Putin's Visit Taking Place At Historic Time: Mohammed Al Mubarak

ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 14th Oct, 2019) Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, stated that the visit of Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, to the UAE is taking place during a historic period when the bilateral ties between the UAE and Russia have witnessed significant progress.

Speaking to the Emirates news Agency, WAM, Al Mubarak said that the Department of Culture and Tourism is playing a pivotal role in advancing the cooperation between the two countries, noting that the UAE has waived visa requirements for Russians and citizens the Commonwealth of Independent States, CIS, in 2017 to encourage tourism from the region.

He also noted that the number of Russian tourists visiting Abu Dhabi in 2019 grew significantly, by 33.7 percent compared to the same period in 2018.

"Both the UAE and Russia enjoy valuable cultural achievements, and their people share their cultures using open and tolerant dialogue. The countries also host joint events and activities, all of which strengthens links, interaction and cooperation," he said.

The Russian Music Festival hosted by Abu Dhabi at the start of 2019 featured 14 concerts by 30 Russian artists, Al Mubarak added, noting that Abu Dhabi recently hosted the Grammy Award-winning composer, Mikhail Plitnev, and the Russian National Orchestra, which held two concerts in the Abu Dhabi Cultural Complex Theatre at the opening of the Abu Dhabi Classical Music Season 2019-2020.

The selection of Russia as a guest of honour of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2020 will enable Russian publishers to showcase literary works, Al Mubarak said in conclusion.