UAE sets Guinness world record for longest handshake

ABU DHABI: The UAE has officially set a new Guinness World Record for the world’s longest handshake, foreign media reported.

Beating the earlier record held by 1,730 people, a total of 1,817 people from different segments of the community came together to set the new record at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

The event, themed “One World…One Message”, was held under the patronage of Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of General Women’s Union, President of Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood and Supreme Chairwoman of Family Development Foundation.

The initiative was launched by the Abu Dhabi Police’s Youth Council, marking the first anniversary of signing the Fraternity Document.

The event was attended by Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, Major General Staff Pilot Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police and Rashid Al Nuaimi, Executive Director of Hedayah, International Centre of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism.

Shaikh Nahyan lauded the wide participation of the community. He also lauded the patronage of Her Highness Mother of The Nation for the event, noting that she represented a role model of tolerance, coexistence and human fraternity.

“We pledge to Her Highness to live up to her expectations in being open to others, establishing genuine dialogue and seeking to speared peace, prosperity and human fraternity across the globe,” Shaikh Nahyan said.

He praised the keenness of Shaikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in issuing the Abu Dhabi Human Fraternity Document and in supporting the historic visit of the Pope and the Grand Imam of Al Zahar.

Other officials who attended the event included Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, Noura Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Director-General of General Women’s Union and a number of senior police officials.