The iconic carpet has now been turned into an NFT that will be sold for $150,000 at Abu Dhabi Art this week and will be displayed in an ornate gold frame on a 65-inch digital canvas.

The UAE’s gift to Pope Francis has now gone to become a non-fungible token (NFT) that will be unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art.

An iconic Pontifex Carpet has been gifted by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi, to Pope Francis on a visit to the Vatican in September 2016 where the two leaders met to discuss strengthening existing diplomatic links and promoting inter-religious harmony.

The iconic carpet has now been turned into an NFT that will be sold for $150,000 at Abu Dhabi Art this week and will be displayed in an ornate gold frame on a 65-inch digital canvas.

Zuley, an initiative by Fatima bint Mohamed bin Zayed, the 80% of proceeds will go towards the Afghan weavers who created the carpet and their families.

Weaved by Afghan women, the carpet was from the Tolerance range by Zuleya, one of the retail arms of the Fatima Bint Mohamed bin Zayed Initiative, which sells handicrafts made in Afghanistan.

Zuleya has now partnered with the UAE’s MORROW collective to turn it into an artwork that will be displayed in an ornate gold frame on a 165-centimetre digital canvas.

The only existing version of the Pontifex Carpet, which is measures 272x183cm, remains in Pope Francis’ possession. However, in order to immortalise the artwork, an NFT was created from the original design that will raise funds for women and families in Afghanistan. The weavers have also created a replica of the carpet measuring 185 x125cm, to be gifted to the buyer of the NFT.

“The process of turning one of our most iconic carpets into an NFT is a crucial step forward for our initiative,” says Maywand Jabarkhyl, chief executive of Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative, adding, “Not only does it give us the chance to bring our designs to a global audience but it opens up a new stream of revenue, which will be invaluable to our artisans in Afghanistan, particularly in light of the latest crisis. With the harsh winter months fast approaching, the funds raised will go towards providing core relief items to those most vulnerable in Afghanistan.”