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Morocco wins the Arab Futsal Cup for the third consecutive year, cementing their status as a force to be reckoned with in the world of futsal.
Morocco’s national futsal team achieved a remarkable 7-1 victory over Kuwait in the final of the 2023 Arab Futsal Cup, securing their third consecutive championship title.
Led by coach Hicham Dguig, the team made history as the most successful in the tournament’s record books.
Before the clash at the Ministry of Sports Hall in Jeddah, Kuwait faced off against Algeria, emerging victorious with a hard-fought 3-2 win, which propelled them into the finals.
They also faced off against Egypt in the quarter-finals, clinching a 6-2 victory.
The Moroccan team exhibited a remarkable performance throughout the tournament, overwhelming their opponents with a series of commanding victories. Their journey started with a 5-0 triumph over Comoros, followed by a 6-0 win against Lebanon.
In the knockout stages, the Atlas Lions continued their relentless pursuit of victory. They faced Saudi Arabia in the quarter-finals, delivering a 5-2 win, and then went on to conquer Libya with an impressive 5-1 victory in the semi-finals.
Moroccan coach Hicham Dguig’s squad members previously defeated Kuwait 4-2 in the group stage, entering the game with confidence and a clear understanding of their opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.
Morocco’s national futsal team is currently ranked 8th globally and leading the Arab world and Africa in the Futsal World Ranking (FWR).
Meanwhile, Kuwait is ranked the third highest-ranked Arab nation and ranked 41st globally.
With their awe-inspiring performance in the final, the Moroccan national futsal team has undoubtedly etched their names in the annals of Arab futsal history.
This remarkable achievement will not only be celebrated by the team and their fans, but will also inspire future generations of Moroccan futsal players to strive for greatness on both regional and international stages.
Beyond the Middle East, scores of towns and cities owe their names to the region’s far-reaching influence.
In 711, Arab commander Tariq ibn Ziyad led his victorious Berber army across the narrow strait between North Africa and Spain, where he took the first step towards founding what would become the Muslim state of Al Andulus.
To honour his achievement, the mountain where the army had first landed was named after him. They called it Jabal Tariq – Mount Tariq.
More than 1,000 years later, we now call it Gibraltar , the name evolving with the centuries that saw the peak regained by Spain, only to later become a British territory.
It is a reminder that Arab influence is often visible in plain sight, sometimes far from the boundaries of the Middle East.
The Mexican city of Guadalajara is known for mariachi music and two football World Cups. It has little to do with river beds or stones, yet that is the origin of its name: Wadi Al Hajarah, translated as the Valley of Stone from Arabic, or possibly the fortified valley.
Guadalajara in Mexico is also a product of conquest. In the 15th century, it was founded by a conquistador who named it in honour of his boss Nuno de Guzman, who had been born in the Spanish city Guadalajara, which once fitted the description. The city in Spain was named during the Muslim rule over the Iberian Peninsula.
The South Pacific island of Guadalcanal, more than 16,000 kilometres from Spain, was the scene of one of the bloodiest battles of the Second World War, with more than 30,000 Japanese and American soldiers killed in six months of fighting.
Guadalcanal was part of the British Solomon Islands, now independent, but had been colonised by Spain in 1568 and named after a town near Seville, one of the country’s biggest cities in the south. Seville was originally founded by Arabs as Wadi Al Qanal.
These names mark the rise and fall of empires – Arab, Spanish and British – and the conflicts that shaped our world, from the creation of the Caliphates, which once stretched from Afghanistan to Portugal, to the British Empire, on which it was said the sun never set.
London’s Trafalgar Square honours one of that empire’s great heroes, Admiral Lord Nelson, who defeated the combined might of the French and Spanish naval fleets in 1805.
The square and the column that carries Nelson’s statue take their name from the Cape of Trafalgar, where the famed battle of the same name took place offshore. It was first known as Tarif Al Ghar or Tarif Al Gharb, thought to mean either Cape of the Cave or the West, respectively, in the original Arabic.
It is estimated at least 4,000 Spanish words have their origins in Arabic. Benacazon, another city in Spain, was originally Bani Qasum, or the Sons of Qasum. El Burgo, in Malaga, is simply “the tower”, or “al burj”. In neighbouring Portugal, the popular holiday destination the Algarve was once Al Gharb, or The West.
Granada, the city at the heart of Islamic Spain, was first Garnata to the Arabs, although the meaning of the name is unclear and may be much older. Its famous palace, the Alhambra, comes from the Arabic “al hamra”, or “red one”, after the colour of its walls.
Arab reach in Europe stretched beyond Spain. The Italian island of Sicily was an emirate between 831 and 1091, with the city of Marsala, famous for its wine, probably either Marsa Ali – Ali’s harbour or anchorage – or Marsa Allah. Many smaller towns begin with the prefix “cala”, evolving from the Arabic word “qalat”, or fortification.
In France, the small town of Ramatuelle, close to Saint-Tropez, was once ruled by the Moors, who raided the Rhone Valley in the ninth and 10th centuries. At that period, it was called Rahmatallah, an Arabic phrase meaning “mercy of God”.
The Bosnian town of Gornji Vakuf-Uskoplje derives the second part of its name from the Islamic word “waqf”, meaning a charitable gift.
Thousands of kilometres away, and on another continent, the Comoro Islands in the Indian Ocean, owe their name to the Arabic “qamar”, or moon. The population converted to Islam as far back as the 7th century.
In East Africa, Mozambique was named by Portuguese colonisers after the offshore island of the same name. That Mozambique is actually derived from Mussa Bin Bique, the Arab trader who ruled the island before the Portuguese took over in 1544.
In the Middle East, though, many place names are derived from languages other than Arabic. Baghdad comes from Farsi for “God’s gift”; Byblos is Greek, as is Alexandria in Eygpt, which is named for Alexander the Great.
The city of Aleppo is called Halab, which is originally Aramaic, the language of the Hebrew Bible. Beirut is unclear but possibly a Phoenician word for a “well”.
And Amman, the capital of Jordan? This shows how complex the origin of place names can be. Three thousand years ago it was founded as Rabbath Ammon by the Ammonites, who spoke a Semitic language. Rabbath, originally used to mean “king”, but was dropped as the city eventually became Amman.
For around 50 years though, in the 3rd century, it was part of the kingdom of the Pharaoh Ptolemy II, who renamed it using a combination of the Greek words “brotherly” and “love” – “phileo” and “adelphos” – or Philadelphia.
Nearly 2,000 years later, the Quaker William Penn named a new town he was building in the American colony of Pennsylvania. Inspired by the sentiments of Ptolemy, he also called it Philadelphia in a state which, incidentally, also includes a Damascus, Hebron and Bethlehem.
The 23rd Arab Radio and TV Festival kicked off on Monday in Tunis under the slogan of “Celebrating Arts and Culture.”
The opening ceremony was hosted on Monday at the City of Culture under the theme: “Arab Perfumes,” and the closing ceremony will be broadcast live by the various Arab TV channels and radio stations.
The official ceremony was attended by several Arab senior officials, including diplomats, professionals from the festival’s media partners and featured artists.
The official guests included President of the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Harthi, ASBU Director General Abdelrahim Suleiman, Cultural Affairs Minister Hayet Ketat Guermasi and Syrian Minister of Information Butros al-Hallaq.
A tribute was paid to Egyptian actress Sherine, Lebanese filmmaker Georges Ghabbaz, Emirati actress Fatma Houssani, Libyan filmmaker Hassan Garfel, Moroccan filmmaker Sanaa Akroud, Syrian actor Milad Youssef and actress Rawaa Saadi.
The festival further paid tribute to leading figures from the Arab audiovisual landscape, including former chairman and CEO of the Tunisian radio and television broadcasting corporation (ERTT) Abdel Aziz Kacem, Tunisian actor Moncef Baldi, former Director of Egyptian Radio Iness Jawhar, former ASBU Director of the Administrative and Legal Committee Hani Farraj, Bahraini filmmaker Ines Yacoub and Taki Eddine Soubira from Comoros.
The awards of the 14th edition of the Arab Music and Song Contest were handed over during the ceremony, which was held at the ASBU headquarters in Tunis last May.
The Tunisian Radio won the 2nd award (US$ 3 thousand) in the musical works section for a composition entitled “Tamiarat” by Mohsen Matri.
The winning works were selected by a jury made up of musician Mona Chtorou (Tunisia), artisit Mona Abelghani (Egypt), artist Dhia Eddine Jebbar Faraj (Iraq), academic Achour Fanni (Algeria) and poet Hédi Daniel (Syria).
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli attended Tuesday evening the signing of an agreement between the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy and the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) to allocate a land plot for the establishment of a $10-billion wind farm whose capacity will be 10 gigawatts, making it the world’s largest.
Masdar will operate within a consortium that includes Infinity Power and Hassan Allam Utilities. The project is estimated to save $5 billion in natural gas costs per annum, and reduce carbon emissions by 23.8 million tons, which is nine percent of Egypt’s annual emissions.
The farm will produce 47,790 GWh of clean energy every year contributing in Egyptian efforts aimed at making the share of renewables in the energy mix 42 percent by 2035.
The initial agreement was signed on the sidelines of COP 27 held in Sharm El Sheikh in November, so as the signing was attended by President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and Emirati counterpart Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed.
Badr Mohammed Burshaid is the founder and chairman of the Global Project Management Forum and has been the president of the Project Management Office Global Alliance at Saudi Hub since June 2022. He is also a program director at Saudi Aramco, and has been the president of the Project Management Institute KSA Chapter since 2020.
The KSA Chapter contributes to the development of the project management profession by spreading its culture and promoting distinguished practices by empowering practitioners.
Burshaid served as a director of the Project Management Office at Saudi Aramco between 2016 and 2021, leading the organization as it offered centralized oversight and support for project management, improved performance, increased efficiency and productivity, enhanced decision-making, and facilitated continuous growth.
He established the Project Excellence Awards, the Global Project Management Forum, and the PMO Summit.
He also undertook several international assignments in project execution, demonstrating his ability to effectively oversee complex schemes in diverse geographic and cultural settings, such as Shaybah NGL, the natural gas liquids program.
He was awarded the PMO Leader of the Year award in 2020 by the PMO Global Alliance in recognition of his leadership skills and his significant contributions to his company.
In addition to winning the Strategy Implementation Individual of the Year award in 2023 and the Best Engaging Leader for Mega Program award in 2022, he also received the Alphonse J. Dell’Isola Outstanding Achievement in Construction award in 2019 from SAVE International, the leading global organization dedicated to developing and promoting value methodology.
Burshaid is a member of the Project Management Institute, the PMI Global Executive Council, and the Saudi Council of Engineers.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.
The event highlighted Moroccan caftan as a key part of Morocco’s cultural identity and diversity.
The UNESCO headquarters in Paris hosted on Tuesday evening a spectacular fashion show displaying the vibrant colors and captivating designs of Moroccan caftan. The show was part of the African Week taking place between June 5 and 9.
The event showcased the work of Moroccan designer Fatima Zahraa Al-Filali Al-Idrisi, the visionary creator behind the renowned brand “Fatim Haute Couture Made In Morocco.” She had been specifically invited to represent Morocco at the show.
With an atmosphere infused with the melodies of Tarabi and Andalusian heritage, the Moroccan designer mesmerized the audience with her unique collection of Moroccan caftans.
She showcased “an original variety of Moroccan caftans resembling historical, vibrant, and pleasant works of art,” indicated a press release.
The statement added that Al-Idrisi’s designs “embodied both the luxury and honor of this traditional national garment, the Moroccan caftan, which has remained an authentic and refined heritage throughout different periods and generations.”
Exuding opulence and prestige, each garment embodied Morocco’s rich cultural, historical, and civilizational legacy.
The fashion event saw a harmonious blend of international, African, and Maghreb presence, convening diplomats, professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, media representatives, and members of the African diaspora residing in France.
With her participation in the event, under the theme “Authentic National Heritage,” Al-Idrisi aimed to highlight and celebrate Morocco’s cultural diversity and bring the international audience closer to the different cultural realms that shape the Moroccan identity.
From the Sahrawi caftan to the Amazigh caftan and the Moroccan Jewish caftan, the Moroccan designer showcased a wide range of styles, incorporating regional dimensions, including the Fassi, Rbati, Atlassi, Shamali (Northern), Sharqi (Eastern), and Janoubi (Southern) designs.
The spectacle also celebrated the craftsmanship and attention to detail involved in the creation of Moroccan caftans. This included the fabrics, textures, and captivating colors used in the caftans varied according to regions, customs, occasions, and seasons.
The event also showcased Moroccans’ mastery of caftan styling techniques, embroidery, and ornamentation, a testament to the creative skills and dedication of the North African country’s artisans.
In line with the African Week’s objective of showcasing the continent’s cultural and artisanal heritage, Al-Idrisi incorporated “prominent authentic accessories that enhanced this elegant garment,” added the statement.
The accessories included hand-women and embroidered pouches, headbands, crowns, belts, woven and metallic trims, traditional brooches, earrings, and necklaces.
Adorned with coral and gemstones, the accessories enhanced the overall charm of the caftan designs.
The managerial ability of Pep Guardiola was backed by Sheikh Mansour’s long-term project as City won a historic treble.
When Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Court, bought Manchester City in 2008, the club was languishing in the mid-table of the English Premier League.
It had just finished the previous season in ninth position, 32 points behind Manchester United, the champion of England and its famously successful city rival.
United then was brimming with world-class talent.
A team featuring Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Nemanja Vidic and Edwin van der Sar, United had also won the Champions League in 2008.
It was Sir Alex Ferguson’s second European triumph with United as manager following the famous treble-winning season in 1999.
So it was a couple of months after United enjoyed one of its greatest seasons that Sheikh Mansour made his foray into English football with a club that was never able to sit alongside the elites in the sport.
But the visionary UAE leader went on to change the footballing landscape in such a way that City is now football’s ultimate aristocrat.
So how did City, who completed a historic treble by winning the Premier League, FA Cup and the Champions League this season, become the most dominant team after Sheikh Mansour took over the club?
Long-term goal
Brazilian star Robinho joined Man City from Real Madrid in 2008. — Twitter
City did not become successful overnight despite the takeover from Sheikh Mansour in 2008.
It made a slow and steady progress and one that was backed by Sheikh Mansour in every step.
In the first season after the takeover, City could only finish 10th in the league despite acquiring a big-name player from Real Madrid, Robinho, the Brazilian superstar.
But City made gradual improvement and next season in 2010, the team became stronger after the arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor, Carlos Tevez and Kolo Toure.
Chelsea, United, Arsenal and Tottenham were the top four teams that season as City finished fifth, narrowly missing out on a place in the Champions League.
FA Cup triumph
The next season in 2011, City finally ended its trophy drought. A Carlos Tevez-inspired City won the FA Cup that season with a 1-0 win over Stoke City in the final – it was the team’s first major triumph since 1976.
City had reached the final with victory over United in the semifinal, the club’s first success in a knockout game against the bitter rival since 1975.
City then went on to finish third in the league, qualifying directly for the Champions League in what was another landmark for the club.
Premier League ecstasy
After breaking into the top-three of the Premier League, City turned on the style in England.
Sergio Aguero had just joined City from Atletico Madrid and the Argentina star made an instant impact.
City thrashed Tottenham 5-1 and humiliated United 6-1, signalling its arrival on the big stage as the big contender for the title.
The battle for the league title, though, was not easy with United bouncing back only to fall again.
It went to the last day with City needing a win against the Queens Park Rangers to pip United for the title.
But City was trailing 2-1 until the 91st minute in the dramatic last game of the season.
The Blues though scored an equalizer in the 92nd minute before Aguero found the winner in the last minute of injury time with a moment of magic, sparking wild celebrations on the field and in the stands.
It was City’s first league title in 44 years and it was the start of a golden era for the club.
Guardiola arrives
City had added one more Premier League title in 2014. Two years later, the club hired Pep Guardiola, who famously led Lionel Messi’s Barcelona to glorious triumphs during his four-year stint as manager of the Catalan club.
Guardiola arrived in City after a two-year spell at Bayern Munich.
A man famous for building teams that play eye-catching football, Guardiola was entrusted with the responsibility of making City a serial winner as well as an aesthetically pleasing team.
The Spanish coach imposed his style on the team and it won the league in 2017-2018 by collecting the highest points for a season.
City retained the Premier League title next season, its first successful defence of the title in history.
With world-class players in the team, City was producing mesmeric football as it also won two more league titles in 2021 and 2022.
But the biggest dream — the Champions League title — remained unfulfilled after defeat to Chelsea in the 2021 All-England final.
Historic treble
Sheikh Mansour’s Manchester City was finally rewarded in Europe for its perseverance.
City produced another masterclass in beautiful and brilliant football as Guardiola’s team won its third straight Premier League title, overcoming a spirited challenge from Arsenal.
The club then beat city rival United in the final to win the FA Cup.
And once it outplayed Real Madrid, the most dominant team in the history of European football, in the Champions League semifinal, City became the overwhelming favourite in the final against Inter Milan.
The Italians put up a big fight in the Istanbul final, but the superior quality of City made the difference as Rodri’s sumptuous goal separated the victor from the vanquished.
City’s wait to be European champion was finally over as it also became the first team since Manchester United to complete the treble.
It has taken the team 15 years since the takeover from Sheikh Mansour to scale the highest peak.
The long-term vision of Sheikh Mansour helped City become the king of European football.
The club has won seven Premier League, three FA Cup, six League Cup and the 2023 Champions League title in these 15 trophy-laden years under Sheikh Mansour’s leadership.
“One of the main reasons why this club became what we are is because of the people from Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mansour, took over the club,” Guardiola said. “Without that, we would not be here.”
The biggest tribute City can pay to Sheikh Mansour now is by becoming the first team since Real Madrid to defend the Champions League title.
Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Court, attends the Champions League final. — Reuters
Avionav managed to export the first Tunisian-made helicopter. The Tunisia-based aircraft manufacturer company is gearing up to deliver more helicopters as it has embarked on the manufacturing of light utility helicopters. The company has been exporting its aircrafts to countries throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas.
Avionav is a Tunisian aircraft manufacturer that produces light aircraft for recreational and training purposes. The company was founded in 2007 in Mateur, Bizerte, by two Italian manufacturers. Later, a group of Tunisian engineers acquired it and relocated its main production facility to Sousse, Tunisia.
Avionav currently produces two models of light aircraft: the AV3 and the AV4. The AV3 is a two-seat, low-wing monoplane designed for training and recreational flying. The AV4 is a four-seat, high-wing monoplane that can be used for a variety of purposes including transportation, agricultural, advertising banner transportation, and surveillance. The company does also offer maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for its own aircraft as well as for other aircraft types.
“Since then, we’ve been doing our utmost to provide total customer satisfaction by providing high-quality, top-of-the-line products at 30% lower prices than our competitors,” Kamel said.
More than 1,300 of its models are currently flying, and roughly 40 light aircrafts (two to four passengers) are produced annually.
The company’s market includes the United States, Europe (Belgium, France, Italy, and Spain), Latin America (Brazil and Argentina), Asia/the Middle East (Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran), and Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Senegal). According to Kamel, new markets such as Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, and Qatar are being explored.
“Africa is an extremely lucrative market. We are presently in negotiations with Senegal and Mauritania,” he stated.
Any of the company’s aircraft can be delivered one month after being ordered. Which is “quite rare” in this industry, Kamel says with pride.
Due to its numerous advantages, the company chose carbon fiber for its Rally aircraft with large wings. It has certifications from ultralight aircraft manufacturers (ULM) and light sport aircraft (LSA).
Elizabeth Kassis has turned her Palestinian father’s house into a hotel, nearly 80 years after he emigrated
‘I want everyone in the diaspora to work for Palestine,’ Kassis tells Arab News
Chilean businesswoman Elizabeth Kassis has turned her ancestral home in Bethlehem’s Old City into a heritage hotel nearly 80 years after her father emigrated to Chile.
The Kassis Kassa Hotel is the Old City’s first heritage hotel, reflecting both the city’s traditional architecture and its long-standing association with the South American country.
The Palestinian community in Chile is reportedly the oldest outside the Arab world, with around half a million Palestinians moving there since the mid-19th century.
The hotel was officially opened on June 1, and the first group reservation was received on June 8.
“It was an exciting and challenging project that took years to implement,” Kassis, who was born in Chile, told Arab News. “It is rich in cultural history and has been carefully restored to preserve its original beauty and traditional Palestinian architecture.”
The project “will contribute to raising the level of tourism services in Palestine, as it is being implemented in cooperation with Bethlehem Municipality,” Kassis said.
We wanted the guests to get the full experience of what it means to live in a Palestinian house with real neighbors.
Elizabeth Kassis
“I think the experience of being a guest in a Palestinian house is a unique one. We wanted the guests to get the full experience of what it means to live in a Palestinian house with real neighbors.”
Kassis’ father visited Palestine in 1999, looking for ways to boost Bethlehem’s economy. Along with a group of Palestinian businessmen, he implemented a number of small projects at the turn of the century. He returned in 2015 and purchased his old family home. The restoration project began in 2016, led by his daughter.
Kassis said that setting up the hotel has been one of the most rewarding projects she has ever been involved in. In Chile, she managed her family’s farm and bred Arabian and Chilean horses. She has also worked as a TV presenter and is a talented visual artist who has participated in numerous exhibitions, as well as the co-founder of a band called Three Diaspora, which, she explained, “reshapes old songs that arrived in Chile with the first Palestinian immigrants.” The band has released several albums recorded with musicians from the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music.
Kassis has traveled extensively, but “found herself” in Palestine. “I want everyone in the diaspora to work for Palestine. I want people to feel, smell, eat, and live Palestine. This is my duty toward Palestine,” she said.
Engineer Raed Othman, who worked with Kassis on the project, told Arab News that Kassis loves Bethlehem and Palestinian heritage in general, and has devoted herself to promoting it to the world.
Bethlehem’s mayor, Hanna Hanania, told Arab News that, through her hotel and other efforts, Kassis is “building bridges” between Palestinian expats and their national heritage, especially the tens of thousands of expatriates from Bethlehem in South America.
He added that, as part of its attempts to attract investors to the city, the municipality plans to develop Al-Najma Street, where the hotel is located.
“The fact that Kassis Hotel is on this street will contribute to enhancing our vision regarding activating the location,” Hanania said.
Fadi Qattan, co-founder of the Kassis project, said the hotel promotes Palestinian heritage and culture through its food and its “beautiful location,” adding that he hoped journalists would visit the hotel and write about Palestinian food to “promote an accurate picture of the life and heritage of Palestinians.”
He continued: “The hotel is the first project wholly owned by an expatriate Palestinian family, which will encourage expatriate Palestinian families to return and invest in Bethlehem.”
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Kassis said that setting up the hotel has been one of the most rewarding projects she has ever been involved in. (Supplied)
The fifth general session of the Arab Parliament, under Speaker Adel al Asoomi, kicked off on Saturday at the Arab League’s General Secretariat headquarters in Cairo.
The session is set to discuss a number of issues, including political and security developments in the Arab region.
The session will also debate an economic file on a bill to increase renewable and clean energy investments in the Arab world.
The lawmakers are set to discuss preparations for holding the second edition of the Arab forum on strengthening economic integration among Arab countries.
The parliament will consider a report on the social situation in the Arab world and will discuss enacting a law to counter bullying and family violence in the Arab region.
