When the Abrahamic Family House opened on Saadiyat Island’s Jacques Chirac Street early last year, the site rightly won instant praise. Imagined as a place where three religions – Islam, Judaism and Christianity – can co-exist in a connected setting that speaks to respect and inter-faith dialogue, the family house was recognised by Time magazine as one of the “world’s greatest places” earlier this year.
It is no surprise that this visually stunning and spiritually uplifting site, and the burgeoning cultural district that surrounds it, is already a popular destination point for tourists and residents alike.
Across town, in the Mushrif area of Abu Dhabi island, visitors may chance upon another blend of faiths and sounds, one that could easily be described as another diverse collection of faith houses.
Reverend Canon Andy Thompson, who was for many years the senior chaplain at the neighbourhood’s St Andrew’s Church, noted in his 2011 book, Christianity in the UAE, that in the Churches Area “mosque and church are side by side. The newcomer will often marvel and comment on the sound of the call to prayer mingling with the refrains of Christian worship”. His words about the area are redolent of the much newer venue for inter-faith connectedness on Saadiyat and, indeed, are an accurate and relevant portrayal of the Mushrif area as it is today.
People flood into the Abu Dhabi island neighbourhood at weekends and in the evening. An urban anthropologist might note the diverse and multicultural nature of those worshippers who arrive in the area and, perhaps, that cars, humans and chatter fill the streets over the weekend hours in the manner of a tide that ebbs and flows alongside the timings of worship. Late in the evening, the surrounding streets stand still again, except at times of religious festivals when services might run through the night.
On one corner of the neighbourhood is Mary, Mother of Jesus Mosque. On another is St Antony’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral. Next door is St Andrew’s Church, St Joseph’s Cathedral and St Therese Church. Pope Francis visited St Joseph’s hours before the large public Papal mass at Zayed Sports City Stadium in 2019.
This is what was once referred to by this newspaper as a “kaleidoscope of denominations”. The multiple streams of Christianity are represented here, alongside Islam. A simple search on Google Maps produces a basket of marker flags within the block representing different forms of faith being practised.
Across the street and clustered close to the main entrance of The British School Al Khubairat, itself a fixture of the block for several decades, and the Liwa International School, is the Evangelical Church and behind that, the soon-to-be-opened St George Orthodox Cathedral, which is a handsome addition to the neighbourhood, with its whitewashed walls, striking architecture and ornate windows.
An urban anthropologist might note the diverse and multicultural nature of the worshippers who arrive in the Mushrif area at weekends and in the evening
As The National previously reported, St George Orthodox Cathedral began work on the new church last year after the demolition of the old and smaller house of worship on the site. The project has been funded by donations from congregants.
Reverend Father Eldho Paul, the vicar at St George’s, said last year that he had “no words to thank our community members who are fully behind this project, but my biggest gratitude is for the leadership of this country that has set an example for tolerance and religious coexistence for the rest of the country”.
The work to open the new building is nearing completion. The scaffolding that had shrouded the building as it was constructed has been removed and tidied away. It is understood that the building will open soon, although anyone who has ever undertaken a construction project will know that these things have a habit of running on their own schedule and depend on a multitude of inter-related factors and approvals.
From a broader perspective, it makes me wonder if these many places of worship in one small city block could form part of Abu Dhabi’s ever-expanding visitor experience and proposition.
In the cooler months of the year, you could imagine a tour that took in some of these long-established faith houses and an amble around the nearby Umm Al Emarat Park in Mushrif. Anyone who has enjoyed a walking tour of one of Europe’s major cities knows that visiting a place of worship, or several, is an almost expected part of such a walk.
The Saadiyat family house is one part of a constellation of cultural assets that will one day soon be within touching distance of each other. Those three buildings and Louvre Abu Dhabi are close neighbours already. In not many years from now, visitors will be able to stride along an avenue of museums that includes Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and the Natural History Museum, among others.
Visitors to Abu Dhabi are rarely less than awe-struck by the beauty and serenity of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and, now, the balance and harmony of the Abrahamic Family House. The Churches Area is another example of the peace, respect and diversity at work in the city and country.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on animal trafficking
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier
Results
UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 12 runs
Kuwait beat Iran by eight wickets
Oman beat Maldives by 10 wickets
Bahrain beat Qatar by six wickets
Semi-finals
UAE v Qatar
Bahrain v Kuwait
POWERWASH%20SIMULATOR
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info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
India cancels school-leaving examinations
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
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Scores:
Day 4
England 290 & 346
Sri Lanka 336 & 226-7 (target 301)
Sri Lanka require another 75 runs with three wickets remaining
The%20specs
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
Price: from Dh94,900
On sale: now
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher: Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
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SEMI-FINAL
Monterrey 1
Funes Mori (14)
Liverpool 2
Keita (11), Firmino (90 1)
How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Liverpool's all-time goalscorers
Ian Rush 346
Roger Hunt 285
Mohamed Salah 250
Gordon Hodgson 241
Billy Liddell 228
