News & Articles

In honor of the Year of Tolerance, Abu Dhabi University (ADU) held a Ghaf tree planting ceremony at its new Al Ain campus. The event took place in the presence of H.E. Dr. Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of ADU's Board of Directors, and H.E. Dr. Matar Mohammed Al Nuaimi, General Manager of Al Ain Municipality.

The ceremony was also attended by H.E. Salem Mubarak Al Dhaheri, Executive Director of Community Relations at Abu Dhabi University, Dr. Mohamed Fteiha, Acting Director of Al Ain Campus, and Eng. Anwar ADU’s project manager. Members of the ADU community attended the planting of the tree as a symbol of ADU’s commitment to embedding the seeds of tolerance into the foundations of the new Al Ain campus.

H.E. Dr. Al Nuaimi highlighted the tree’s special significance to the UAE’s heritage. Our late founding father, Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, was very fond of the tree, encouraging  the planting of it, as well as the prevention of its destruction. He said choosing this tree as a symbol for tolerance reflects the wise vision of the UAE leadership in preserving one of the nation’s most precious items of natural heritage. The tree symbolizes the unwavering values of tolerance and co-existence that cannot be shaken.  Al Ain municipality is maintaining this vision by decorating the city with Ghaf trees as a distinctive feature of Al Ain city. During the Year of Tolerance, the Municipality of Al Ain has launched a number of initiatives that promote the planting of Ghaf trees across all areas of the city. 

H.E. Dr. Bin Harmal commented, “Tolerance is one of the core values of  UAE society instilled by the late founding father, Sheikh Zayed Al Nahyan, throughout his exemplary leadership. As such, the UAE has become a cultural melting pot of more than 200 different nationalities thriving harmoniously, embodying these values and living by them.”

H.E. Dr. Bin Harmal commended Dr. Al Nuaimi for being part of this initiative that reflects a shared effort between both entities in highlighting the values of tolerance and celebrating the tree’s cultural significance. Bin Harmal noted that the Ghaf tree was the inspiration for the interior design of the Al Ain campus, making it the first building in the UAE to have such a unique and symbolic design. This echoes the University’s role as a national institution that embodies and communicates the UAE’s values and harmonious cultural model to the rest of the world.

Anwar Ali, Project Manager for Abu Dhabi University, commented, “The development of Abu Dhabi's new Al Ain campus is on schedule, with a completion rate of about 25% of the project after over 300,000 hours of foundation work”.

Ali added, “Over 250 laborers are working on the development of the new campus daily, applying the highest health and safety standards. The building also meets One-Pearl Estidama requirements for design and operational sustainability The campus will accommodate 2,500 students during its first phase, with a total capacity of 5,000 students. It will provide a holistic learning environment, maintaining separate learning spaces for male and female students.”

The new campus is located in Al Ain's Asharej district and will span an overall area of 45,000 sqm at a cost of AED 300 million.