Abu Dhabi: The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed hectic activities in Abu Dhabi on Monday, the second day of their three-day official visit to the UAE as part of a Gulf tour.
Prince Charles flew by helicopter to Bu Tinah Island in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi on Monday morning at the invitation of the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD).
The island is part of the Marawah Marine Protected Area and Biosphere Reserve that received recognition from Unesco. Located 130km west of Abu Dhabi City, the 4,000 sq km island has been protected by EAD since 2001.
Prince Charles enjoyed seeing a wide variety of birds, including the globally endangered Socotra cormorant and ospreys. During a short boat trip around the island, he was also able to see a number of turtles. Bu Tinah is an important nesting site for the endangered hawksbill turtle.
Meanwhile, Camilla visited the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital. She was briefed on the significance of falconry in Arab culture during her visit to the hospital’s veterinary centre, where falcons and other birds are treated. The Duchess watched a surgical procedure being carried out on a falcon. She was also photographed with a little owl on her finger, much to the delight of the visiting British media.
The largest falcon hospital in the world established in 1999 has received around 95,000 falcon patients and treats 11,500 falcons a year. It has become one of the UAE’s top tourist attractions.
The Duchess also attended a Women’s Empowerment Lunch and met UAE women leaders. Senior government officials, business leaders and officers in the UAE Armed Forces participated at the lunch arranged by the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court. The Duchess appreciated the opportunities for Emirati women in all sectors of life.
The Duchess also visited the new state-of-the-art Zayed Sports City branch of the Imperial College London Diabetes Centre in the capital.
The centre is a joint venture between Imperial College London, one of Britain’s leading universities, and Mubadala Healthcare, a branch of Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Development Company.
In the midst of his hectic schedule on Monday, Prince Charles also received an award. He accepted ‘The Pearl Initiative Champion of Sustainability Award’ for his contribution towards enhancing global understanding of the importance of sustainable business practices. The award was presented by the Pearl Initiative, a non-profit organisation, during the GCC Regional Finance Leaders Circle of Practice Meeting organised by the Prince of Wales’ Accounting for Sustainability (A4S) Project in Abu Dhabi.