Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
On the occasion of the 20th Aletihad Forum, Aletihad News Center organised a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque for the guests of the forum, which included Joberto Sant’Anna, adviser to the former President of Brazil; Dr. Sergey Nikolaevich Baburin, Scientific Director of the Centre for Integration and Civilisational Studies at the Institute of State and Law and former deputy of the Russian State Duma; Tatiana Kukhareva, Russian journalist and media strategist; and Solomon Muchie, Ethiopian journalist and co-founder of the Ethiopian Media Professionals Association.
Dr. Hamad Al Kaabi, Chief Aletihad News Center Officer, emphasised that the visit provides an opportunity to introduce the guests of the forum to this grand architectural and cultural landmark, which is one of Abu Dhabi’s most prominent attractions.
He described the mosque as a platform for tolerance and a monument that embodies the beauty of Islamic architecture, its unique collections, and designs bearing the global signatures of artists and craftspersons from around the world.
Dr. Al Kaabi added that the visit aligns with the forum’s core objective of promoting civilisational dialogue.
Dr. Baburin said: “I can say without exaggeration that the impression left by the Sheikh Zayed Mosque is an impression of the universal peace-loving spirit of your people.”
He added that the mosque stands as a living testament to the legacy of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and symbolises the UAE’s “ability to unite and bring people together, regardless of their religion or nationality”.
Kukhareva described the Sheikh Zayed Mosque as one of the world’s “most amazing architectural and spiritual monuments”.
She added: “It was not my first visit, but every visit is incredibly special. Every time I go there, it’s the overall sentiment of calm, but also, you discover so many more things about it.”
Sharing his experience, Joberto said: “It was a wonderful experience to visit the mosque yesterday. It is one of the 10 most visited places in the world. It’s a beautiful, marvellous construction. It’s a deep sense of tranquillity that one feels when visiting this building.”
He added: “Without a doubt, it expresses and reflects the entire culture of the UAE, the entire culture of the Arab people, and the entire culture of this religion as well. I believe it’s a place that anyone who has the opportunity should definitely visit.”
For his part, Muchie emphasised that “Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is not merely a mosque; it is also a place for tolerance, peace, and goodness”.
