World

Ramadan 2023: Expats in Saudi Arabia, UAE looking forward for the holy month

Despite being away from their families and home countries, expats in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates say they are looking forward to celebrating Ramadan this year in their countries of residence.
With only few weeks left until Ramadan starts, Al Arabiya English reached out to expats living in Riyadh and Dubai to get their take on the holy month’s celebrations in both cities.
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Lebanese expat Farah Fouad el-Turk said that she is very excited to celebrate yet another Ramadan in Saudi Arabia, saying that the holy month in Riyadh has a special significance to it.
“It’s very nice to spend Ramadan here [in Riyadh] and it’s [even] better than spending it in Lebanon because the Ramadan spirit that we used to experience as children has been lost back home,” el-Turk said.
“You can sense the Ramadan spirit here everywhere you go,” she said.
She added that the different nationalities’ respect toward the spiritual significance of Ramadan in the country makes it an even more special occasion.
El-Turk, who has been living in Riyadh for five years, said that her parents will be joining her for Ramadan this year, something she is looking forward to.
“Be it the Ramadan meals, drinks, the family gatherings and the Ramadan TV series, all of these make Ramadan special, and this is something you can sense here,” el-Turk said.
For her, Ramadan decorations also play an important role and are a must within her household.
“It is an essential thing for me,” she noted. “My kid is growing up, and I want him to live this whole experience here.”
Unlike el-Turk, Nadine Fares is set to spend and experience her first Ramadan in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
Fares, who has lived in Germany for over a decade, said she is thrilled to “live this experience for the first time” along with her husband.
“I am excited to see all the traditions and customs of the country, the social gatherings and the breaking of Iftars with some delicious traditional dishes,” she said.
“Having spent Ramadan for over 10 years in Germany, I really cannot wait to spend the holy month this time in a Muslim Arab country,” Fares said.
This year’s Ramadan is expected to fall either on March 22 or 23.
During the holy month, working hours change and facilities usually buzz with life in the evenings after Iftars.
Employees will also enjoy reduced working hours, that is usually up to six hours per day.
The spirit of Ramadan is felt even among non-Muslims who don’t celebrate the holy month.
Soumi Ghosal, an Indian expat living in Riyadh for five years now, says that she feels as included in the occasion as others.
Ghosal said it has been an exciting experience “and it ended up involving me somehow because I have my friends and colleagues who are Muslim and are also expats living here. So, [since they are also] away from their families, they had the chance to involve me in the holy month.”
She said that she looks forward for Iftars given their social significance and because they also constitute a “gastronomical adventure” for her.
“[Experiencing this] has given me a chance to understand the culture more closely and to [getting] to know and meet different people.”
Ghosal said that her respect for the spiritual essence of Ramadan, for her colleagues and her Muslim roommate, has prompted her to take up on fasting for this period.
“I also take this as an exercise…to detoxify my mind and body.”
Ghosal added that she was excited about Ramadan’s decorations that put everyone in the spiritual atmosphere of the holy month.
“The small things make a huge difference… I am counting the days,” she said.

Home away from home

Algerian national Lemya Bouzid who has been living in Dubai for 11 years said that despite being away from her family, she feels at home in Dubai, hence, celebrating Ramadan is something she is looking forward to.
“We [eagerly] wait for Ramadan,” Bouzid said.
“You don’t feel like an expat. On occasions such as Ramadan, there are always events that compensate for being away from our families,” Bouzid said.
She said that despite the diversity of cultures and religions in the city, spending Ramadan in Dubai has a special significance where gathering with friends, loved ones and colleagues creates a warm familial atmosphere.
Read more:
Ramadan 2023: Expected UAE Iftar timings, what to eat for Iftar vs Suhoor
Ramadan in UAE: Timing changes, free parking, working hours – all you need to know
Ramadan in the UAE: Some schools get two-week holiday during holy month

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM