It was more than just the opening of a building; it was a night for the Nation to come together in mutual love and respect for the visionary leadership that has made UAE the country that it is today.  Standing beneath the tower as flashes of multicolored lights showed off the enormous stature of the world’s greatest architectural marvel, it was a moment in time that will always be remembered as a pinnacle of humankind’s ingenuity and ambition.

An estimated two billion people around the world watched live TV coverage of the inauguration, which coincided with the fourth anniversary of the succession of Sheikh Mohammad as ruler of Dubai.  The value of the tower’s residential units has been skyrocketing in recent months, although much of the space was sold years ago to developers across the globe.  If you haven’t seen the building yet, definitely make it a point to drop by and see the view from the top of the world.

• Initiative to recognize and support the cultural sector of the UAE and the region

• To catalyse development of art education initiatives, funds and infrastructure

• Four categories of awards for art patronage to be presented during Art Dubai 2010

The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is reaching out to recognize patrons of the arts around the world who have made financial contributions towards enriching the artistic fabric of Dubai, through the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts awards.

To be presented next year, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts is the first of its kind initiative in the Arab world, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai in March 2009.

By recognizing the patrons behind the thriving arts scene in Dubai, Dubai Culture aims to stimulate the cultural sector of the region, catalyse the development of various art disciplines, strengthen the arts infrastructure and contribute to developing Dubai as center for content creation in the arts.

His Highness Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture said the initiative recognises the individual and organisation-backed patronage extended to culture and the arts. “Throughout the history of mankind, culture has flourished only under the generous patronage of people who appreciate and value their importance to the larger community. Their contributions have been vital in sustaining artist enthusiasm, encouraging people to pursue careers in art and in driving the growth of the sector.”

“Dubai has now become a vibrant hub for the arts in the region, thanks to the efforts of its patrons who have, until now, served as its unsung heroes. By honouring them, we are encouraging more like-minded individuals to step forward and recognise the long-term value of supporting the arts,” added His Highness Sheikh Majid. “This will help strengthen our creative infrastructure and also drive the participation of more artists through scholarships and funds. It will also drive our outreach to the youth through valuable educational initiatives in the arts.”

Dubai Culture is honouring patrons in the following categories: ‘Distinguished Patrons of the Arts,’ ‘Patrons of the Arts,’ ‘Supporters of the Arts,’ and ‘Friends of the Arts’ based on their contribution. The awards will be conferred during Art Dubai 2010, an art fair held annually in Dubai. Submissions can be made on-line at www.dubaiculture.ae shortly.

Individuals and organisations who have made financial contributions through sustained support to visual arts, performing arts, literature and poetry and films during 2007 to 2009, will be eligible for the awards.

The Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Patrons of the Arts awards are envisaged to engage and sustain the interest of the public to participate more actively in supporting cultural initiatives. This is aimed at building a viable financial base and an infrastructure for such initiatives to thrive in Dubai.

The Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, heritage and art, Dubai Culture is focused on building on the city’s Arabic and Islamic character and heritage while encouraging dialogue and creativity among its 200-strong cultures. The Authority emphasises on innovative, home-grown culture, heritage and art initiatives to educate and engage the public in this fast-evolving scene.

-ends-

Note to Editors

About the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority:

The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) was launched on March 8, 2008 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Dubai Culture plays a critical part in achieving the vision of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 of establishing the city as vibrant, global Arabian metropolis that shapes culture and arts in the region and the world. The organisation has announced several initiatives that strengthen the historic and modern cultural fabric of Dubai. These include:

Muhammad the Messenger Museum: The first project of its kind in the world to focus on and highlight the life and message of Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him).

Gulf Film Festival: Dubai Culture recognises that a healthy film industry is necessary to take stories about Dubai’s culture, traditions, history and contemporary lifestyle to the world.

Bastakiya Art Fair: An annual art and culture event takes place in the houses of Al Bastakiya, one of the historic areas of Dubai.

Dubai Festival for Youth Theatre: An annual festival that celebrates and fosters the art of theatre in the UAE.

Dubai Next: To encourage and sponsor initiatives that contribute actively to the development of the cultural events and activities in Dubai. Recently, Dubai Culture showcased Dubai’s aspirations in culture to an international audience at one of the world’s most prestigious platforms, the Art Basel 39 art fair.

Khor Dubai: A living museum that celebrates the multicultural diversity of Dubai.

The Holy Lands: A collaboration with the unique and creatively rich Reiss Engelhorn Museen of Mannheim to bring an exclusive collection of never before exhibited rare photographs to the region and more specifically Dubai.

For more information, please contact:

Nivine William / Sara Hamam

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller

+9714 334 4550

n.william@asdaa.com, s.hamam@asdaa.com

Mr. Kosta Petrov, Conference Director for IIR Middle East

Panel discussions began today for the oldest and one of the largest public relations conferences in the region, the Middle East Public Relations Congress.  Produced by IIR Middle East and in association with Dubai Media City and supported by the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA), the annual event is the most powerful PR networking and evaluation platform in the Middle East. Now in its sixth year, the Congress will feature over 30 interactive discussions covering an array of PR-related topics, allowing participants to tailor their programme to specific areas of interest.  This year the Congress is being held in coordination with Brand Summit 2009 from November 8-12 at the Al Murooj Rotana Hotel in Dubai.

The opening day saw participants focus on the use of new media tools and how connecting with target audiences is as much a question of strategy as technology.  In the field of crisis resolution, Communications Director Christian Schultz talked about his experiences at Mattel, the world’s largest toymaker, and the importance of proactive media relations in light on the company’s massive 2007 recalls. From the agency perspective, CEO and Founder of O2 Public Relations Mohammed Johmani discussed the challenges of creating campaigns that engage the public, build an emotional experience, and are integrated with total marketing platforms.  Other speakers included Samer Costantini, PR Manager for Global Operations at Cisco Systems, and Mazan Nahawi, Managing Director of Media Watch, to name a few.

Commenting on the opening day, Conference Director for IIR Middle East Kosta Petrov said:

Mr. Mohammed Johmani, CEO and Founder of O2 Public Relations

“We had about 80 people registered to attend Day One, and by midday we had actually accommodated closer to one hundred. Given the financial challenges of 2009, we are incredibly pleased that so many organizations are still willing to invest in professional development.”

In addition to executive-led discussions, this year’s PR Congress will also organize one-on-one meetings between conference participants, and will offer half-day intensive clinics conducted by renowned industry experts.  Still on the agenda are talks from individuals such as Dominic Buttimore, Executive Producer at th1ng th2ng production company, and Francis Matthew, Editor at large for Gulf News.

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About IIR Middle East

IIR Middle East is the provider of up-to-the-minute information in a practical, highly interactive environment through training seminars and conferences. Covering every aspect of business from manufacturing to logistics, strategic planning to health and safety, information technology to marketing and sales, conferences are compiled using in-depth industry analysis. Participants will learn and network with a host of regional and international experts through case studies, round table discussions, panel debates and academic sessions. Attending IIR Middle East’s highly educational events gives consumers the opportunity not only to learn, but to question, reason and discuss industry trends and best practices. Visit www.iirme.com for detailed information on specific training programmes and conferences.

About O2 Network

The O2 Network is an award-winning, research-oriented agency that has been established to fill the gap in the Middle East’s communications industry.  Founded in Dubai in 2005, the O2 Network consists of four agencies: O2 Marketing Communications (O2MC), O2 Public Relations (O2PR), O2 Interactive (O2i), and O2 Branding (O2B).

The O2 Network is renowned for its innovative communications strategies rooted in extensive market research. Through its unique approach “KNOW YOUR MARKET FIRST”™, O2 aims to put businesses, consumers, and the market at the core of all strategic planning.  This research methodology enables O2 to develop successful campaigns that effectively engage the consumer through multiple channels.  O2 Network prides itself on its high-profile client base, which has included partners like Al Ain Dairy, aswaaq, Dubai Municipality, Durrat Marina, Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders, Tameer Holding Investment LLC, and Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University. O2’s vision is to be the first independent, UAE-based regional marketing communications network to compete on the international stage.

To learn more about this unique concept, please visit the O2 website at www.o2mc.net.

For more information, please contact:

Kosta Petrov

Conference Director- IIR Middle East

Office: + 971 04 3365161

Kosta.petrov@iirme.com

Maan Dalghan

PR Account Manager - O2 Public Relations

Mobile: +971 0504735351

Phone: +971 43122777

Fax: +971 43122788

Email: maan.d@o2pr.net

The Community Development Authority (CDA) discussed partnering with the United Nations to promoting a culture of respect for human rights and steps to be taken by Dubai to further strengthen its role as a key ally in the global fight against violation of human rights.

At a meeting with Mr. Githu Muigai, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Mr Khalid Al Kamda, Director General, Community Development Authority in Dubai, also discussed how CDA can contribute to the elimination of racial discrimination. Mr Al Kamda received Mr Muigai and an accompanying delegation at CDA’s office.

Mr Al Kamda said that the meeting highlighted CDA’s efforts to strengthen Dubai’s profile in the field of human rights and is part of the organisation’s commitment to benefit from the expertise and successful experiences for global thought-leaders. Mr. Muigai briefed CDA on the objectives and responsibilities of the  UN Human Rights Committee.

The CDA team made a detailed presentation on the strategic plan in the field of human rights and issues and recommendations identified by its team. They also presented initiatives to address human rights concerns. They also highlighted the strategic objectives and the community development plans of Dubai through local programmes and international partnerships.

Mr Ahmed Al Muhairi, Acting Human Rights CEO; Mr Ghassan Khalil, Advisor on Social Policy and Strategic Planning and Human Rights Expert; Mr Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Chief Corporate Services; Mr Hamid Nasser Al Shamsi, Head of Government Communications; and Khalid Al Ramsi, Senior Strategic Expert, CDA, attended the meeting.

-Ends-

Note to editors:

Community Development Authority (CDA):

The CDA is a government entity mandated with enhancing the social development in Dubai to achieve the Dubai strategic plan 2015 which was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum on February 2007.

The CDA will work towards promoting and raising the social standards in Dubai, and increasing the role of citizens in the community by cooperating with concerned entities in order to achieve the goals of the development sector and to develop the basic structure necessary for this.

The CDA will work on setting up the necessary policies and standards pertaining to social services providers based on its five strategic goals including promotion of national identity, social protection, social inclusion, social empowerment, and social cohesion in Dubai.

For further information, please contact:

Dr Ghassan Abdullah Al Katheri

Senior Manager Corporate Communications

Community Development Authority

Tel: (971 4) 4299884

Email: ghassan.alkatheri@cda.gov.ae

Nedal Alasaad/Nafisa Marzouki

ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller

Tel: (971 4) 3344550

Fax: (971 4) 3344556

Email: n.alasaad@asdaa.com n.marzouki@asdaa.com

SOURCE: The National

July 27th 2009: Perhaps the last thing Adrian Hayes, Derek Crowe and Devon McDiarmid were expecting when they finally battled their way to the remote finish line of their epic two-month trek across Greenland’s barren ice cap was a reception committee – but that’s what was awaiting them on the shore of MacCormick Fjord in the small hours of yesterday. The Dubai-based British explorer and his Canadian companions completed their mission to highlight the perils of global warming at 4am UAE time yesterday morning, while the Emirates slept. After 67 days spent trekking and kite-skiing across the testing terrain of the threatened Greenland ice cap, they successfully descended the rubble-strewn glacial moraine that was the last barrier between them and the lapping waters of Baffin Bay.

There, exhausted but jubilant after their journey of 4,262 kilometres, which began on May 22, they made camp for the last time and awaited pick up by boat, despatched from the town of Qaanaaq, 50km away. That was when they saw them. “There is a little hut here and, because it is summer, a couple of Greenlanders are here hunting and fishing,” said Hayes, speaking to The National last night by satellite telephone from six time zones away. “They saw us and came round on their boat to say ‘hi’

They were looking at us coming down the mountain and thinking, ‘Where are these guys coming from?’. When we told them we’d come from the southern tip of Greenland via the Arctic Ocean at the top, they just shook their heads. They looked at us with disbelief, but we looked at them with disbelief as well. Human beings!”

The three men are due to fly out from Qaanaaq today, but they are grateful that the boat was not due to collect them until late last night, giving them time to pause and “decompress” before being thrust back into the hurly-burly of everyday life.

It is fine by us,” said Hayes. “The worst thing would be to come down the mountain after yesterday’s events and go straight into town.”

The dramatic 12km descent was “one challenge we knew was coming” but “I don’t think any of us was quite prepared for this being a 13-hour hike, going through massive boulders, sledges getting stuck, trying to haul them out.

“It was quite a tiring day, to be honest, over the most horrendous terrain you could imagine.”

At the bottom, however, the men were rewarded by “this spectacular location. We can’t keep our eyes off it; glaciers in the background, a beautiful fjord and water, with meadows of grass and flowers. You never look at moss with such affection back at home.”

Hayes paid tribute to his two fellow explorers. The success of the Emirates NBD Greenland Quest, of which The National has been the media partner, was “a testament to our planning, preparation and gear and how well we’ve worked together as a team”.

The main purpose of the trip had been to raise awareness about the perils of global warming, but the men also had a practical mission. Throughout the trip they have daily measured the depth of the snow cover of the ice cap down to hard ice, providing scientists studying global warming with invaluable data about precipitation in the Arctic that cannot be gathered by any other means. Every five days, they also measured the density of the snow, adding to the picture.

“In simple terms,” said Hayes, “the ice is melting and a load of water is pouring off into the sea every year. The question is, how much is being replaced by natural precipitation from the sky?”

The data the team has gathered will form part of a paper being prepared by Dr Sebastian Mernild, a polar climatologist and expert in glaciology at the International Arctic Research Centre at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. It will be presented at COP 15, the UN climate-change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December.

“Greenland is just one focal point for the whole message, but I think it’s a pretty powerful one,” said Hayes. “This country, this place, more than any other on Earth, is the manifestation of the effects of global warming.”

The expedition had reached its first goal, JP Kocks Fjord, on the shore of the Arctic Ocean at Greenland’s most northerly point, on day 46. A sight seen by very few human beings before, it had, said Hayes, affected them all profoundly.

“All three of us, when we saw this frozen paradise, we couldn’t take our eyes off it. That touches you, and I hope the photographs that Derek Crowe took will make an impact and touch other people.”

Hayes plans to spend some time relaxing with his wife, Dawn, and children Alexander, 10, and Charlotte, 8, in the UK before returning to Dubai, probably at the end of August.

SOUCE: Emirates Business 24/7

July 27th -Dubai’s Emirates airline has said it is “disappointed” by the Canadian Government’s decision of not allowing it greater access to that country’s various destinations and that its services to Canada are “restricted to only three flights per week”.

Media reports in Canada claim that Canadian “transport officials have been quietly undermining plans by one of the world’s biggest airlines [Emirates] to expand service to Toronto.”

A report published in Canadian media over the weekend claimed that a publication possesses documents that prove the above.

“In private briefings, Transport Canada officials have gone on the offensive against Emirates airlines’ request for greater access to the Canadian market, charging that the Middle Eastern carrier is ‘an instrument of government policy’ and is heavily subsidised by the public purse,” the report said.

Emirates, on the other hand, has termed the Canadian Government’s decision to not allow it greater access to that market as “unfortunate”.

“Unfortunately the Canadian Government has stated it does not see the need for more services. We are disappointed by this response and are working hard to convince our many friends in Ottawa on the case for more business between Dubai and Canada via a progressive increase in services,” an Emirates spokesperson said.

“Emirates is currently restricted to only three flights per week between Dubai and Canada

“Our services to Toronto have been thriving in the first year and it is our desire to fly to Canada more often,” he said.

“At the very least we seek to offer our business and leisure travellers a daily service to Toronto in the near future. We would also like to sensibly grow our flights to more Canadian cities such as Calgary and Vancouver, in the same way that we have enhanced other markets such as Australia, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom.”

The airline has also said its increased operations into Canada would not negatively impact the Canadian flag-bearer Air Canada.

“Emirates’ operations to Toronto would not significantly impact on Air Canada’s traffic, which Air Canada currently carries indirectly in co-operation with principally its Star Alliance members, between Toronto and Emirates’ points in the Middle East, Africa and South Asian Subcontinent,” said the spokesperson.

“Given the enormous strength of the Star Alliance’s and, by implication, Air Canada’s market position in the relevant markets as well as globally, an Emirates’ daily flight to Toronto would not pose any competitive threat to either Air Canada or the Star Alliance.

“Emirates believes that its operations to Toronto, whether with the current three or the sought seven, or even more, weekly flight frequencies, will not be at the expense of Air Canada,” he added.

“There is no direct competitive overlap between Emirates and Air Canada, since Air Canada does not currently operate its own services to the UAE or to any points in the Middle East, Africa or the South Asian Subcontinent,” he said.

On the other hand, the airline reiterated that Air Canada benefits from Emirates’ operations. “Air Canada benefits from the significant amount of traffic brought in by Emirates’ flights to Air Canada’s domestic and North American network system. Such traffic, and thus benefits to Air Canada, would grow significantly with an increase in Emirates’ flight frequency from the current three to seven weekly flights.

“Emirates lays particular emphasis on generating new demand, and not on redistributing the existing traffic. Emirates would welcome Air Canada, alongside an Emirates’ daily non-stop service to Toronto, between any point(s) in Canada and Dubai,” he said.

SOURCE: Khaleej Times

27 July 2009 DUBAI - A surge in the number of new subscribers contributed to record second-quarter earnings for du, the country’s No. 2 telecom operator, with the company claiming on Sunday to have secured a 30 per cent share of the UAE mobile phone market a year ahead 
of its plan.

Du, which launched operations in 2007, posted Dh242 million in net income before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization for the April-June quarter. The result marked a 52 per cent increase over the comparable income figure for the first quarter and a 734 per cent jump from the second quarter of 2008, du’s first full year 
of operations.

Du took a provision for a 50 per cent royalty fee it expects to have to pay to the government. Its second-quarter net income, after this provision, improved to Dh115.3 million, more than double its Dh47 million net income for the first quarter and a turnaround from a second-quarter loss of Dh44 million in 2008, the company said in a statement.

Osman Sultan, du’s Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement that the operator’s launch this spring of its first post-paid billing service helped propel its growth.

Sleiman Aboulhosn, an analyst at Abu Dhabi-based Prime Emirates, told Reuters that du’s quarterly profit was ahead of his estimates, as revenue per available user (ARPU) picked up by 5 per cent in the second quarter after dropping by 14 per cent in the first quarter and after du’s main competitor Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, or etisalat, lost 
80,000 subscribers.

“People are starting to realise the value du is offering … In these times people want to cut costs and focus on expenses,” Aboulhosn said, referring to cheaper international and local calls offered by the Dubai-based operator.

Du’s revenues in the second quarter rose to Dh1.31 billion, up by 12 per cent from the first quarter and 44 per cent higher than the same period last year. The company attributed this revenue growth in particular to a continued increase in mobile subscribers and a strong performance from its wholesale business.

The firm’s number of mobile subscribers in the second quarter increased to 2.9 million following a net addition of 155,900 subscribers at a time when mobile subscriber growth in the UAE slowed amid the economic downturn. 

“Having already reached our target of 30 per cent market share one year ahead of schedule, we are now working towards capturing 35 per cent of the market in 2010.  However, we do expect to be operating in challenging times for the next one or two quarters,” du Chariman Ahmed bin Byat said in
the statement.

Du’s shares closed 4.8 per cent higher at Dh2.82 on the Dubai Financial Market following the announcement.

SOURCE: 7-Days -  Facing up to a new world - Read Full Article Here

SOURCE:  Gulf News -  UAE wins bid to host Irena HQ - Read full story here

Yet, despite the cost, $1.50 - $70, over 1 billion people in the developing world still do not have access to clean drinking water and a staggering 1.4 million children die each year because the water they drink is dirty, that’s over 5,000 deaths a day. However, despite the awful statistics, there is something we can do, we can support the thousands of NGO’s and indviduals who are raising awareness about this issue and help raise funds to pay for the projects they are establishing. For, Global Water, an International Non Profit Organisation, children in rural villages throughout the world are benefiting from their water projects. For as little as AED 8,000, the NPO, for example, can dig a well at a rural school in Nicaragua and provide clean drinking water to over 1,000 students.

SOURCE: 7-days - A real thirst - Read full story here