Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, visited Global Village on Friday touring the family theme park which encompasses an area of more than 300,000 square metres.
Shaikh Mohammad toured various pavilions and was briefed about the cultural, artistic and heritage events and activities provided by Global Village.
He began his tour by visiting the Kuwaiti village where he viewed its products and items, followed by the Yemeni, Saudi, Indian, Thai and African villages. While meeting with the organisers of these villages, Shaikh Mohammad was keen to learn about the cultures of the participating countries.
He then visited different kiosks offering food stuffs, beverages, sweets and stopped at the UAE village, which produces traditional dishes, handicrafts and other national products that reflect the heritage, culture and lifestyle of the UAE people.
The Vice-President then stopped at some shops, which support youth projects and sell their products. Shaikh Mohammad concluded his tour by visiting Hamdan Bin Mohammad Heritage Centre, which is organising cultural, artistic and sports activities that attract hundreds of visitors every day.
Shaikh Mohammad expressed his satisfaction at the Arab, local and foreign presence in Global Village whose pavilions represent 27 cultures of 75 Arab and foreign countries including the UAE.
He described Global Village as a cultural and heritage forum for various countries of the world and as an outlet for families and children over the past 20 years, since he ordered its establishment in conjunction with the launch of Dubai Shopping Festival.
Later on after the establishment, Shaikh Mohammad ordered the extension of the village activities to around six months instead of one month, from November 1 till April 1.
Shaikh Mohammad was accompanied by Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, director-general of Dubai Protocol and Hospitality Department, and Abdullah Ahmad Al Habbai, chairman of Dubai Holding and group chairman of Meraas.
