Visitors come from all over the world to see the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi is one the UAE’s if not the world’s most iconic landmarks and one that greets visitors to the capital as they drive in from Dubai and Al Ain.
Despite the pandemic curtailing outings, the Grand Mosque has been as busy as ever, with visitors and worshippers paying the landmark a visit.
In the first half of 2021, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque received 65,500 worshippers and 126,000 visitors during, totalling no less than 235,700 people.
According to statistics, 54 per cent of the visitors came from within the UAE while the rest were foreign tourists.
In Q2, the mosque witnessed a 53 per cent growth in the number of visitors compared to Q1, reaching 142,600.
Males comprised 54 per cent of the visitors while females accounted for the rest. The age group of 25 to 35 years constituted the majority with 41 per cent. During the first half of the year, 44,000 people used the Jogging Trail, a track that goes around the outside of the mosque.
Over the first six months of 2021, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) conveyed the mosque’s message of tolerance, stemming from the true teachings of Islam, through 1,700 cultural tours, led by official Cultural Tour Specialists and attended by 4,918 visitors from around the world.
In addition, the centre organised 75 virtual tours in Arabic and English via Instagram and Microsoft Teams, recording 7,382 views. This included 20 pre-booked tours with the participation of 797 followers.
Three tours were conducted in sign language as part of the RE’HAAB ALHEMAM programme that caters to people of determination to include them in various initiatives organised by the centre as part of its commitment to social responsibility and in recognition of their influential role within the community.
The mosque plays a pivotal role in presenting a positive image of the Islamic religion to the world in line with the vision of the Founding Father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who sought for the mosque to become an important bridge between different cultures, a platform for global dialogue, and a vehicle for promoting the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence between religions of the world.
Since its establishment, the mosque has fulfilled this goal, following the directives of the leadership to embrace diversity, openness and respect in a country that is home to more than 200 nationalities.
Source WAM – UAE National News Agency
