Tag Archives: careers
Gangnam Style, taekwando and more
Gangnam, taekwando at Korea-Arab caravan in Dubai Staff Reporter / 14 October 2013 Korea-Arab Friendship Caravan aims to promote Korean culture in Arab world Apart from the graceful Bu Chae Chum or ‘fan dance’, and the modern B-Boy dance routines, the most spectacular sight at the sixth Korea-Arab Friendship Caravan in Dubai would have been the Kukkiwon team’s taekwando demonstration. From smashing thin pieces of wood and exploding flowers and fruits; the taekwando presentation was something out of the movies. About 20 taekwando black belts showcased stunts that combined combat, self- defense, acrobatics and a display of strength and inner peace. The friendship caravan was organised on October 7 at the Dubai Centrepoint Theatre, Mall of the Emirates, and it was the third time that the caravan made its way to Dubai. “This is our third visit to Dubai,” said Chung Yong-chil, Secretary General of Korea-Arab Society. The caravan began its journey in Kuwait and their third and final destination is Algeria. The team comprised the Kukkiwon Taekwondo demonstration team; the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre that performed Korean traditional dances; and the Gamblerz, a Korean break dancer’s crew. The taekwando demonstration, towards the end of their performance broke into a dance routine of songs Gangnam Style and Gentleman, popularised by Psy, Korea’s biggest pop-sensation. “Since the beginning of the caravan, there has been a rich exchange of cultural dialogue between Koreans and Arab nationals, and vice versa,” added Chung Yong-chil. The friendship caravan was established in 2008 and its aim is to promote Korean cultural programmes which combine tradition and modernity to effectively promote Korean culture and arts in the Arab region. Currently, there are about 11,000 South Koreans living in the UAE. Kukkiwon is the world’s headquarter of taekwondo. It is also the symbol of taekwondo spirit, skill and education. Lee Jung A (28) one of the Kukkiwon Taekwando demonstrators told Khaleej Times : “I am really proud to be representing Korea and spreading our culture.” This is Lee’s first time in the Middle East. “I have been doing Taekwando since the age of 11 and I’ve travelled to over 20 countries,” she added. “Dubai is a very big metropolis, just like Seoul.” Chung Yong-chil said: “Korea and the Arab world have strong trade relations at the moment. There are several Korean companies operating out of the UAE, and we want to strengthen these ties by showing Arab nations the cultural side of Korea.” dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Dubai keen on promoting cultural values and art
Dubai keen on promoting cultural values and art Staff Reporter / 4 October 2013 The country is keen to promote cultural values and art among its people, speakers at a recent discussion said. More studies and research are needed on how to implement the process. Dr Mohammed Al Murr, leading Emirati Author, Speaker and Member of the Federal National Council, speaking at the fourth session of the Dubai Partnership Agenda (DPA) said education should cover areas such as urban architecture, literature and fine art. DPA was launched in 2010 by the General Secretariat of the Executive Council with the encouragement and endorsement of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai and under the directives of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Chairman of the Executive Council. Al Murr said: “The recommendations that will be put forward from the session are numerous, and will require intense study and research from the participating institutions concerned with art and culture. Each institution should be aware of the most important points that have been put forward and seek to exploit the positive points and overcome the negative points associated with them. At this point we should leave the initial planning and consider more practical solutions to better solve the gaps between the youth and the UAE culture, as this is what our wise leadership encourages. Abdulla Al Shaibani, Secretary General of the Dubai Executive Council said: “Dubai Partnership Agenda is a strategic dialogue platform between the government and the community and it has the endorsement and encouragement of Shaikh Mohammed and Shaikh Hamdan. Enhancing sustainable development and promoting Dubai are the responsibilities of each and every member in the community. It’s also our obligation to nurture the UAE culture among the youth, and today our focus is on exploring the current art and culture scene to better recommend practical initiatives that link between education, employment and art to create a generation conscious of the importance of Emirati culture.” The session was attended by Saeed Al Nabooda, Acting Director General – Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; Rashad BuKhash, Director – Architectural Heritage Dept. at Dubai Municipality; Dr Stephen Trantal, Dean of College of A.rts and Creative Enterprises – Zayed University; Jamal Al Shehhi, Founder – Kuttab Publishing; George Kostas, Chairman – Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre; Hisham Samawi, Managing Partner – Ayyam Gallery; Jill Holey, Manager – Tashkeel Studio; Yvette Judge, Head of Education – Emirates Airline Festival of Literature; and Dubai Abulhoul, Emirati Author. The discussion was moderated by Marwan Al Hel, distinguished media figure with a great passion for Emirati culture. news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Call to address abuse of war victims
Call to address abuse of war victims (Wam) / 29 September 2013 Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Development and International Co-operation underscored that the UAE is playing an effective role globally in the field of protecting the rights of individuals and ensuring their dignity, particularly its strong support for the international issues related to sexual violence, suffered by victims of the armed conflicts in various spots in the world. On the sidelines of the 68th United Nations General Assembly, New York, Shaikha Lubna discussed with Zainab Hawa Bangura, the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative on Sexual Violence Conflict, the importance of continuing the international efforts in this regard. They also discussed a number of international humanitarian issues, especially the increase of sexual abuse crimes during wars and armed conflicts, the tragedies witnessed by refugees and the importance of addressing them effectively through the partnership among all various sides. They also reviewed the UAE’s effective contributions in alleviating the suffering of the affected people in various parts worldwide. Shaikha Lubna also met with Alan Duncan, the UK’s Minister of State for International Development and discussed with him the latest developments in the humanitarian issues and the two countries’ contributions in alleviating their repercussions, particularly in Syria, Somalia and Yemen. They also agreed on the importance of continuing the joint efforts and building on the previous strong partnership channels for the sake of increasing their contributions in the developmental, relief and humanitarian aspects. Shaikha Lubna also met with Anthony Lake, Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef). During the meeting, they discussed ways to respond to the challenges of the Syrian crises and its results on the Syrian people, specially children and the need to secure protection for them. On his part, Anthony Lake hailed the UAE’s unique efforts in the fields of securing living conditions and educational services for the Syrian children through establishing the UAE-funded camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan. Continue reading
