Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), master developer of major tourism, cultural and residential destinations in Abu Dhabi, hosted the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Alderman Roger Gifford, for a special visit on Saadiyat.

The Lord Mayor was greeted by Chairman of TDIC and Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, alongside TDIC’s senior management.

Sheikh Sultan expressed the significance of cultural exchange between the UAE and the world as Saadiyat contributes a major part in this aspect through its world-class museums, such as the Zayed National Museum being developed in collaborations with the expertise of the British Museum.

The Lord Mayor visited Saadiyat Construction Village and expressed his admiration over this high-quality, modern community project designed to international standards, which TDIC opened in 2009, to accommodate construction workers employed on Saadiyat’s developments.

The Lord Mayor met with construction workers as he toured the various state-of-the-art social, recreational and educational facilities. With a capacity to accommodate up to 20,000 workers, Saadiyat Construction Village has become an exemplifying model in the region especially for its broad range of conveniences, such as multilingual libraries, computer and Internet access, gymnasiums, and floodlit sporting area with four cricket pitches, basketball court and tennis court.

During the visit the Lord Mayor of London, said, "I was extremely impressed by the facilities at Saadiyat Construction Village. It’s now a model of best practice in supporting workers who are doing a fantastic job in helping Saadiyat Island to become a centre for tourism, culture and leisure facilities." The Lord Mayor also toured Manarat Al Saadiyat’s exhibition, ’The Saadiyat Story’, which depicts the development of island as it emerges as an unparalleled international destination of cultural, tourism and residential offerings.

During the tour he received an update on the Saadiyat Cultural District which will also be home to other cultural projects, including Guggenheim Abu Dhabi museum, a performance arts centre, and Louvre Abu Dhabi museum, where construction work is well underway following the recent appointment of a contractor in January 2013.

The visit by the Lord Mayor of London helped to further enhance the links between the City of London and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi - with a particular focus on how the City can support projects such as those being developed by TDIC.

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