President of Burundi visits Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

President Evariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi today visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque as part of his official visit to the UAE. He was accompanied by Abdullah Hassan Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Uganda and Non-Resident Ambassador to Burundi.

Dr. Yousif Al Obaidli, Director-General of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC), accompanied President Ndayishimiye on a tour of the mosque's halls and external corridors. He was briefed by one of the Center's cultural tour specialists about the mosque's noble message that highlights notions of coexistence, tolerance, and openness to other cultures, inspired by the nation's late founder's rich legacy, and about the mosque's leading role in highlighting the Islamic culture's true essence and promoting cross-cultural communication worldwide.

The President of Burundi was also briefed about the history, components, and esthetic features of Islamic art and architecture manifested in every corner of this grand edifice that crate a mesmerizing fusion of various architectural styles from different eras reflecting commonalities amongst cultures and uniting the world through art.

At the end of the visit, the guest was presented with two of the centre's distinctive publications. The first titled "Spaces of Light" showcasing the winning photographs in the "Spaces of Light" photography award, annually organised by the Centre in celebration of the scenic aesthetics and visual culture of the mosque, and another copy of a book titled "Houses of God" about places of worship in the Islamic history Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center, under the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, is sponsored and followed up by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

It was established to become a leading cultural center and hub that enriches the UAE's intellectual movement stemming from deeply rooted cultural and national values. While it also reflects concepts deeply rooted by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in the nation's sentiment. They also constitute an extension of the Islamic religion's preaching and the core values that form the UAE's national identity. (ANI/WAM)

( With inputs from ANI )