The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (SZGMC) participated in the Arabian Travel Market 2021 exhibition, which was held in Dubai during May 16-19. The participation is part of the center’s strategy to play a religious, cultural and civilizational role in society.

The exhibition was an opportunity for the center to inform visitors of the role it plays in honoring the founding father of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan. The exhibition also enabled the center to shed light on Islamic heritage and noble values, and the mosque’s richness in arts and aesthetics of Islamic architecture.

The SZGMC exhibition stand was located within the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi pavilion.

The center participates annually in the event to promote its role and communicate with different cultures. The exhibition enables SZGMC to introduce the mosque as a global cultural tourist destination. Furthermore, it provides a platform for SZGMC to highlight its messages of coexistence and tolerance, which derive from values of the founding father — the late Sheikh Zayed.

During the exhibition, the grand mosque stand welcomed many visitors from different cultures. They learned how the grand mosque is one of the most important examples of Islamic architecture and a prominent cultural destination of a religious character. During the event, the center presented the aesthetics of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in an innovative way, represented through an interactive screen that allowed them to take a virtual tour. The center also showed a three-dimensional display of the grand mosque and showcased a number of its distinguished publications.

Mohamed Ahmed Al-Sarrah, head of the corporate communications section at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, said: “The center’s participation in this exhibition highlights the mosque as one of the most prominent religious, cultural and tourist landmarks in Abu Dhabi. We are always keen to attend major international forums and exhibitions specialized in travel and tourism, and this exhibition is one of the most important international platforms in the Middle East region.”

He added: “The grand mosque represents a unique model of Islamic and contemporary architecture — it is considered a global icon of urban beauty. It also reflects the inclusiveness of Emirati culture and the moderation and respect for others that the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan expressed.”