- Prominent American and European outlets will be present at the event
- The papal visit marks the first time a Catholic pope sets foot in the Gulf region
DUBAI: Around 700 reporters from 30 countries will be coming to Abu Dhabi next week for the historic visit of Pope Francis in the UAE, state run WAM reported.
The National Media Council (NMC) confirmed that “almost 700 foreign journalists from 30 countries around the world have so far been accredited” to cover the highly anticipated papal visit on Feb. 3 through Feb. 5, 2019.
NMC said the overwhelming number of registrations highlight “the massive regional and international interest” in the pontiff’s visit, which is the first in the history of the Gulf region.
Prominent American and European outlets will be present at the event, as well as a handful of regional media groups.
The Head of the Catholic Church visit will include a tour at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, a Holy Mass at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi and a meeting with the Muslim Council of Elders, headed by the Grand Imam of Al Azhar.