Public Health

First impressions of Abu Dhabi

January 6, 2008
Mosque and high-rise: the old and new, side by side
Photo by Mark Griffin

Abu Dhabi is an amazing place where traditional culture co-exists with new technologies. It is common to see women in traditional long black gowns (abaya), with their faces covered, speaking animatedly on cell phones. You hear the call to prayers echo throughout the city while modern cars race by on state-of-the-art roads. You see signs on the hotel board for “ladies weddings” along with announcements about upcoming high-tech meetings. This is a land of fascinating dichotomies that appear to co-exist.

Today, we met with the Dean of Science at United Arab Emirates University, and we were struck by the opportunities for collaboration across the world.

The Abu Dhabi corniche, a seafront park that runs along the Persian Gulf

Photo by Robert Fitzjohn

We are truly a global school in a global setting, addressing universal issues. For example, the Emirates newspaper carried a full-page announcement for a weight loss program being run by the newspaper, reminding me that the obesity epidemic is indeed a global one.


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The views expressed in this blog are Barbara Rimer’s alone and do not represent the views and policies of The University of North Carolina or the Gillings School.