Marhaba (Welcome)  

Client: Zayed University
Year: 2025
Script: Jali Diwani
Materials: Stainless steel, black granite base
Concept and design: Narjes Noureddine
Execution: Bassem Zbeeb, architect

This sculpture was created for Zayed University and presented to HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan at the university’s graduation ceremony in 2025.

It gives form to a poem by the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and joins the authenticity of Jali Diwani with the modern lines of geometric design.

The words of the poem are the heart of the work. They are written in Jali Diwani, a script known for its flow and its many curves, and made of stainless steel. The bright, reflective surface of the steel catches the light and brings out the beauty of the lettering.

Three interlocking squares, also in stainless steel, surround the words. They frame the lettering and give the sculpture a modern, balanced geometry. The sculpture stands on a base of black granite, which gives it weight and presence, and it can be seen from every angle.

The work speaks of love of the homeland and pride in wise leadership, values Sheikh Zayed established. It draws on Emirati heritage through Arabic calligraphy while staying open to modernity, and it offers a contemporary artistic reading of Nabati poetry.

مرحبا يا حي فضل الله     حي من تزهي به اوطاني