Twinning: Abu Dhabi & NYC

New York City is a place like no other; full of diverse people looking to make it in America. NYC is known as the “Capitol of the World,” but why settle for just one? Abu Dhabi has emerged as a striking complement to NYC after its recent urban landscape makeover. This might come as a surprise to some people who wouldn’t normally equate the famously modern New York City with the UAE capital, which is often portrayed as rolling sand dunes. But lately there have been quite the exchange in culture between the two cities. For example, Abu Dhabi owns 90% of the Chrysler building. Here are just a few ways that New York City and Abu Dhabi are “twinning”:

A LOVE FOR TALL BUILDINGS

Burj Mohammed ibn Rashid is literally only ONE foot taller than the Empire State Building. Not only do Arabs strive to figuratively “one up” the rest of the world, sometimes they’re annoyingly literal about it.

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (NYU)

New York University is not just limited to New York; this prestigious University takes pride in its diversity and gives students the opportunity to experience various cultures through their international campuses, including one in Abu Dhabi.

GUGGENHEIM

The Solomon R. Guggenheim museum, located in Upper East Side Manhattan, is famous for its displays of the latest innovations in modern and contemporary art. There are various Guggenheim museums around the world, one in Venice and another in Bilbao, but 2017 promises a new addition to the Guggenheim family located in Middle East. Abu Dhabi is currently in the middle of the museum’s development, and aims to “reflect Islamic and middle-eastern culture” through contemporary art. It is expected to be the largest Guggenheim museum out of the four.

SPORTS, STADIUMS, AND SOCCER

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, is currently pursuing a soccer franchise in Queens, NY. While baseball is considered America’s pastime, soccer is equally if not more popular in the Arab world, so it comes to nobody’s surprise that Arab elites are investing in the sport.

MEDIA CAPITALS

You may think that New York City is THE hub for media, but networks have established a presence in the Middle East as well. TwoFour54 is home to major networks such as CNN, FOX International, and National Geographic.