World

Global flavors of Ramadan: Iftar meals from around the world

Ramadan is a time for reflection, patience, generosity, and overall goodwill. It is also a time to connect with family and friends and to build community over shared meals and prayers. While certain foods such as dates, pastries, and juices unite Iftar tables everywhere, there is vivid variation in Iftar spreads around the world. Every family has its own little culinary customs for the holy month, which makes the experience warmer and more personal each year.

People from ten countries tell Al Arabiya English what they eat during the holy month and reflect on their memories associated with the dish in this list of quintessential Ramadan food from around the world.

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Egypt

Stuffed grape vine leaves (supplied)

Grape vine leaves are stuffed with rice, meat, and spices. While the dish is made with slight variations across other Arab countries, Menatalla Shawky says the dish is “as Egyptian as it gets.” The little bundles of flavor are served warm at Iftar.

India

Samosa chaat. (supplied)

Samosa chaat “tastes amazing, but more importantly, it lights up faces at the table,” says Mohammad Amaan Siddiqui from India. Samosas are fried potato-filled pastries, which are smashed into a bowl and covered in yoghurt and tamarind chutney to level them up into samosa chaat.

Iraq

Tepsi betenjan, which translates to eggplant platter, is a quintessential Ramadan dish featured at Iftar in Iraqi households. It is an eggplant casserole made from fried slices of eggplant, meatballs, tomatoes, onions, and garlic – all placed in a baking dish, covered with potato slices, and baked. Tuqa al-Ayoubi from Iraq says her favorite thing about the dish is that it is very flavorful, “like an Iraqi ratatouille.”

Pakistan

Fruit chaat. (supplied)

No Pakistani Iftar spread is complete without fruit chaat, which is a fresh fruit salad seasoned with chaat masala. Pinar Khadeeja’s memories for Ramadan include cutting up fruits into little cubes to prepare the salad, “This dish is my mom’s favorite, which is why it brings me extra joy in making it every day for Iftar.”

Palestine

Makloubeh. (supplied)

A Palestinian Iftar is done right when there is makloubeh on the table – a rice dish made with meat. Jana al-Jamal says the dish reminds her of her roots as a Palestinian villager and the tradition of a family gathering around “to eat a shared dish of simple rice and chicken, but with a pinch of motherly love.”

Syria

Mahshi. (supplied)

Sarah al-Saeid calls mahshi “the ultimate Middle Eastern comfort food.” It is the dish her mom cooks on the first day of Ramadan every year. Mahshi features zucchini, eggplant, and vine leaves, stuffed with a mix of rice, spices and ground beef, which is then simmered for hours in tomato sauce and dried mint leaves. For al-Saeid, “It is home in a dish.”

Sudan

Asida and molaah. (suplied)

A must-have dish for Sudani Ramadan spreads is asida and molaah. Asida is a dough made by stirring wheat flour into boiling water, and sometimes butter or honey is added. It is eaten with molaah or stew. Amnah Sewar al-Thahab from Sudan says, “Asida in particular is made from vegetarian and affordable ingredients, highlighting the simplicity and minimalism, which the holy month advocates for.”

Tanzania

Kaimati. (supplied)

Kaimati, crisp fried dumplings covered in saffron-flavored sugar syrup, is a Ramadan snack from Tanzania that is eaten at Iftar with dates or as a dessert after dinner. Lamia from Tanzania shares her associated fondness with the sweet dish, “Kaimati brings so many childhood memories of large family Iftar gatherings back home.”

United Arab Emirates

Thereed. (supplied)

Thereed is a traditional Emirati dish which is made from regag or bread crackers mixed in with a nutritious tomato-based soup called saloona that includes meat, meat broth, Emirati spice mix, carrots and potatoes. Jawaher al-Mheiri from United Arab Emirates says the dish is like a hug for her soul, “Thereed means so much to me during Ramadan as it is always the dish that we pick for our first Iftar of the month.”

Yemen

Fattah is a made from homemade cut-up pita bread, warm milk, Yemeni ghee or clarified butter, and honey. Maroa al-Dhubani recalls her nostalgia associated with Yemeni Fattah, “The smell reminds me of cold winter nights of Ramadan back when I was a teenager. Even if I was not hungry, the warm delicious smell always made me grab a spoon.”

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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