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UAE is a state of giving, peace and security: Khalifa
UAE is a state of giving, peace and security: Khalifa (Wam) / 27 July 2013 The President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on Saturday, welcomed the initiative launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to mark Sunday as the Emirates Humanitarian Work Day. The day, Ramadan 19, which is the 9th death anniversary of the late Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, is marked under the theme “Love and Loyalty to Zayed: The Generous”. “It’s a kind initiative which we support and urge all – individuals and government and non-government organisations – to support and sponsor, engage and rally behind it for promoting values of goodness, nobleness and giving, which constitute core components of the Emirati national identity,” the President said. “It also glorifies the culture of human volunteerism, cooperation and solidarity whose good seed was sown by the late Shaikh Zayed, and his fellows the founding fathers. Their sons, grandsons and people of the UAE are all today pursuing their footsteps. “On this blessing day of the holy month of Ramadan, we remember them all with deep sense of affection and loyalty and pray that their souls rest in eternal peace for what they offered to their homeland, nation and the humanity at large. They were the generation of generosity and giving; our fathers whom we take pride in and whom we are proud of before other nations,” Shaikh Khalifa added. “We value these government and private humanitarian initiatives which swept across the country in response to the Federal Cabinet resolution to dedicate the anniversary of the late Shaikh Zayed as a celebration of the Emirates Humanitarian Work Day in remembrance of his humanitarian and charitable initiatives and works which inspire UAE people and community organisations to donate generously in support of the needy and vulnerable segments within the UAE and abroad like the Dress One Million Needy Children across the world, provision of essentials to needy families, sponsorship of orphans, releasing indebted prisoners and other initiatives targeting education, health, children and family as well as other social and educative fields.” The President paid gratitude to all those who have contributed to the success of the day which firmly promotes the benevolent, humanitarian image of the UAE, enabling “our experiment, our State and our citizens” to earn respect and regard of the world. Shaikh Khalifa prayed Allah to protect “Our State; the State of security, peace and decent life; the State of giving which extends its helping hand to the poor and needy everywhere.” Continue reading
Kuwait votes amid boycott calls
Kuwait votes amid boycott calls (AFP) / 27 July 2013 Kuwaitis voted on Saturday in the country’s second parliamentary election in eight months with a less than moderate turnout after the opposition urged a boycott. Polling began slowly in the morning but increased slightly later to drop again at around noon. Turnout in some districts was under 20 per cent by 2pm, according to state-run Kuwait Television. Turnout was higher in some constituencies, especially in tribal areas, but no official figures were provided. The first results are not expected until after midnight (2100 GMT) as ballot papers are still counted manually. Information Minister Shaikh Salman Humoud Al Sabah said after visiting a polling station in Jahra west of Kuwait City that turnout was high. Besides opposition calls for a boycott, the sweltering heat of around 45 degrees Celsius combined with Ramadan fasting, also apparently contributed to a low turnout. It was the second time the opposition had called for a boycott in protest at an electoral law that it says enables the ruling Al Sabah family-controlled government to manipulate the outcome. The law was ruled legal in June by the constitutional court, even though it dissolved parliament on procedural flaws and ordered Saturday’s election. “I just hope this parliament completes its (four-year) term,” said civil aviation employee Bassam Eid, after voting in Al Qasia. “We are frustrated at the repeated dissolution of the house,” Eid told AFP. The last two parliaments were dissolved by the constitutional court on procedural grounds, while previous parliaments were dissolved by the Emir. “I am really concerned at the turn of events in the country as there will be no development without political stability which we hope will be achieved after this election,” Dr Jawad Abulhassan told AFP. Pensioner Umm Mohammad said she hoped for an end to the disputes plaguing the country, but was not optimistic. “We earnestly hope to see political stability in the country after this poll… We are still afraid that this might not happen,” she said at a polling station reserved for women in Jabriya, south of Kuwait City. Some groups that boycotted the last election — notably the liberal National Democratic Alliance and some of the emirate’s powerful tribes — did take part on Saturday. But only a few opposition members were among the 300 hopeful candidates. They include eight women, the lowest number since women won political rights in 2005. Around 30 Arab election observers visited polling stations and were assisted by monitors from the Kuwait Transparency Society. The opposition failed to mirror the support it mobilised ahead of the last election, but has remained adamant that it will not take part in a “corrupted” political system. Just days before polling day, the authorities arrested at least four candidates and dozens of their campaign staff on suspicion of attempted vote-buying. Of Kuwait’s population of 3.9 million, just 31 per cent are citizens and of that 1.23 million only 440,000 are eligible to vote. The voting age is 21 and Kuwaitis in the police or army are barred from taking part. Continue reading
For the love of the language
For the love of the language (voskouc@gmail.com) / 24 July 2013 SPOKEN IN 22 countries by over 200 million people, Arabic is the fifth most spoken language in the world. In the Middle-East and North Africa it is the common shared language but in each of the countries it is used in, there is a local element attached to it. For instance, the Arabic spoken here is very different to the Arabic spoken in Egypt. That can seem a little frustrating to those who thought they can easily pick up the language while living here. It takes a lot of dedication, effort and time to be able to speak correctly. Interactive game to help expand Arabic knowledge Four Khalifa University students have developed an interactive computer game to encourage school kids to learn about their national identity and expand their knowledge of Arabic. Fatima Al Muhariy, Maitha Barrak, Halema Al Naqbi and Eman Khalifa, who are all Computer Engineering students at Khalifa University, developed the game that won the third place in the recent Innovative Cultural Project Competition 2013 held by the Ministry of Culture and Youth. The competition aims to develop the talents, energies and competencies of creative young people, students and university clubs in the UAE in order to strengthen national identity and to sponsor creative students currently enrolled in the UAE universities. The game, designed for kids aged nine to 12, follows the adventures of two characters, Rashed and Aisha, and requires students to identify the UAE wildlife, solve problems presented in Arabic and answer questions about the history of the UAE. “We aimed our project to involve all of the seven Emirates, and each game shows each emirate and what it is known for. This just shows how rich our culture is,” Barrak said. “We are very pleased with our students’ achievement in the Innovative Cultural Project Competition, as well as, their dedication to enhancing knowledge of the UAE and its culture among school children,” commended Khalifa University’s executive vice president Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi. Staff Reporter news@khaleejtimes.com The popular columnist and media personality Ali Al Saloom, is known for his efforts to share cultural, linguistic and general knowledge about the UAE. He thinks that learning Arabic while living in the region can help people get a better understanding of the local culture. He often says that if he had the capacity to do so, he would offer free Arabic lessons to those willing to commit to learning the language. “I appreciate it when expats choose to learn Arabic because it shows that they are hungry for our culture and our language. In fact I encourage my Emirati friends and family to promote our language by practising with those who are learning it,” he commented. Paola Zagni, an Italian living in Dubai, admits that Arabic is hard both in writing and in speaking. “The grammar is not difficult compared to my native language but the alphabet and the spelling make writing extremely difficult but charming at the same time. It is like a challenge and a personal satisfaction when you start writing full sentences and read paragraphs,” she says. A passion for languages and for the Arabic culture appears to be a common theme amongst students in the UAE. Alessandro Mirabella, another Italian expatriate was first exposed to the Arabic language at university in his home country and relocating to the UAE provided him with an opportunity to continue learning. He says, “I want to have a better understanding of this language that’s so different than mine. I like the letters and it pleases me so much to write in Arabic. But I am still in a beginner level and have a lot to learn.” Interestingly, Alessandro also points out to the fact that the Sicilian dialect, which he speaks, contains Arabic influences. For Ioanna Oikonomidou, a Greek architect, who has only recently moved to the UAE, learning Arabic has provided her the chance to discover a language she has always found interesting and could, potentially, benefit her career prospects in the region. However, she admits that “it is quite hard. I thought the most difficult thing would be the letters, but the letters are just the beginning.” Interactive game to help expand Arabic knowledge Four Khalifa University students have developed an interactive computer game to encourage school kids to learn about their national identity and expand their knowledge of Arabic. Fatima Al Muhariy, Maitha Barrak, Halema Al Naqbi and Eman Khalifa, who are all Computer Engineering students at Khalifa University, developed the game that won the third place in the recent Innovative Cultural Project Competition 2013 held by the Ministry of Culture and Youth. The competition aims to develop the talents, energies and competencies of creative young people, students and university clubs in the UAE in order to strengthen national identity and to sponsor creative students currently enrolled in the UAE universities. The game, designed for kids aged nine to 12, follows the adventures of two characters, Rashed and Aisha, and requires students to identify the UAE wildlife, solve problems presented in Arabic and answer questions about the history of the UAE. “We aimed our project to involve all of the seven Emirates, and each game shows each emirate and what it is known for. This just shows how rich our culture is,” Barrak said. “We are very pleased with our students’ achievement in the Innovative Cultural Project Competition, as well as, their dedication to enhancing knowledge of the UAE and its culture among school children,” commended Khalifa University’s executive vice president Dr Arif Sultan Al Hammadi. Staff Reporter news@khaleejtimes.com Similarly, Ali Ayhan Fidanci, a Turkish expat also admits that while he enjoys learning the language, “the biggest challenge is pronunciation. The language depends on the correct pronunciation of the words very much.” For Rachel Dunn, a British expat and Public Relations professional, the decision to learn Arabic was purely personal: “I am married to an Egyptian, so for me it was important to try and learn the language — we have just had a baby and we’d like him to speak both English and Arabic so I wouldn’t want to feel left out.” Dunn says that the differences between Arabic and English while many, make it all the more interesting and challenging to learn. She loves how rich and descriptive a language it is and the fact that “there are so many words which could be used to describe the same thing in different situations. Plus it’s incredibly satisfying to be able to read even the headline in a newspaper.” Although these students live in an Arabic speaking country, it isn’t easy to make conversation and practice the language. As Oikonomidou points out, “recently in an exhibition I took part in, there were many Arabic-speaking people. They were very pleased I knew some things but they were speaking to me in English. Overall though, I think all people are flattered when you appreciate and respect their culture and language. ” However, Mirabella who is part of a conversation team at his school feels that he still cannot hold a conversation in Arabic. He thinks it’s hard because “native Arabic-speakers perhaps don’t have the patience to speak to you, as they are fluent in English, and they simply switch to that with non-Arab speakers. But they are happy to listen.” Continue reading
