in Europe, a gradual over- coming of old nationalism has paved the way for its postmodern iteration, where it is interwoven with tourism, the market, leisure, and entertainment. As such, mon- uments, museums, and archaeological sites have become important elements to thematize tourism and consumption. Over the past decades, some rich Middle East countries—including the United Arab Emirates—have adopted a similar use of heritage: it has been used to build or reinvent national identity, and to pro- mote recreational and tourist activities. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are two significant cases. Their intangible heritage helps to build local identity and to attract tour- ism, together with the cities’ luxurious hotels and their ultra-modern shopping malls. Moreover, city administrations have even invited some major Western museums to open local branches, to in- crease tourism and confirm their new status as global cities. Keywords: Heritage; Museums; National Identity; Postmodern Society; Tourism; Middle East; United Arab Emirates Sand, Skyscrapers and Heritage “It is strange to imagine that 20 years ago Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai’s main thor- oughfare, was mostly sand” (“Dubai Expo”). These words, from the official website of Dubai Expo 2020, are a proud celebration of the extraordinary and rapid transformation of one of the two main cit- ies of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Features from sand to incredible and styl- ish skyscrapers designed by the most- courted star architects in the world, the site continues, show how Dubai has be- come “one of the world’s most modern urban landscapes.” At the same time, be- yond the obvious and understandably self-celebrative tone, we may notice an interesting concept of the past. The new amazing Dubai appears to be built on sand—i.e., in the traditional Western view, on nothing. What was there before sky- scrapers? Only sand. The site, of course, avoids emphasizing this Westernizing im- age and immediately presents a particular idea of heritage which, by mixing past and present, gives a strong idea of a win- ning continuity. “From the Persian Royal Road to the Han Dynasty’s Silk Road, from the trading posts of the 19th century to the hypermodernity of today’s UAE, peo- ple have always converged here” (“Dubai Expo”). The strength of the local heritage is related to its immateriality: the abstract FOCUS 71 Heritage and Tourism. Globalization and Shifting Values in the United Arab Emirates Marxiano Melotti