Sports
Dr Naik to speak at Ramadan Forum
Dr Naik to speak at Ramadan Forum Muaz Shabandri (muaz@khaleejtimes.com) / 3 July 2013 Celebrated Islamic preacher, Dr Zakir Naik, will speak at this year’s Ramadan forum to be held at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) on Thursday, July 18. Organisers of the forum are hosting the event at a bigger venue this year, expecting more than 6,000 people to attend his talk on ‘Quran and Modern Science’. Previous editions of his talks in Dubai have influenced several people to embrace Islam as his eloquent style of presentation and knowledge on comparative religion have earned him praise. The talk will be organised as part of the Al Multaqa Ramadan Forum which will run from July 12 to July 23. A series of educational activities, road shows, training workshops and lectures will be hosted as part of the forum organised by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). Speaking with Khaleej Times, Hamad bin Mejren, Executive Director of Business Tourism at DTCM said: “Ramadan is the perfect month to enrich the soul and it is indeed a special month for Muslims. People want to learn more about religion and it is an excellent opportunity for them to hear world renowned experts.” He added that the new venue at Zabeel Hall in DWTC was selected keeping in mind the convenience for people coming from other emirates to attend the lectures. “The forum aims at reinforcing Dubai’s position as a leading tourist destination that continues to retain and respect its Islamic values and heritage, strengthening its responsibility towards spreading cultural and social awareness among different cultures,” said Hamad. The schedule of the 12-day forum includes inspiring multilingual lectures with eight lectures in Arabic, presented by a number of scholars and preachers, including Shaikh Dr. Saeed bin Mesfer, Shaikh Dr Abdullah Al Musleh, Shaikh Dr Omar Abdul Kafi, Shaikh Khalid Ismail, Shaikh Dr Khalid Al Musleh, Shaikh Ibrahim Al Zayyat, Shaikh Suleiman Al Jbeilan and the scholar Sultan Al Dugheili. In addition, there will also be four lectures in foreign languages, namely in English presented by Dr Zakir Naik; in Tagalog by the scholar Rashid Indaan; in Malayalam by Shaikh Hussain Salafi and in Urdu presented by Shaikh Tauseef Ar-Rahman. The 12 th edition of the Ramadan Forum is being hosted under the patronage of Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation. Scholars and preachers will also visit local hospitals and there will be a daily Iftar organised in labour accommodations in Muhaisnah 2, the capacity of which has been increased to feed 4,000 fasting individuals this year instead of 2,500, bringing the total of free meals during Ramadan to 120,000. The activity agenda also includes a mobile Charity Caravan that will tour the city to help raise awareness about the event and to distribute informational leaflets and brochures within public and private organisations, malls, public transport and other public places. Last year, the forum attracted 99,829 adult visitors in addition to 2,400 children, and witnessed 35 people converting to Islam. The forum included 12 hospital visits by the scholars, eight visits to private and public organisations and 39,100 health checks. For more information on the venue and timings, visit www.almultaqa.ae . Continue reading
They’ve got talent!
They’ve got talent! Silvia Radan (silvia@khaleejtimes.com) / 3 July 2013 Saleh Al Shunnar was the last Emirati standing with a chance to win the Dh50,000 Best Film award in the Arab Film Studio’s film competition. Minutes before the awards were announced on Monday night in Yas Viceroy hotel, the Dubai-born was the centre of attention, giving interviews, posing for photos and greeting friends and supporters. Arab Film Studio, which was established in 2011 in partnership with Image Nation and twofour54, is a short film competition that aims at discovering talent and giving aspiring talent the tools to carve out a career for themselves. “Image Nation gave us $5000 to make a short film, and also a lot of support in the form of training, even hotel accommodation,” said Saleh, who has never before attempted to make a film. His story is one that he much cares about: litter. Titled Recycled, Saleh’s short film is about a Western film director shooting a movie in Hatta, but litter keeps appearing in every scene. Eventually, he gives up, but his Emirati assistant director takes the discarded film reels and creates a short film about litter, which is the actual film the audience gets to see. “Litter really bothers me. This particular story came to me as I was sitting in my usual cafe in Dubai, having a karak. I kept seeing people throwing rubbish on the street, when garbage bins are nearby,” said Saleh. The Emirati filmmaker was happy to have reached this stage of the competition, especially since the films were judged by the likes of Jude Law, David Frankel (director of The Devil Wears Prada), Michael Brandt (writer, The Double), UAE’s Nawaf Al Janahi (director, Sea Shadow) and several other international film industry personalities. “In my view, I have won already. We all did. Just to finish the film was an accomplishment in itself,” mentioned Saleh. Altogether, there were 13 contestants selected for the competition and only six made it to the final: Mohamed Islem Cherchali, a Dubai resident from Algeria, Muneer Al Busaidi, an Omani living in Abu Dhabi, Allegra Brooksbank, a Dubai-based American, Belal Anteple, a Syrian living in Al Ain, Sara Saber, a Dubai resident from Egypt and Saleh Al Shunnar. Saleh’s Recycled did not win the big Best Film award, but it did take one of the other seven awards, the Best Sound Design. The night, in fact, belonged to Sara Saber, who scooped not only the much desired Best Film, but also Best Screenplay and Best Editing for her short film In Her Eyes. “Oh, my God! Thank you very much!” she burst out on the stage as she received the Best Film trophy. “I’ve been blessed with a fantastic team, who supported all my crazy ideas,” she went on. In Her Eyes is a story of two different generations and their separate values. A mother and her daughter find themselves at crossroads as their visions clash – the mother finds reason in the art of poetry, despite her poverty, while the daughter wants to pursue a financially successful life. “This is my story,” Sara told Khaleej Times. “I have this inner struggle in me weather or not to pursue art, but I think I can combine art and business,” she went on. Details for the 2014 Arab Film Studio competition will be announced later this autumn. Continue reading
An urban oasis
An urban oasis Staff Reporter / 3 July 2013 The Municipality of Abu Dhabi on Tuesday announced yet another mega project — downtown fusion of an Arabian oasis and modern steel and glass structure — in the heart of the capital city. The municipal department said the urban oasis will offer improved community services and combine retail and recreational facilities, together with parking in Sector E6, between Hamdan Street and Khalifa Street and between Eastern Road and Street 10, in a built-up part of the city. It will be the first in a series of urban oasis developments that the municipality is planning. “The innovative design of this new project will enable the municipality to address the needs to provide a wide range of public facilities in a constrained and highly populated location. The green space and recreational and retail facilities will enhance the image of the city and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors, while at the same time reducing traffic congestion and boost car parking,” said Rashed bin Ali Al Omaira, Advisor Investments and Assets for the General Manager’s Office at the department. The Municipality of Abu Dhabi will formally invite private sector bids in the coming weeks to deliver the two-phased project, which will span an area of 19,000sqm using a build-own-transfer (BOT) model. A benchmark study undertaken by the municipality highlighted that the densely populated Sector E6 area could be enhanced further by adding 3,000sqm of leisure, education and sport facilities. The sector is home to more than 13,000 residents living in around 2,600 apartments, making the area very congested. nissar@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
