A huge mosaic in Abu Dhabi made from recycling just broke a world record

The mosaic took more than a month to make and features landmarks from all seven emirates

This mosaic in Abu Dhabi's Masdar City has just broken a Guinness World Record. Masdar City 
Powered by automated translation

The UAE is now the proud holder of yet another world record, thanks to the sustainable efforts of Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City.

The flagship development, which is next to Abu Dhabi International Airport, has officially broken the Guinness World Record for creating the world's largest mosaic made from recycled materials.

Measuring at 1,015 square metres – around the size of two basketball courts – the mosaic took more than a month to put together and contains almost 90,500 recycled items, including plastic bottles, cans and cardboard.

It was built by Masdar City’s local community, including schoolchildren, Masdar City employees and local residents. The scene, which is visible from the air and from Masdar City’s observation deck, depicts the evolution of the UAE, and features landmarks from all seven emirates.

The mosaic was officially unveiled to coincide with Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020 and hopes to encourage more people to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste. Representatives from Guinness World Record presented Masdar City with the official record certificate during a special ceremony last week.

“As a pioneer in sustainable urban community development, Masdar City will continue to lead in promoting best practice in waste management,” said Yousef Baselaib, executive director of sustainable real estate at Masdar.

“This wonderful mosaic makes the sustainability debate more tangible and accessible through the universal medium of art, and demonstrates the commitment of the people of the UAE to protecting the environment.

"Sustainability requires everyone to play their part and engaging the local community is an essential element of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.”