Tag Archives: arabic
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
Emirates named World’s Best Airline
Dubai-based Emirates has received the World's Best Airline prize at the Skytrax 2013 World Airline Awards.The company is one of the fastest growing carriers on the planet and scooping this prestigious accolade will enhance its status even further.It also won the Best Middle East Airline gong for the ninth consecutive year, as well as the World's Best In-flight Entertainment award.This particular prize-giving is highly respected throughout the aviation industry, as the winners are voted for by more than 18 million business and leisure travellers from across 160 countries.Emirates has played a huge part in establishing Dubai International Airport as the second busiest on earth in terms of annual passenger numbers.The firm continues to add new services to far-flung destinations, ensuring the UAE is one of the most accessible countries in the world. Last year alone, 39 million people flew with Emirates and many of these passengers would have spent some time in Dubai.President of the organisation Tim Clark collected the awards at the recent Paris Airshow and he was delighted with the company's achievements.”These awards are widely regarded as the industry's benchmark for excellence. For us, the awards clearly reflect a vote of confidence from global travellers, who acknowledge and appreciate our continuous drive to deliver high-quality service,” he commented.”To be voted World's Best Airline by millions of discerning travellers really is something for our 60,000 strong workforce to be proud of.”Aviation experts predict that Emirates will go from strength to strength in the coming years and this is good news for Dubai's tourism sector, as 66 million air passengers are expected to land at the main airport throughout 2013. This figure is likely to rise annually for the foreseeable future.Not only is Dubai International expanding rapidly, but the city's second airport – Dubai World Central, otherwise known as Al Maktoum International Airport – is also set to launch passenger services for the first time in October 2013. Continue reading
Sustainable Asset Management And UAE Ambassador Tours Sustainable Agarwood Plantations
The UN FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN) estimate that exports of Agarwood and Oud Oil from Singapore total around US$1.2 billion annually, some analysts put this figure higher at around US$3 billion. Singapore (PRWEB UK) 16 June 2013 The UN FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN) estimate that exports of Agarwood and Oud Oil from Singapore total around US$1.2 billion annually, some analysts put this figure higher at around US$3 billion. What is certain is that Singapore and Hong Kong are the most important trading posts in Asia for one of the world’s rarest and most valuable natural commodities. Uncertainty on how much of this rare and mystical product arrives in Singapore, and in many cases where it actually comes from, has caused international concern. Since the year 2000 harvesting of wild Agarwood trees and export of its products has been banned by CITES (the Convention on International Trade on Wild Fauna and Flora) as an endangered species. Monitoring of the trade by TRAFFIC (The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network) has led some analysts to predict there is less than two years of wild supplies of Agarwood left; yet this largely illegal industry carries on unabated. Currently the world’s largest estimated importer and distributer of Oud is the UAE, where Oud is an everyday necessity in the culture and used regularly in Arabic homes. Recognising the importance of ensuring that supplies to the Gulf could be both sustainable and legal today, and working to ensure continued sustainable supplies of this ever diminishing natural resource for the future, the UAE Ambassador to Singapore his Excellency Mohamed A. Al Qubaisi decided it was time he learned more about how this essential element of everyday Middle East life was obtained. Singapore based Sustainable Asset Management, specialist advisors and analysts to the plantation and Agarwood industry, were honoured to assist and recommended the ambassador visit industry leading sites in Thailand: tree nurseries, sustainable plantations, distilleries, processing plant and retail shops, selecting an innovative company in the sector Asia Plantation Capital (APC) as his focus so he could see first-hand the complete soil to oil process. Mark Wills, Managing Director of Sustainable Asset Management, accompanied the Ambassador and his family on his fact finding mission to Thailand where the group spent three days touring the nurseries, plantations, distilleries and finally a retail site of l’Atelier Du Bois the brand owned by APC. Along the way the ambassador not only witnessed the ground breaking technologies developed and researched by APC but also listened first hand to the managers’ detailed explanations of their advanced processes from soil to oil, resulting in a 100% pure and organic high quality sustainable Oud oil with full CITES certification. During the trip Ambassador Mohamed A. Al Qubaisi kindly shared some insights into the Agarwood relationship with consumers in the Gulf where apparently you will rarely find a house in any GCC country without either Oud or Agarwood being used; these products remain as popular as ever and demand is even growing. The Ambassador explained that Oud oil is more important than Agarwood chips and how for consumers “the priority is the smell and the durability of the fragrance note” people “know very little of its origins, except for the fact that it is rare and very expensive and prices keep increasing.” This rarity brings with it additional problems of local traders who will often try and sell sub-standard product and pass this off as high quality. “There are people who look to copy the product, especially chips and make alternatives which are not well regarded.” Apparently local buyers are also generally unaware of the global protection afforded to Agarwood and how the trade is controlled with CITES certificates, his Excellency Mohamed A. Al Qubaisi was enthusiastic “to get a better understanding of where Oud comes from and how it is made, which I now know. I would be very happy to help citizens in the Gulf understand the importance of sustainable supplies to safeguard an important aspect of our culture for generations to come.” Roger Hargreaves Chairman of APC Thailand stated “We are honoured that his Excellency Mohamed A. Al Qubaisi the Singapore UAE Ambassador chose our company and plantations to visit and gain a wider understanding of the source and fast growing industry behind the production of sustainable Oud oil which is driven in part by the demand in the Gulf and wider Middle East. Additionally now that Oud has become a mainstream fragrance with almost weekly launches by the global fragrance mega brands of a new Oud fragrance, it is vital that responsible countries like the UAE take a keen interest to ensure legal and sustainable on-going supplies for their citizens. APC were one of the first plantation companies to secure a license to import and distribute Oud in the UAE and are now entering into exclusive supply agreements with responsible UAE based importers to secure the long term supply of sustainable and natural Oud into the region, with fully legal CITES certified products and supplies. We were equally honoured that the ambassador considered the quality of fragrance and consistency of our oil to be extremely high quality, rarely encountered from plantation produced Oud oils versus wild oil.” Ambassador Mohamed A. Al Qubaisi concluded “I now have a greater understanding of its origins and the process to bring this to market, something that most people in the GCC countries will not know. Clearly the trees are in decline and that will have an effect on something that is a significant part of our culture. I am very happy that APC is providing a long term sustainable solution to help supply the market with a high quality and consistent product and that will help preserve an important part of our culture for generations to come.” APC and Sustainable Asset Management look forward to further co-operation at a diplomatic and commercial level in promoting the qualities and importance of sustainably produced Oud oil for the Middle East market and plan a series of road shows in the Gulf after Ramadan to promote the qualities of their oil, and to educate the community and importers on the importance of ensuring they buy sustainably sourced CITES certified products to safeguard their future supply and continued enjoyment of one the world’s rarest and most mystical natural products. — Questions & Answers During the trip the Ambassador wanted to answer some questions posed by Mark Wills regarding his visit and the current state of the agarwood industry:- Q. Is Agarwood still popular in the Middle East today? A. You will rarely find a house in any GCC country without either Oud or Agarwood chips being used. So yes it is still as popular today as it has ever been and demand seems to be growing. Q. To what extent does he think people in the Middle East are aware of the origin of Agarwood? A. They know very little of its origins, except for the fact that it is rare and very expensive and prices keep increasing. There are many traders who will try and sell sub-standard product and pass this off as high quality. There are people who look to copy the product, especially chips and make alternatives which are not well regarded. Q. Is there a preference to the country of origin? A. No. The priority is the smell and the durability of the fragrance note. Q. What are your views on the long term sustainability of Agarwood? A. I now have a greater understanding of its origins and the process to bring this to market, something that most people in the GCC countries will not know. Clearly the trees are in decline and that will have an effect on something that is a significant part of our culture. I am very happy that APC is providing a long term sustainable solution to help supply the market with a high quality and consistent product and that will help preserve an important part of our culture for generations to come. Q. What is used more in the GCC oil or chips A. There are more consumers of oil than chips. The largest part of the market is by far oil. Q. Are buyers in the GCC aware that Agarwood product requires CITES certification? A. No. They would not be aware of this. Q. What did you hope to achieve from the trip? A. I wanted to get a better understanding of where Oud comes from and how it is made, which I now know. I would be very happy to help you in whatever ways I can especially helping citizens in the Gulf understand the importance of sustainable supplies to safeguard an important aspect of our culture. The UAE Ambassador to Singapore his Excellency Mohamed A. Al Qubaisi Continue reading
