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Al Sila’ Marine Festival to kick off on December 9

Al DHAFRA, 5th December, 2021 (WAM) — Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, the Al Sila’ Marine Festival will run on December 9-11 at the beach of Al Sila’ City, in the Al Dhafra region, Abu Dhabi.

Coinciding with the UAE’s Golden Jubilee celebrations, more than AED3 million will be given away in cash prizes during the Al Sila’ Marine Festival, which will be organised by the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club (ADMSC) and the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee – Abu Dhabi.

Major General Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Commander-in-Chief of the Abu Dhabi Police and Chairman of the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee – Abu Dhabi, said, "Al Sila’ Marine Festival represents a valuable addition to the roster of seafaring traditional festivals that translate the UAE wise leadership's interest in preserving heritage and national identity."

"Such festivals contribute to delivering the UAE's message of shared humanity to the whole world and passing on our heritage to future generations. They fall in line with the UAE’s strategic vision to promote and preserve our national identity and launch initiatives that will maintain values of the community. The value of cultural heritage isn’t in cultural manifestation only, but in the wealth of experience and skills passed down from generation to generation," Al Mazrouei said.

He valued the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, to support all the initiatives that preserve the UAE cultural heritage. He also hailed H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed’s constant follow-up of the various heritage festivals being organised in the emirate in continuation of the noble efforts that had been made by late Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, to promote public awareness about quintessential Emirati values and cultural heritage.

He also praised the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club and its valuable contribution to the maritime activities and competitions that help promote interest in and awareness about aquatic sports among the festival visitors and heritage enthusiasts.

"These activities and initiatives significantly contribute to preserving the UAE heritage, and passing it on to future generations. In the meantime, they help promote our islands and coastal areas, hype marine and heritage sports, and ultimately drive tourist development and stimulate economic growth in Al Dhafra region," he added.

For his part, Ahmed Thani Murshid Al Rumaithi, the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, thanked the UAE wise leadership for their "constant support of sports and athletes in general and marine sports in particular, including both time-honored and modern sports."

"The Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club diligently seeks to strengthen engagement with maritime heritage lovers through an impressive lineup of large-scale events that contribute to expanding the marine sports practice footprint as well as instill love of UAE’s seafaring traditions in the hearts of young people," Al Rumaithi added.

"Organising Al Sila' Marine Festival with a 43 feet traditional dhow race corroborates the cherished status this sport enjoys in everyone's hearts in this region, where the people are well known for their special affinity with authentic Emirati heritage.

"This partnership with the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festival Committee at the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, ensures greater successes will be made over the coming period in continuation of the successful events co-organised before by the Club and the Committee," he noted.

Al Rumaithi expressed his full confidence in the commitment of all the event participants to the health and technical protocols in place, citing the public compliance with the Covid-19 countermeasures shown during the heritage events that had been organised since relaxing the pandemic restrictions over the recent period. He wished resounding success for all the event participants.

"We are hopeful Al Sila' Marine Festival would achieve the aspired goals by increasing the number of sailors and expanding the base of marine sports practitioners in general and heritage enthusiasts in particular," he added.

Essa Saif Al Mazrouei, Vice Chairman, Committee for the Management of Cultural and Heritage Festivals, said that marine heritage festivals have garnered increased interest amongst marine sports lovers and the general public over the past period. He underscored the Committee’s constant endeavors to continue to promote heritage festivals and call attention to the country's seafaring traditions and culture.

"Al Sila' Marine Festival features the 43-foot Dhows Race, and meets the various needs of visitors in terms of edutainment and shopping through an impressive lineup of exciting competitions, including the fly-fishing, Carrom , dominoes, bicycle race, beach volleyball & soccer and traditional arts & crafts competitions. Th festival also includes the Child Village, where there will be a plenty of theatre performances, art, cookery and Bedouin dance workshops, as well as Al Mekshat tents, and a food court," Al Mazroui explained.

He underlined the keenness of the Festival's Organising Committee to ensure compliance with all Covid precautionary and preventative measures as part of the efforts made to recover from the pandemic and restore normalcy.

Majid Ateeq Al Muhairi, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Festival's 43-foot Dhow Race, said, "We are truly delighted to organise the Festival and the Race in an area cherished by every Emirati. We’re confident the Festival and Race will secure significant community involvement and attendance."

He added that the partnership with the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee in Abu Dhabi always yields optimal results, as demonstrated by the successes achieved previously, including in the Dalma Traditional Sailing Festival and the Al Dhafra Marine Festival.

"In the meantime, there will be no space for complacency in implementing the COVID-19 countermeasures. Safety comes on top of the Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club's priorities," Al Muhairi stressed. He underlined the necessity of adhering to specifications and selection criteria for bearings, which, he stressed, will be comprehensively scrutinised before the race starts.

"The past period has witnessed increased involvement on the part of marine heritage lovers and enthusiasts in the races and events organised by the Club. This demonstrates the rigorous work being carried out by the Club to enhance public engagement with heritage events and promote our traditions and heritage among our young people."

Al Sila' Marine Festival aims to preserve the diverse range of marine and terrestrial ecosystems boasted by the UAE, shed light on Emirati heritage and art, and pass it on to future generations. It also seeks to promote Emirati coastal cities and islands, encourage engagement in marine and heritage sports and drive tourist and economic development in Al Dhafra region.

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Emirates

Young Arab Media Leaders Programme addresses environmental journalism, climate change, sustainability

ABU DHABI, 24th September, 2023 (WAM) – Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Chairman of the Arab Youth Center, the activities of the second week of the fifth edition of the Young Arab Media Leaders Programme are continuing, with the participation of 51 young men and women from 18 Arab countries.

The programme included interactive workshops and practical lectures that discussed a variety of topics and issues, including environmental journalism, climate change, and sustainability at the Dubai Youth Center, the Dubai Press Club in cooperation with Google, the Al-Mashhad TV, the Bloomberg TV, the American University in Dubai, the New Media Academy, Al-Bayan newspaper, Sky News, CNN, and the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The programme, which is organised by the Arab Youth Center, is one of the largest training functions that focus on practical skills at the level of the Arab world, in partnership with media institutions and academies, and targets outstanding young people in the final stages of university studies or at the beginning of their professional career after graduation, with the aim of enhancing their skills, building their capabilities, enriching their experiences, and raising their competitiveness for the labor market.

Addressing the programme, Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of the Emirates News Agency (WAM), spoke about the tools and requirements for ensuring success and excellence in the media field. He addressed the issue during a special discussion session on the role of media and youth in Arab cultural work where he focused on the importance of acquiring knowledge and continuous learning, and keeping pace with and adopting modern technological tools and artificial intelligence in the media field, and developing the media skills of young cadres through specialised training courses.

Al Rayssi stressed that the media field in the coming stage will face a major challenge as “AI tools and technologies today enable the preparation of content in smart ways, without human intervention, and it has also become easy to insert false information into content that no one notices, and to spread it widely to have negative effects, which requires us to adopt and keep pace with technology in a positive way and harness it to serve the media and society in the right way.”

He added that despite the existing challenges, “the current time is ripe for excellence in the field of media, away from the private and directed agendas of some international media institutions, noting the qualified and trained media human resources in the Arab world that can achieve the goals and aspirations of their countries and contribute to the development of their societies.”

He added: "We need well qualified, specialised media professionals in the Arab world in the coming period, such as the environment, technology, science, and others, who have the knowledge and ability to deliver information and raise awareness of various issues."

Al-Rayssi touched on the importance of providing meaningful content that benefits society and “serves the process of development and progress in the Arab world, and reflects our true values that we were raised on.”

He stressed that it is "an important matter, especially in a changing world, and there are few countries that are keen to keep these values, and it should be paid attention to, especially in the case of media and electronic wars on values in different countries."

At the end of the session, Al-Rayssi answered the questions of the participants, which focused on the role of national media as a tool for conveying the achievements of the country and its civilisational message. The participants also asked about the preparations for the next session of the World Media Congress.

He affirmed that the national media is keen to perform its developmental role to the fullest possible extent thanks to the support and patronage of the UAE wise leadership. “The media carries a lofty message in introducing the world to the developmental achievements of the country and its vision for the future.”

A session titled "The Role of Content in Developing the Tool" was held at the Creative Youth Centre in Dubai. During the session, Saud Al Darbi, Head of the News and Publishing Centre at Dubai Media Incorporated, and Editor-in-Chief of Al Bayan newspaper, spoke about the need for media institutions to keep pace with the developments of artificial intelligence tools. He astressed the importance of elevating the content and promoting professionalism of the media message.
Hanada Taha Thomure, Director, Zayed University, Zai Arabic Language Research Center, spoke about the importance of the Arabic language in the media. She cited examples of media programmes whose content is in Arabic and the impact they have had on the public. She called on young people to the importance of speaking Arabic and preserving it to safeguard heritage and identity.

Al-Mashhad organsed a lecture entitled "Youth and Media: Skills and Opportunities". During the lecture, head of the news department, Jaafar Al-Zaabi, spoke about "mobile journalism" and the most important skills that a journalist should have to keep up with technological developments and competition on social media.

Sky News Arabia Academy organised a number of lectures focusing on developing the skills of participants in "journalism and journalistic writing", "television media", "photojournalism and video", and "media production". Abdulla Jadallah, news director at Sky News Arabia, presented a session in which he shed light on the dimensions of development in the field of media and the modern technologies used. He explained that "the acceleration and development of media content over the past years is mainly due to technological development." He also exchanged with the youth audience on the discussion of patterns of producing influential content and modern media outlets.

Michele Haddad, a presenter and host, spoke the skills of writing, preparing, and presenting news bulletins and reports, as well as the mental skills required in a news presenter. Bassem Kamel, director of Sky News Arabia radio, also presented a lecture on "podcasting".

Google organised a workshop on environmental tools for journalists that discussed the latest technological tools that the company offers to help journalists in their work.

The American University in Dubai held a lecture on the role of the media in achieving a sustainable society. Nezar Ajaj Andary. Associate Professor of Digital Production and Storytelling, spoke about the challenges of achieving sustainability and environmental issues, especially with the upcoming COP28. Sophie Boutros, Executive Director, Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication. Mohammed Bin Rashid School for Communication, also discussed in a workshop the most important things that a content creator should consider, as well as enhancing values and credibility in addition to developing Arab cinema.

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Emirates

Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment unveils 136 new villas for citizens in Al Warqaa Fourth

DUBAI, 24th September, 2023 (WAM) — Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment (MBRHE) announced today that it has commenced the allocation of modern residential units as part of its efforts to enhance the living standards of citizens and further enhance social cohesiveness in the emirate.
MBRHE today unveiled 136 modern residential villas in the Al Warqaa Fourth area in Dubai spanning over 728,510 square feet. Part of the framework of the Dubai 2040 Urban Plan, the project features the highest urban planning standards. Work on the project commenced at the beginning of last year.
Omar Hamad BuShihab, CEO of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Housing Establishment, said the completion of 136 residential villas in Al Warqaa Fourth is part of a series of initiatives undertaken by the institution to address the prospective housing needs of citizens and achieve the vision to develop integrated communities that feature the highest standards of urban planning. The project aligns with Dubai’s long-term vision to raise the quality of life and welfare of citizens over the next two decades.
"We are actively engaged in rolling out residential projects across Dubai to ensure the availability of adequate housing and amenities, in accordance with the Dubai 2040 Urban Plan. Our efforts are aimed at maintaining world-class standards, reinforcing social stability, and ensuring a dignified life for citizens and their families,” he noted.
This project spans an area of 728,510 square feet (67,680 square metres) and features a total construction area of 511,250 square feet (47,497 square metres). The architectural designs are diverse, and cater to the varied preferences of citizens. The development is focused on optimal use of both indoor and outdoor spaces, reflecting the establishment’s commitment to premium housing services.
Each villa, varying in exterior façade, has two floors, and is interspersed with paved and landscaped interiors. The ground floor features a family hall, a kitchen, maid's room, laundry room and a guest room, creating a multi-functional living space. The first floor has four bedrooms, each equipped with individual services, facilitating a harmonious blend of shared and personal spaces.

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Emirates

India’s first Lighthouse Festival opens in Goa

From Krishnan Nayar

NEW DELHI, 24th September, 2023 (WAM) – India has embarked on a novel effort to develop its 203 lighthouses along the country’s sprawling 7,517-km coastline as tourist attractions.

As part of this effort, India’s first Lighthouse Festival opened in the popular tourist destination of Fort Aguada in Goa yesterday.

Fort Aguada is one of 75 such lighthouses along India’s coastline to be developed for tourism in the first phase of this initiative.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his monthly interactive radio address to the nation that “in all these lighthouses, depending on their capacities, museums, amphi-theatres, open air stages, cafeterias, children’s parks, eco-friendly cottages and landscapes will be built as centres of attraction for tourists.”

Making a case for developing tourism facilities around the light house complexes, Modi pointed out that lighthouse Chennai is one of the few lighthouses in the world which has elevators. “Such lighthouses are unique in terms of tourism.”

Modi’s radio address, known as “Mann ki Baat,” translates randomly as “Thoughts from the Mind,” and has millions of listeners, usually on the last weekend of every month.

Inaugurating the festival, India’s Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said “while ships continue to be guided for safe sailing by these lighthouses, they will now also offer opportunities to people to relish their magnificent beauty with nature.”

Goa’s Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on this occasion that “Goa has played an important role in India's maritime history. Lighthouses are beacons of hope and symbols of strength.”

The festival has been organised like a carnival with a variety of local artists and dance troupes, culinary and ethnic food stalls, music concerts and similar activities. Historians, archaeologists and cultural anthropologists will participate in discussions on maritime history.

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