The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) welcomed pilgrims returning to the UAE through Dubai airports with a special passport stamp bearing the slogan "The UAE welcomes the return of pilgrims", in an initiative aimed at enhancing the arrival experience and highlighting Emirati values of hospitality.
The initiative included welcoming pilgrims with flowers and souvenirs, with the participation of a number of children, coinciding with the pilgrims' return season and Eid al-Adha, in a gesture reflecting welcome and appreciation for those returning after performing the rituals, according to a post on the website of the Emirates News Agency (WAM).
Major General Talal Ahmed Al Shanqiti, Assistant Director General for the Air Ports Affairs Sector at GDRFA Dubai, explained that welcoming pilgrims with this symbolic gesture reflects Dubai's approach of placing people at the heart of its services and initiatives, and embodies GDRFA Dubai's keenness to turn travel procedures into an experience that combines operational efficiency with a warm welcome.
He added that the return of pilgrims to their homeland is an occasion with spiritual and humanitarian meaning, noting GDRFA Dubai's keenness for their reception to be an extension of the UAE's values of welcome, and for the initiative to reflect the image of Dubai as a global city that delivers its services with a humane and professional spirit.
Dubai airports were fully prepared to receive pilgrims through qualified work teams, dedicated lanes and flexible procedures that help speed up the entry process, in coordination with strategic partners in the aviation and ports sector.
To view the post on the Emirates News Agency website, click here.
