Tag Archives: horse-racing
HIV/Aids Awareness: Breaking the Aids cycle
HIV/Aids Awareness: Breaking the Aids cycle Sajila Saseendran / 4 July 2013 He was held captive by the Taleban for 24 days in Afghanistan, narrowly escaped bomb blasts in Iraq, and was mugged in other countries. Indian globetrotter Somen Debnath has faced it all during his nine years of travel around the world on a bicycle. The 30-year-old, whose mission is to spread awareness about Aids and conduct seminars on Indian culture in 191 countries by 2020, is now in Dubai. Speaking to Khaleej Times at the Indian Consulate in Dubai, Debnath said he had pedalled 97,000 kilometres so far. “The UAE is the 78 th country I am visiting. My mission is to clock 200,000 kilometres in 191 countries by 2020.” It was a report on an HIV-infected villager who was left alone to die near his hometown in Kolkata that had a huge impact on Debnath about Aids. Debnath was only 14 when he read that article. When his school teachers couldn’t answer his questions on the dreaded disease, he decided to get trained at the West Bengal State Aids Control Society. At 16, he began awareness campaigns about HIV/Aids and taught his teachers. “AIDS-related stigma and lack of knowledge about this deadly, yet preventable disease motivated me the most. My mission was to spread awareness first to people from my village, then my country, and now it is a global campaign.” A graduate in Zoology, Debnath started his global ride in 2004 with just Rs422, or $17. He was inspired by Bimol Mukerji, also from West Bengal, who went on an epic world tour on a bicycle from 1926 to 1937. Debnath decided to follow in his footsteps after reading Mukerji’s book, ‘Du Chakay Duniya’ (The World on Two Wheels) that was re-published in 1998. He first covered India, talking to sex workers about the dangers of Aids, and working with tribal communities. “I can never forget the experience with the Jarawa tribe in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Though I had to keep complete silence for two weeks as I couldn’t understand their language, I really enjoyed the warmth of their love and hospitality.” He also cherishes the hospitality of the Inuit, the Eskimos in Greenland, and the kind gesture of an utterly poor and old farmer in Bangladesh who came to his rescue after he had collapsed in the scorching heat. Scary memories of the Taleban in 2009 are fresh in his mind, but some Indian curry he cooked for his captors helped seal his release. After every lucky escape and tryst with the fate, he sets off to another country with the support of Indian missions. With an additional degree in Fine Arts, Debnath paints scenes of every country he visits. “I’m sending these paintings to a friend of mine in Germany. Once I finish my world tour, I will arrange an exhibition of all 191 paintings in all these countries through my friends in all the places that I have visited.” In the UAE, he plans to cycle around the seven emirates. “Unfortunately, schools here are closed now. I will try to meet as many members as possible from the Indian community and other communities here.” With every second or third person he has met in Dubai being an Indian, Debnath feels the emirate is like his second home. “I’m happy to be in the UAE which is culturally very close to India.” Debnath and Dubai also share something in common — a Global Village, albeit his concept being different from the one here and the resemblance in the name purely coincidental. With the support of the people he meets, those who assist him during his trip morally and financially, Debnath aims to build a Global Village back home where traditional houses of various countries will be set up in one compound. “The first house, which I call the ‘People House’, is almost ready in Kolkata. People can come and stay there for a week. I need support from more people to continue my journey to the South Pole and also to make more such ecologically sustainable houses in my Global Village.” A book on the trip, another culinary book, a photo documentary and a film on his 20 most exciting experience are being planned by the global cyclist. Debnath’s friends help update blogs in five languages and on his facebook page and he cherishes these bonds. But there are more kilometres to pedal and new friends to meet. The fight against Aids must continue after such a long and eventful journey. — sajila@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Liwa Dates Festival to open at night
Liwa Dates Festival to open at night Silvia Radan / 4 July 2013 For the first time in nine years, the Liwa Dates Festival will take place during the holy month of Ramadan, from July 18 to 25, in the Western Region desert oasis of Liwa. Although the festival’s opening hours will be at night, from 8pm to 1am, the organisers do not think there will be a drop in participants or visitors. “The Liwa Dates Festival always takes place in the summer, when the ratab dates are in season. We cannot postpone the festival because of Ramadan. Besides, we work during the holy month, so the evaluation of the date farms will take place during the day, while the festival’s activities are scheduled in the evening,” explained Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of the festival and the Culture and Heritage advisor to the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court. Last year, 1,500 participants were registered with the festival and over the past eight seasons nearly 70,000 people came to see the Liwa Dates Festival. As usual, buses will be provided for visitors from Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to the festival, which will take place in an air-conditioned massive tent. All the old favourites are back this year, including traditional Emirati folklore, cooking competition, a kids’ tent and the popular date palm farmers’ souk with 120 shops being set up. As for the competitions, there are seven different dates categories, each awarding cash prizes to the top 15 contestants, as well as a mango and a lemon competition, each with prizes for the top 10 winners. Altogether, the festival is giving away this year Dh 5 million in prizes. “The competition is open to any UAE farmer, although we tend to have most of our competitors from Al Gharbia and Al Ain,” pointed out Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, director of the festival. According to him, the festival cannot be extended to the Arabian Gulf simply because the ratab — the fresh, half ripe dates — season starts from east to west. Omani dates, for example, are the first to ripe, while certain Saudi varieties ripen only in September.In the UAE, the ratab season lasts for about a month, depending on the type of dates. The festival is not just a celebration of the dates harvesting, but a good business, as well. “We help the date palm farmers not just with awards, but also facilitate meetings with distributors, manufacturers and other businesses related to date palm trees,” Obaid Al Mazrouei told Khaleej Times. “The date production quality has also improved. In 2009 for example, it was very easy for us to pick the competition winners, while now over 20 people fight for the first place,” he pointed out. The full programme of the festival is available on http://www.liwadatesfestival.ae/ . silvia@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Dubai records significant growth in all key sectors
Dubai records significant growth in all key sectors Staff Report (abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com) / 30 June 2013 Dubai posted significant growth in all key economic sectors in 2012 and the emirate will continue to maintain its position as a regional and global hub for business and finance, according to a latest report from the Dubai Economic Council, or DEC. The report revealed that Dubai’s real economic growth during the last quarter of 2012 increased to 5.3 per cent compared to same quarter in the previous year. This reflects the outcome of the growth in two of Dubai’s key sectors — construction and manufacturing — in addition to transport and storage, wholesale and retail trade, real estate and the financial sector, which altogether contributed to about 90 per cent of Dubai’s gross domestic product. The report stated that there was a decline in the consumer price index, known as inflation, during the fourth quarter of last year by 0.14 per cent compared to the growth in domestic liquidity that amounted to two per cent. The government’s budget deficit fell to less than $2 billion in 2012 as a result of public spending rationalisation. The real estate sector has witnessed significant growth by about 94 per cent compared to the corresponding quarter in 2011. The average price per square metre for apartments has increased to around three per cent compared to the corresponding 2011 quarter. Last year witnessed an unprecedented growth in the tourism sector, which saw tourism indicators increase notable gains. The number of guests in hotel establishments increased by seven per cent compared to the summer of 2011. Tourism activities have contributed in attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from outside of Dubai and the state. According to the report, it also coincided with the preparation of tourist facilities and hotels and apartments buildings which aim to increase tourist numbers, the number of buildings have increased by 200 and hotel rooms by 80,000. The number of tourists has exceeded 10 million for the first time in the emirate. The average length of stay in Dubai hotels has increased by 3.77 nights, and the result of the high occupancy rate saw an 83 per cent increase compared to 79 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2011. Dubai’s foreign trade during the last quarter of 2012 also witnessed remarkable growth, as imports totalled Dh186 billion compared to Dh117 billion of exports. Total trade at the end of 2012 was about Dh1.234 trillion compared to Dh1.1 trillion at the end of 2011. Free zones continued to play a major role in the emirate’s trade, with total exports and imports of these areas during the fourth quarter of about Dh95 billion, equivalent to 32 per cent of Dubai’s total trade. As for the banking sector and financial markets, the industry has continued to increase deposits and loans in the banks of Dubai. The merger of Emirates Islamic Bank and Dubai Bank has increased the ability to attract deposits. These trends would continue in light of the high level of demand for investment and the return of economic and commercial activity in the emirate. Money markets were up significantly in local indicators. At the sector level, the real estate and construction sectors lead the engine of growth in the Dubai Financial Market, with the financial services and investment sectors following. Continue reading
