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Rare maps, manuscripts and books on show
Rare maps, manuscripts and books on show Lily B. Libo-on / 13 February 2014 Gulf studies centre exhibiting unique collection as part of fourth Sharjah Light Festival. For the first time, a unique collection of centuries-old cartograph, rare maps and history is in spotlight at the Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre of Gulf Studies during the fourth Sharjah Light Festival (SLF) that is simultaneously taking place in 12 locations from 7.30pm to 11pm and until midnight on weekends until February 14. The festival started on February 6. The Sharjah Light Festival show on Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre of Gulf Studies. — KT photos by M. Sajjad The 12 sites under special presentation of lights, colour and melody, offering a peek into the region’s history, are Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre of Gulf Studies, Sharjah City Municipality, Kuwait Square, Cultural Palace Square, King Faisal Mosque, Al Taqwa (Al Majaz) Mosque, Al Majaz Waterfront, Central Souq, Al Qasba (Internal façade), Hamza Bin Abdul Mottaleb Mosque in Kalba, Dr Shaikh Rashid Ahmed Al Qasimi Mosque in Dibba Al Hisn and Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque in Khorfakkan. Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director-General of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA), said the show at Dr Sultan Al Qassimi Centre of Gulf Studies is particularly special as it highlights the centre’s unique collection of rare maps, manuscripts and books that are several centuries old as well as some stunning specimens and models of European and Arabian ships that played a pioneering role in the maritime history of the region. He said the history of the region and world is illuminated on the façade, as the dome becomes a luminous sphere representing the other half of what exists inside the centre. Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre of the Gulf Studies boasts a rich treasure from the personal collection of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, which had been collected over the decades. With its theme “Capital of Islamic Culture” this year, SLF through its magic of lighting and technology narrates the story of Sharjah’s heritage and architecture and displays the emirate’s beautiful Islamic architecture as well as a modern urban structure that is ideal for the celebration of the festival of lights. Al Midfa said that SCTDA, which is hosting the festival for the fourth year, has been keen to add new, outstanding locations and historical landmarks to the SLF celebrations each year to highlight the emirate’s distinct Arab and Islamic heritage and legacy. Every SLF edition, internationally-acclaimed artists from around the world are invited to join the festival to add special creative touch to bring out the aesthetic grandeur of Sharjah’s historical buildings and modern landscape. lily@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Be ambassadors of nation, Mansour tells students
Be ambassadors of nation, Mansour tells students (Wam) / 13 February 2014 Private sector is strategic choice for jobs, Shaikh Mansour tells students at Government Summit. Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, has affirmed that “the UAE supports all outstanding citizens and supports their academic and creative projects both within the country and abroad.” Shaikh Mansour made these remarks when he met 100 outstanding students on the sidelines of the 2nd Government Summit held in Dubai. The students were invited at the request of Shaikh Mansour out of his keen interest to urge citizens to a bright future and engage students in national programmes. The meeting was attended by Hamad bin Abdulrahman Al Madfaa, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council Affairs of the Federation at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs; Dr. Ali Rashid Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Vice-Chancellor of UAEU; Dr Tayeb Kamali, Vice-Chancellor of The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT); Undersecretaries of Sectors in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs and a number of senior officials in the educational field. Shaikh Mansour spoke to students about the important issues of concern to young people, including the value of work in the UAE society, and the contribution of educated young citizens in building the nation, as well as the directives of the wise leadership and the government’s efforts to provide a decent life for citizens. Shaikh Mansour said the UAE headed by the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, invests in human development by adopting the best curricula and establishing partnerships with the most outstanding global universities in order to provide citizens with information and skills that will enable them to enter the job market with confidence and make them creative elements raising initiatives, ideas and thoughts. At the conclusion of the meeting, Shaikh Mansour said: “My dear brother students, I would like to emphasise that the private sector is a strategic choice for the recruitment of citizens, not only in the UAE, but in all countries of the world. The report of jobs issued by the International Bank indicates that the private sector is the main engine of job creation and employment opportunities in all countries of the world.” Shaikh Mansour asked the students to be ambassadors of their country, to cling to national identity in the workplace which is teeming with different cultures, abroad or in the country, wishing permanent excellence for all students. For their part, the students expressed their happiness to meet Shaikh Mansour, stressing that the meeting reflected the cohesion between the wise leadership and the sons of the nation. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Dubai airports are ready to see more growth: Ahmed
Dubai airports are ready to see more growth: Ahmed Patrick Michael / 12 February 2014 Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, wears many hats with effortless ease. Even as airline and airport operators in other global markets struggle with uncertainty, he is leading the continuing growth of Dubai’s aviation sector, an unprecedented record in times of sectoral volatility. Under his supervision, the senior team of Emirates airline has proven to be reactive, consistently innovative and ahead of the global game. Having learnt the lessons of the global financial crisis, Shaikh Ahmed is adept at using the aviation sector’s significant footprint on gross domestic production (GDP) to steer Dubai’s economy along the right track. Beyond the immediate economy — and aviation-sector related strategies — he is also in charge of ushering in a greener Dubai, serving as chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. Across all these roles, his functioning style is characterised by a thoroughly hands-on approach. More recently, he has been formulating economic, investment and fiscal policies and strategies in support of the emirate’s overarching vision. In a freewheeling interview, Shaikh Ahmed talks about Dubai’s aviation sector, Emirates’ challenges and opportunities and dismisses fears of another Dubai bubble. Excerpts from the interview: Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum with Jonathan Chen Chwen-Jing Ph.D, Political Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transportation (left), and Wan-Lee Lee, deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Administration (right), during a Press conference to celebrate the launch of Emirates’ non-stop daily service between Taipei and Dubai. — Supplied photo Dubai went through a very difficult phase between 2009 and 2011. As the person who led the financial advisory council, what are the key lessons you learnt from the crisis? Is Dubai ready for another bubble? Shaikh Ahmed: There is no real bubble in Dubai and there’s nothing to indicate it is leading up to one. The countries that were crippled by the 2009 economic crisis have learnt their lessons well and most of them are now almost back on track, and so is Dubai. The real estate bubble that everyone seems obsessed with is really not there. The creation of regulatory bodies to oversee developers, brokers and financiers, besides others safeguards that have been put in place will ensure there will not be a repeat of the 2009 crisis. Dubai has surpassed the targeted GDP growth and achieved 4.9 per cent growth in 2013. Its property market will continue to grow even as its economy continues to climb. Remember, Dubai’s fundamentals as a regional hub of shipping, services, people, trade and capital have not changed. If one considers the construction sector, a corporate diversification yielded high returns for five years, which helped (install) new infrastructure and fund the acquisition of new talent. What is the direct contribution of the aviation sector to the economy’s growth? What is the indirect jobs creation impact of Emirates in the UAE? Emirates is one of the major contributors to Dubai’s economy and we support the emirate’s overarching vision. We now support 28 per cent of Dubai’s GDP growth and will continue to do so as we move towards our target of 20 million passengers by the time Expo 2020 opens. Emirates has created thousands of jobs, both direct and indirect, and as we continue to expand these numbers will continue to grow. Dubai follows a three-pronged model for its aviation sector growth: Investing in airports, investing in aircraft, and addition of new destinations. Several other cities in the Arab world are following the same pattern. How much regional competition can be sustained in this industry? Is the growing competition a cause for worry? Are there openings for strategic collaborations? There’s absolutely no cause for worry. Everyone wants a slice of the cake and taste success and the cake is big enough for all who want to enter the industry and take a slice of it. It would be up to us to see how much of that slice we can take. I’ve always maintained, there is room for all. Over the years, there have been many new players like Qatar Airways, flydubai and Etihad, and all of us (are) doing well with enough of the cake left for those still eyeing a piece. As far as strategic collaborations go, we have an open mind. We already have code-sharing deals which are working to both parties’ benefit and we will continue to look at and study any and all collaborations that come our way, since these will vary from country to country. Shaikh Ahmed meets Taiwan President Staff Report Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and Group, met the President of Taiwan Ma Ying-jeou in Taipei on Tuesday. Shaikh Ahmed was in Taiwan to celebrate the launch of Emirates’ daily non-stop flights between Dubai and Taipei, which will open new opportunities both for business and for tourism, inbound and outbound. Shaikh Ahmed was joined at his meeting by Ali Mubarak Al Soori, Emirates’ executive vice-president — Chairman’s Office, Facilities/Projects Management and Procurement & Logistics, and Mohammad Al Ghaith. Later, Shaikh Ahmed along with Jonathan Chen Chwen-Jing Ph.D, Political Deputy Minister, Ministry of Transportation and Wan-Lee Lee, deputy director-general of the Civil Aviation Administration, held a Press briefing with over 70 Taiwan-based journalists and also media that had travelled from the UAE and the GCC on Monday’s inaugural flight. “Emirates has been working hard to promote Taipei across our global network and we will continue to do so. We are known as a connector of people, places and passions, and we look forward to connecting Taipei with our network,” said Shaikh Ahmed. Minister Chen extended his congratulations to Emirates, “Emirates is well known for its premium and quality service worldwide. Emirates’ Taipei-Dubai direct flight service offers Taiwanese passengers a more connected network and diversified options, and more importantly, help promote Taiwan tourism to the world. We expect more frequent interactions between both sides, and more people could learn about Taiwan.” “Emirates has been awarded Skytrax World’s Best Airline 2013, and we are happy to welcome another world-class airline to enter Taiwan. In recent years more and more Taiwanese value their pastime and choose travelling abroad to experience different cultures. Emirates non-stop service between Taipei and Dubai enables more Taiwanese to visit the Middle East, and vice versa,”said Lee. Is there possibility of overcapacity post-Expo 2020? Dubai is investing significantly in new aircraft and airport expansion in preparation to host World Expo 2020 and I can see no threat of overcapacity. Dubai is now the world’s fourth busiest airport for international passenger and cargo traffic and I expect to see more growth and recognition for Dubai. Expo 2020 is not for just two or three weeks. It’s for six whole months. This will allow us to spread our wings further and sustain the (airline’s) growth and profitability long after the expo is over. We will continue to expand and connect to more destinations. Many countries continue to approach us because of the airline’s high standards. The Dubai International Airport is set to undertake runway repair work later this year. What are the measures taken to ensure the shift does not affect international airlines’ operations? While the shifting is not simple, I am confident it will be a smooth one. We have picked the months when air traffic into Dubai is not so high. Some of the airlines will operate from Al Maktoum International Airport while most will continue to land at the Dubai International Airport. We expect no problems in the operations. The repair work will be undertaken between May and July and I don’t foresee any major disruption in traffic. Does Dubai have the capacity for two airport hubs? Al Maktoum International Airport is set to become a hub by 2020, especially as infrastructure in the vicinity gains traction. Dubai has always been about growth. The core business model of Dubai remains sound. With or without a booming real estate sector, Dubai is a commercial and tourism hub for a region that encompasses the markets of emerging Africa, South Asia, Russia, Central Asia and of course, the Gulf region. So yes, I am confident Dubai has the capacity for two airport hubs. Even as airline connectivity gains ground, one of the key concerns in the region is the choking air traffic congestion over the regional airspace. Will that affect Dubai’s expansion plans? We are not worried. We are in talks with other GCC aviation industry officials about air traffic congestion fears, but this will not in any way stop our expansion. At a time when airlines globally are yet to make robust returns, how does Emirates sustain its profitability? I have no doubts that Emirates will continue to be a profitable airline. Our strategies are in place and we will continue to expand and connect with more destinations even as we order new aircraft. The Boeing 777X is one of the largest orders we have placed and we hope to see this aircraft take to the skies by 2019. The new aircraft we have ordered will also have something even more pleasing and exciting for our passengers. The design is being worked on but right now that is a secret that will be revealed only when the time is right. Why the new flight to Taipei? Taipei has been an important market for Emirates since we launched our freighter services to the city in 2003. We have continued our commitment to Taiwan and due to the demand, we felt now was the right time to launch non-stop daily services between Taipei and Dubai. The service will bring Taiwanese consumers much closer to the UAE and the Middle East and we are very optimistic about this route. Through Dubai, Emirates offers passengers from Taipei a one-stop connection to 80 countries across the world. We are confident that this new route will open up new trade opportunities across the Emirates network as well as supporting business and tourism travel to Taipei. Etihad is expanding its footprint significantly through new alliances and equity participation. Will Emirates look at such participation in markets such as India, where the aviation sector is opening up? India has always been an important market for us and will continue to be so. Its sheer size and population dictate this and a big percentage of our profits comes from this market. But as far as the first part of your question goes, we have an open mind. Nothing is ruled out. What are Emirates’ plans for Africa? Which are the growth markets you see on the continent? Africa is another big market for us. It is a growth market and we will be looking at it very closely though I cannot tell you right now which market we will be connecting to next. — patrick@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
