The United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United Kingdom Mansoor Abdullah Abulhoul began a cycling tour yesterday, Tuesday 27 August, that will see him take in the entire length and breadth of Great Britain, from the small village of John o’ Groats on Scotland’s north-east tip to the furthest point south-west in England, Land’s End in Cornwall.
One of the first destinations on the ambassador’s travels will be the Scottish Highlands’ unofficial capital, the city of Inverness, during the first couple of days of the trip. He will journey through Scotland and to its capital city of Edinburgh before crossing the border into England. Abulhoul, who is an avid cyclist, actually spent some of his younger years in the UK and says that he is looking forward to refreshing youthful memories in addition to finding out more about the nation.
Abulhoul adds that he also wants to be able to explore a number of the large array of links between the UAE and Great Britain and is hoping to meet with several companies that export to the UAE along his route, as well as stopping by some universities and higher education institutes that have welcomed many Emirati students. The ambassador is also hoping to be able to meet people from the UK who have spent at least some of their lives working in the UAE, including those veteran officers who served in the old Trucial Oman Scouts over 50 years ago, or those who have more recently worked in the region.
The ambassador notes that there is a strong, deep-rooted relationship between the UAE and the UK, and that all of the companies, people and places have, over the years, helped to build the current friendship between the two nations. During his travels, which will be staggered while he serves as the UAE Ambassador to the UK, Abulhoul is also going to be helping to raise funds for the world-famous Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, in which his sister once worked as a medical doctor.
Great Ormond Street Hospital has been collaborating with University College London in order to complete a brand-new Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children. Inaugurated last month by Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the centre received part funding of £60m via a donation from Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, who is the President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, the Family Development Centre’s Supreme Chairwoman, and Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union.
Abulhoul says that London-based hospital has been giving world-class healthcare to hundreds of Emirati children for the last few decades and that he is proud and delighted to dedicate his ride in support of the institution.
Anyone who is planning to follow in the ambassador’s footsteps and take a trip to the UK will need to take out travel insurance in order to remove the financial risks that could result from having items stolen or falling ill overseas.
