Dubai ‘shows the true spirit of Christmas’

Although more people may participate in frenzied shopping than quietly contemplating the religion behind the festival, Dubai is bucking this trend by embracing the Christmas spirit.Filipino newspaper the Inquirer points out that there are people of all religions in Dubai and that it is one of the few Muslim countries that allow all faiths to be openly practiced.In what may be useful news for people on holidays in Dubai over Christmas, most churches have services in several different languages and there are seven different Catholic churches.

“[Dubai] has showed the world that in diversity, there could be some form of unity wherein peaceful living could be achieved,” the newspaper attests.

Hotels, shopping centres and other business mostly put up Christmas decorations and play carols, despite their owners’ Muslim backgrounds.

In a list compiled by the Telegraph recently, the opening of the Atlantis resort in Dubai was named as one of the world’s most significant tourist events for 2008.