Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) has emphasized the key role played by its all-Emirati cultural tour specialists in promoting the legacy of Sheikh Zayed and the UAE’s virtues of tolerance and co-existence in addition to enriching the knowledge of its visitors coming from around the world.
In a statement marking the International Tourist Guide Day 2021, SZGMC said its cultural tour specialists had conducted a virtual tour of the mosque for a number of tour guides representing international travel & tourism companies operating in the country.
In light of the mosque’s prominent position as one of the key cultural and tourist destinations in the UAE, which is visited by millions of people, including public figures and tourist and official delegations from around the world, its cultural tour specialists are always keen to brief visitors about the principles of tolerance, co-existence, and respect embraced by the UAE. This is in the realization of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s vision to build bridges of communication and cultural dialogues between cultures of the world.
During the tour, the guides were briefed about the initiative introduced by the Centre, under the title, “The Tolerance Path,” which took them through the three sections of the path and narrated stories that embody the values of tolerance and co-existence that had been promoted and supported by Sheikh Zayed.
The Centre believes in the importance of investing in national human resources and harnessing UAE citizens’ potential to deliver a universal message to the entire world. Therefore, 100 percent of the Centre’s cultural tour specialists are Emirati citizens, both male and female, who offer cultural tours to tourists and visitors to the mosque, proudly representing a bright image of the nation’s sons and daughters.
They also present training workshops and courses at the mosque, supporting the Centre’s efforts to highlight the true image of the UAE and promote its rich, diverse culture among those coming from around the world.
As part of its social responsibility, SZGMC organizes training programs targeting hopefuls seeking to be cultural tour specialists. The Centre regularly holds two free training programs: the “Ibn Al Dar Programme” that targets Emirati students and graduates, and the “Young Cultural Guide Programme” that targets the youth, to prepare a young generation proud of their national identity and Islamic culture and capable of fulfilling their responsibilities.
The Centre also provides virtual cultural tours and physical ones through the mosque’s official Instagram account. Since May 2020, the SZGMC’s team has presented 184 virtual tours, which received over 23,000 reviews. Physical tours totaled some 1,500 and served visitors from various nationalities.
On the occasion, Ameena Al Hammadi, Acting Head of the Cultural and Guidance Section of the SZGMC, said that the Centre is committed to highlighting the true and bright image of the tolerant Islamic culture and the quintessential values of the Emirati community, as well as the role of the Centre in reviving the achievements and stories of Sheikh Zayed and promoting his message of tolerance, by training a generation of Emiratis who are proud of their national identity and Islamic culture.
“While marking the International Tourist Guide Day, we reiterate our keenness to continue training a promising generation of Emirati cultural tour specialists and supplying them with the necessary skills and expertise for them to become competent ambassadors capable of conveying their country’s message to the mosque’s visitors from around the world,” she added.
Affiliated to the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre is supported and monitored by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs. Founded as a center of the UAE’s cultural and intellectual movement, the mosque embodies the cultural and national values promoted by the late Sheikh Zayed as well as the national identity inspired by Islamic teachings.
