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Abu Dhabi celebrates with the blues

13th May 2011 Print
Abu Dhabi celebrates with the blues

Manchester City Football Club (MCFC), the English Premier League club, is celebrating its connection with the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi.

A host of a fun-filled, family-orientated activities will highlight traditional Emirati culture, heritage and hospitality during Manchester City’s final home fixture of the domestic top flight season against Stoke City on Tuesday 17 May.

The City Square, MCFC’s official fans area, will be host to ‘Abu Dhabi Village’ for the end-of-season festivities at the Eastlands stadium, where jubilant City fans will celebrate the club’s maiden UEFA Champions League qualification – clinched courtesy of a 1-0 home victory against league rivals Tottenham Hotspur last Tuesday. 

Specially-constructed sections for Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier and MCFC shirt sponsor, and Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), which inked a deal for the emirate to be the club’s Official Destination Partner last year, will expose City fans to a genuine Abu Dhabi experience in Manchester.

The MCFC-Abu Dhabi co-operation will be extended courtesy of six chefs from Emirates Palace hotel, flying over specially for the day. UAE national Chef Ali Salem Ebdowa is based at the first Emirati five-star restaurant in the UAE, Mezlai, at Emirates Palace. Chef Ali will work alongside club chefs to provide corporate hospitality menus on Tuesday night, as well as samples for fans in the ‘Abu Dhabi Village’.

“This is going to be a fantastic occasion for Manchester City and the club’s fans - a real celebration of its achievements on the field this season,” said Chef Ali. “It is also an opportunity for us to interact with fans, let them know a little bit about Abu Dhabi, our values, culture and heritage and hopefully convince some of them to come and experience the emirate for themselves.”

Two lucky City fans will be travelling to Abu Dhabi: Etihad and ADTA have combined to provide a one-off chance to win a trip for two, including flights, four nights’ hotel accommodation and race weekend tickets to this November’s Etihad Airways Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Fans can enter the free draw by completing a simple form at the registration booth in Etihad’s display area.

The ADTA tent will feature various activities intrinsic to Emirati culture, such as henna painting, a falconer, a national attire photography stand and traditional calligrapher.

City line up against Stoke for the first of two encounters in four days, when the sides meet in Saturday 14 May’s FA Cup final at Wembley. A City victory at Wembley would bring the club its first trophy in 36 years.
 

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Abu Dhabi celebrates with the blues