At the inauguration of the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi on February 16, 2023. WAM

Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi to open in March

The newly inaugurated Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi will open to the public on March 1, according to state news agency WAM. The interfaith complex was inaugurated on Thursday (February 16) by Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence. The Abrahamic Family House is located on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island and is composed of a mosque, church, synagogue and an educational center. An artist's impression of the Abrahamic Family House. The project was designed by Sir David Adjaye, of Adjaye Associates. Each house of worship share the same external dimensions: shaped in a cube that is 30 metres deep, 30 metres wide and 30 metres tall. “The Abrahamic Family House is symbolic of the UAE’s long-standing values of mutual respect and peaceful coexistence – values embodied by our Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed. The centre will be a platform for learning and dialogue, a model of coexistence set against the backdrop of the multiculturalism and diversity of our nation, where more than 200 nationalities live peacefully side-by-side,” said Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, President of the Abrahamic Family House. The project was inspired by the principles in the Document on Human Fraternity, signed by Pope Francis and Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb in Abu Dhabi in 2019. “The Abrahamic Family House is a model of coexistence, reconciliation, and mutual respect for the sake of mankind,” said Professor Mohammed Al Mahrasawi, Co-Chair of Higher Committee for Human Fraternity. At the Abrahamic Family House, visitors are invited to participate in religious services, guided tours, and events. Tours are available between 11am and 7pm, from Tuesday to Saturday. Entry to the compound is free but visitors must adhere to a dress code. Women are required to wear a headscarf. Men are not allowed to wear shorts or sleeveless shirts. “The Abrahamic Family House is a concrete example for people of different religions, cultures, traditions, and beliefs to return to the essential: love of neighbour. This will be a place which promotes dialogue and mutual respect, and acts in the service of human fraternity as we walk the paths of peace together,” said Cardinal Miguel Ángel Ayuso Guixot, President of The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue of The Holy See. ICA/Expat Media
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