Abu Dhabi health workers make giant Onam floral carpet featuring portrait of Sheikh Mohamed

More than 1,000 healthcare professionals from 35 nationalities have come together in Abu Dhabi to create a giant Onam floral carpet featuring a portrait of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The massive Pookalam, created at Burjeel Medical City (BMC), covers 250 square metres and took nearly 20 hours to complete. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals worked together on the installation as part of the hospital's annual Onam celebrations. This year's design pays tribute to the UAE's resilience, unity and progress, while also showing the country's journey from its heritage to the future.

At the centre of the floral carpet is a prominent portrait of Sheikh Mohamed. The installation carries the message, "The UAE is strong and resilient and emerging stronger", which organisers said was inspired by words of reassurance from the UAE President.

One of the key elements of the Pookalam depicts a transition from a traditional camel ride to the Etihad Rail, representing how the UAE has developed over the years while continuing to build on its heritage.

Other floral elements focus on unity, healing, recovery and compassion — themes that organisers said also connect closely with the work of healthcare professionals.

The permanent sand pendulum at the centre of BMC's atrium has also been incorporated into the installation, representing time, continuity and the country's forward movement.

Ameera Al-Katheri, assistant director of Nursing at BMC, said the installation reflects both confidence in the country's leadership and the strength of its people.

"Resilience in the UAE comes from the confidence we have in our leadership and in each other. This Pookalam reflects our journey, from the values we inherited to the progress we continue to make together," she said.

The participation of more than 1,000 healthcare workers from 35 nationalities also reflects the multicultural nature of the UAE's healthcare sector.

Dr Mujtaba Ali Khan, CEO of BMC, said the Pookalam was designed as a tribute to the country's strength and resilience.

"Bringing together more than 1,000 healthcare professionals from 35 nationalities to create it also reflects the unity and shared sense of belonging that make this country special," he said.

For the healthcare workers, this year's theme also connects the traditional message of Onam, renewal, hope, prosperity and togetherness, with their everyday experiences caring for patients.

Dr Malcolm Borg, consultant in Emergency Medicine at BMC, said resilience is something healthcare workers witness regularly.

"In healthcare, resilience is something we witness every day. It is the ability to recover, adapt, and continue with hope. That is why this year's theme has a particularly meaningful connection with our work and with the spirit of Onam," he said.

The giant Pookalam has become an annual feature of Onam celebrations at BMC, with the floral installation taking on a different UAE-focused theme each year.