Abu Dhabi sends inspirational message to residents: 'This is a time for reflection'

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi wants its residents to feel inspired by the opportunity to pause for a moment

"This is not a time for sadness, it is a time for reflection."

That is the message the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi wants residents of the capital to contemplate as the coronavirus pandemic forces people to shutter businesses and spend more time indoors.

DCT has released a video message to the wider community, full of striking images of the emirate, hoping to inspire people to consider their newfound downtime in a positive light.

"The world is quieter now," it begins.

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"We can feel it all around us, from the parks to the museums, on the beaches and the roads, the silence is deafening."

The video then goes on to show sweeping vistas of landmarks across the emirate, from Warner Bros World and Ferrari World, to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Emirates Palace, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Qasr Al Watan, Qasr al Hosn, and its natural wonders, from the beaches, to the desert, to the mountains.

"But this is not a time for sadness, it is a time for reflection. A time to remember the forebearers who built our home, for themselves and for the world. A time to contemplate this land drenched in history."

The video finishes with the message: "The world will soon return, and Abu Dhabi will be waiting with open arms."