Dubai-based Habtoor Leighton Group (HLG) has been announced as the principal sponsor of Australia’s first Islamic Museum.

The Islamic Museum of Australia (IMA), which is expected to be a cultural hub for Islamic art and education in Australia, is slated to open in 2014.

“The Islamic Museum of Australia recognises the positive contributions Muslims have made to Australia, and we have received overwhelming support from the international community to see our project vision become a reality,” said museum founder Moustafa  Fahour.

The museum, which will feature stories, interactive displays and art exhibits, is being built by Leighton Contractors, which is part of HLG’s largest shareholder, the Leighton Group.

HLG was established in 2007 when the Leighton Group merged its Middle East operations with Al Habtoor Engineering, one of the biggest contractors in the region.

“This merger represents how companies and individuals from different countries, cultures and religions, can work well together,” said HLG CEO and managing director, Jose Antonio Lopez-Monis.