Tag Archives: horse-racing
DHA breaks record in ‘medical marathon’
DHA breaks record in ‘medical marathon’ Staff Reporter / 27 January 2014 More than 690 medical professionals took part in the Dubai Marathon 2014 breaking the earlier Guinness World Record of 2012 when 619 medical professionals took part in a marathon in Singapore. The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) broke the existing Guinness World Record for the largest number of medical professionals to take part in a marathon on Friday. More than 690 medical professionals took part in the Dubai Marathon 2014 breaking the earlier Guinness World Record of 2012 when 619 medical professionals took part in a marathon in Singapore. A representative from the Guiness World Record was present during the marathon. Essa Al Maidoor, Director-General of the DHA, who led his team in the marathon record bid said: “Leading an active life is essential to protect oneself from the onset of several chronic diseases, most of which are triggered by unhealthy and inactive lifestyles. Healthcare professionals often have hectic routines and therefore we wanted to use this opportunity to remind them to take time out for themselves and participate in the marathon. We are hopeful that they will continue exercising regularly, even after the marathon is over.” Al Maidoor who is an avid sports enthusiast said it is unfortunate that people do not find 30 minutes in a day for themselves so that they can take part in any sport or exercise. More than 1,255 employees from the DHA ran on Friday for the Dubai Marathon 2014, this includes administrative staff from the authority as well. “This is the largest participation from a government organisation in a sporting event in the Middle East and North Africa region,” said Dr Moin Fikree, medical director of the Trauma Centre, Rashid Hospital. Fikree said that there are several parks, jogging tracks and beaches in Dubai where people can take part in outdoor activities during the winter months. “As healthcare professionals, it is upsetting to see young people being brought into the hospital for heart attacks and other chronic diseases often caused by obesity, lack of exercise and tobacco consumption.” Dr G Y Naroo, specialist in emergency medicine at Rashid Hospital’s Trauma Centre, who took part in the 42km run along with his eight colleagues said: “Heart attacks take place 10 years earlier in this region compared to many western countries, strokes take place at least 20 years earlier in the UAE as compared to many other countries. These statistics are alarming. There is a direct link between expanding waist lines and these illnesses, therefore, it is time to educate our youth to lead active lifestyles and as the health authority for the emirate of Dubai, we felt, it was important for us to spread this message through our participation in such an important sporting event.” asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Mohammed sets up Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Trade Marketing
Mohammed sets up Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Trade Marketing (Wam) / 26 January 2014 The new corporation will become the entity responsible for promoting the emirate as a prime destination for tourism, entertainment, and events. His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued a law on Sunday, establishing a new body, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM). The new corporation is an affiliate of the Dubai Government’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) and will become the entity responsible for the promotion and marketing of the Emirate of Dubai. The decree states that the corporation will have a mandate which includes promoting the emirate as a prime destination for tourism, entertainment, and events; promoting the emirate’s credentials for global business, with the essential facilities, infrastructure, events and expertise required to facilitate trade; and attracting regional and international businesses to establish offices in the emirate. The corporation will be responsible for establishing effective partnerships with public and private sector organisations whose work relates to the tourism and commerce sectors in the emirate and for fostering trade relations with local, regional and international companies within relevant industries, with a view to increasing inbound travel and trade. With responsibility for promoting the Dubai brand, the corporation will establish and operate representative offices in key markets around the world, taking responsibility for the commercial marketing of the emirate and its tourist facilities, resorts, products and services through advertising, event organisation, festivals, exhibitions, entertainment and commercial shows, social media, digital marketing and other means of communications. Helal Saeed Almarri, Director-General of DTCM, said: “The establishment of the new Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will ensure that there is an entity dedicated to working with private and public sector entities to market and promote Dubai s position as a leading international city around the world. “In the lead up to 2020, there is a need for us to continue to develop and enhance our tourism and trade marketing and compete as peers with the world’s leading global cities. The creation of the corporation and the focus it will provide to the marketing and promotion of Dubai will enhance coordination of activities and help to amplify our efforts to promote the strengths and diversity of our city globally. This in turn will attract more visitors and businesses and help to expand Dubai’s economy.” The corporation will be given an annual budget by the government, and will also be funded through proceeds from commercial sponsorship, promotional campaigns conducted by the corporation, subscription to events it organises, establishing branches, installing show platforms for public and private entities, and through other related services conducted by the corporation. Additionally, a fee named the Tourism Dirham will be levied on a per night basis on stays in hotels, hotel apartments and other short-term stay facilities. The corporation will also establish a new tourist information centre within the city to complement the current visitor information centres at Dubai International Airport and Dubai Cruise Terminal. The Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing will be headquartered in Dubai, and will operate offices around the world to help facilitate its work. The corporation will report to, and will operate as an affiliate of DTCM, which remains the authority responsible for the planning, development, supervision and regulation of the tourism sector. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Heritage Village: Reviving a national legacy
Heritage Village: Reviving a national legacy Sudeshna Sarkar / 27 January 2014 The Heritage Village is a brainchild of the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Center that adds a new dimension to the Global Village. IGNORING A sudden downpour that has created puddles difficult to navigate and a sharp nip in the air, Hanifa Qureshi has come to the Global Village from Abu Dhabi chasing a hope. As her elder daughter Maria pushes her wheelchair, manoeuvring through the crowds and slush, and the younger, Sophia, struggles to keep an umbrella over the heads of all three, the 64-year-old matriarch scans the passing stalls anxiously to check if they are close to their destination. It’s a person rather than a pavilion that the trio is searching for. They want to meet Fatima Essa, one of the top-notch practitioners of traditional herbal medicine. In an initiative that adds value to the festival, Essa is available for chats with visitors, offering health tips. Hanifa Qureshi suffers from severe gout and friends who have consulted Essa with satisfying results have urged her to try out a traditional cure. Fatima Essa sits in a traditional hut in an area known as the Heritage Village. Though the Global Village, Dubai’s unique annual tourism and cultural event, was launched in 1997, the Heritage Village is a new initiative started this year. It is the brainchild of the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Center that was founded by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai, in April 2013 to promote the Emirati national heritage, especially among the youth. “The Global Village has pavilions representing different countries,” says Sumaya Saeed Khalfan, marketing and corporate communication director at the centre. “We wanted to put up something that would showcase traditional life in the UAE as well as the region. There is a heritage village in Deira; we thought we would build another one at the Global Village. “One of the most important parts of a nation’s heritage is its people. So the Heritage Village brings you people who represent traditional arts and skills. We don’t want visitors to only hear of heritage or traditional lifestyle. We want them to experience it from people who know it firsthand.” The little clusters in the Heritage Village represent different kinds of traditional architecture. They were all built when the event started. Visitors admire the Saffa house, the hardy residence built of stone for mountain areas. A little farther is the Bait Al Sha’ar, the Bedouin shelter made of sheep’s wool. Three authentic Bedouins sit chatting at the shelter and visitors can walk in and share a cuppa with them. Another exhibit is the Kirin tent, built from palm leaves and supported by poles. Once found near the coast, now it could be a permanent exhibit to remind visitors of the resourcefulness of the traditional way of life. Besides the traditional architecture, artefacts and people, Heritage Village is also showcasing the fauna associated with the Arab way of life. Two Arabian horses stand patiently nearby. In the next enclosure a billy goat rears up on its hind legs, trying to cadge treats from passersby. But the most arresting animals are the two camels rigged up in an eye-catching gear. These are no ordinary beasts but celebrities in their own rights. Ghaiman and Dhafar have now become legends, taking part in Yemeni Odysseus Ahmed Al Qasimi’s epic 40,000 km trip to Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Al Qasimi has brought them back to Dubai as a thanksgiving gift for Shaikh Hamdan since the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Center sponsored his last trip to Africa. Perhaps the most eloquent tribute to the Emirati’s pride in his country is the replica of the Union House, the history-making site where on December 2, 1971 the treaty to establish the Arab world’s first federation of states, the United Arab Emirates, was signed. “The Union House was the place where the UAE dream came true,” says Khalfan. “We wanted to show people that part of our history.” Though a replica, the “Union House” at the Heritage Village will remain a centre of nationalist activities as long as the Global Village continues. On November 6, the UAE Flag Day was celebrated here, National Day on December 2, and on January 4 the special occasion when His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the Ruler of Dubai eight years ago. sudeshna@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
