Arabs & Arabian Records Aggregator. Chronicler. Milestones of the 25 Countries of the Arabic Speaking World (official / co-official). AGCC. MENA. Global. Ist's to Top 10's. Records. Read & Enjoy./ www.arabianrecords.org
Arab American filmmaker Ruby Malek is shining a spotlight on Saudi talent in the 10-episode docuseries “Herstory” which follows the journeys of Saudi’s modern-day female music stars.
“We were just fascinated by the amount of talent because a lot of these artists are self-taught. And, you know, there were no music schools that they went to. There wasn’t like a piano teacher that would teach these women,” said Malek to Arab News.
“A lot of these artists actually didn’t show their identity, didn’t show their faces, and weren’t really out there… We’re still talking about 2020 now, so it wasn’t like now in 2023.”
Chronicling these artists’ struggles, triumphs and their place in the cultural history of the Kingdom, the series blends the passion for music-infused storytelling Ruby honed making music videos and her skills as a documentarian.
“I’m the generation that grew up watching MTV, VH1, so I was very into the various reality shows, and that’s what I kind of fell into. I fell into creating reality shows and formats, and so went from music videos to reality shows, documentaries. And then one thing led to another,” said Malek.
Motivated by the positive changes of Saudi Vision 2030, Malek sought to showcase a side of Saudi Arabia that she had not seen in the West. With the series having opened doors for the creator, she’s excited to continue working in the Kingdom.
“I actually have been back to Saudi. I shot a show for Vice, and yes, I would definitely (work there again). I mean, as a producer, there’s so much potential and there’s so many stories to be told that I think I will be going there more often and very soon,” she said.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Arab American filmmaker Ruby Malek is shining a spotlight on Saudi talent in the 10-episode docuseries “Herstory” which follows the journeys of Saudi’s modern-day female music stars.
The United Arab Emirates, established in 1971, is one of the youngest countries in the world, and when you get there, pretty much everything you see around you is new. It is also one of the wealthiest, most neutral, and most inclusive countries in the world, trying to attract top talent and technology companies in the most promising areas of human development, such as AI, digital health, and sustainable energy. Today, it is a melting pot bringing people from all over the world.
In 2013, out of the 9.2 million inhabitants, only 1.4 million were Emirati citizens. Since the local population is so small, dates back many centuries, and is organized as the electoral monarchy, where bloodlines play a very important role, the country introduced mandatory premarital genetic testing for all Emiratis to reduce the incidence of severe genetic diseases. Leading the program is Her Excellency Dr, Maryam Matar, who I happened to meet during Arab Health week in February 2022. I attended her talk organized by the Dubai-based P4ML, led by the proud Irishman Patrick Moloney. When Dr. Matar took the stage, she started her talk with an introduction to the achievements of UAE Genetic Diseases Association and potential negative impact of rare diseases in the UAE. She explained the significant initiatives introduced by the government to reduce the prevalence of common genetic disorders such as mandatory premarital screening.
Then, serendipitously, she shifted gears and started talking about the most important cause in biomedicine – human longevity. She opened with the introduction of the biomarkers of aging dubbed the aging clocks, presented the recent works by David Sinclair and Nir Barzilai, and concluded with her own research in this area with a focus on role of sleep hygiene and the microbiome. Since I founded the largest volunteer-run educational program in longevity medicine, I thought that I knew pretty much every major practitioner in the field. But Dr. Matar made it clear that the research her group is conducting is published mostly in journals geared toward the Arab nations and building the local ecosystem in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The next day, Dr. Matar agreed to give a talk at the opening ceremony of the first AI and quantum computing research center in Abu Dhabi. Again, she focused on the biomarkers of aging, sleep hygiene and the microbiomes, and the epigenetic reprogramming tools available for the community. Most importantly, she explained in simple terms what the future of longevity medicine is and why it is important. After the event, I took the liberty and asked her a few questions. And we sat down for a conversation.
Dr. Maryam Mohamed Fatma Matar, MD, PhD, is an Emirati geneticist, medical researcher, and runs a TV program “With Dr.Maryam” on the National channel of United Arab Emirates (UAE). A physician by qualification, she obtained her medical degree in Dubai, she pursued a Ph.D. degree. After the completion of her degrees in medicine and in business, she was shortlisted and recruited by the Government of the UAE to lead Dubai community development strategy 2006-2016. While working for the government, Dr. Matar became the first Emirati woman to hold the position of Senior Undersecretary of the of Public health and Primary health care at Ministry of Health in 2008 and than she was promoted to be the first Emirati woman to hold the position of Director General in the Dubai government at the Community Development Authority in 2008.
In 2004 she founded the UAE Genetic Diseases Association. She also founded the Sheikh Zayed Genetic Research Center and became a committee member of the Global Commission to End the Diagnostic Odyssey for Children with a Rare Disease. In last two decades, she has founded more than 14 nonprofit associations in the field of health advocacy and awareness and founded several initiatives on women leadership and girls in STEM for the UAE. Several of these outfits grew rapidly as they serve a critical need of the community and are functioning as independent associations today. In 2019, Dr Maryam Matar received the coveted ‘Pioneering Arab Woman in healthcare innovation in Kuwait, and was highlighted as the top 20 Arab scientists with the biggest contribution to humanity by British Scientific Community. She is named among 100 most powerful Arab women more than six times and is recognised as one of the most influential Muslim female scientists.
A Muslim Female Physician Scientist on the Quest for Increased Health Spans
During the World Government Summit in Dubai, I got to speak with Dr. Matar at length to learn about the longevity initiatives in the UAE and her role in the longevity community.
“I just wanted to make it clear from the very beginning that from the Islamic point of view, nobody can help anyone live longer. But what we can do is to improve the quality of peoples’ lives and elongate the healthy portion of their life”, said Dr. Matar.
This came to me as a surprise. Before opening an AI research center in Abu Dhabi, we got extensive cultural training to prevent any disrespectful behavior. But I never realized that direct focus on increased lifespan would be incoherent with the local religious views. I politely made a disclaimer that in light of this new information, let’s assume that the word “longevity” means increased health span and improved quality of life. We proceeded.
“As a young physician, my aim was to specialize in the field of plastic surgery and use the technology and tools available then, to help women young. Since then my passion for wellbeing and staying ageless has continued but my approach became more holistic and comprehensive with the help of Epigenetics. I was actively involved in the global community of advance genetic sciences especially cell ageing and rejuvenation therapies and I have learnt and deepen my skills, knowledge and qualifications in this field since many years. Last decade has been transformative in genetic sciences and very rapid progress is made in the field of Epigenetics and regenerative therapies globally”, continued Dr. Matar.
Healthy Longevity in the UAE
I went on and asked about what the UAE is doing to increase the healthy longevity of its citizens. Again, assuming that longevity means increased health span. Dr. Matar explained.
“UAE nationals had life expectancy of 60 years in mid 70s, and in 2022 it is 78.9 years, a leap in a very short time. The government has taken health as one of the key indicators of development and there has been a very strategic commitment with focus on multiple factors that affect health.
UAE government has created one of the best public health services system and infrastructure in the world. The Government has identified the leading causes of diseases and mortality such as infectious diseases, burden of genetic disorders and successfully managed, minimized or eliminated such causes in a short span of time. Accessibility and affordability of good healthcare and a shift towards prevention has paid dividends for the country. Improving the quality of life, healthier lifestyle and a focus on creating awareness among the younger generations are major steps towards increase the longevity of the citizens. Leading medical, research and healthcare institutions in the UAE are contributing towards the vision of a healthier nation with programs, studies and initiatives.
There are surprises – several national programs, emphasizing the reprogramming the genes, reversal of biological age and healthier and happy life for the citizens.
UAE is already among leading countries who are bringing the future possibilities to become real in present. The future of longevity in UAE is bright as here we are not only talking of the lifespan but also additionally ensuring an outstanding quality of life. UAE is undisputedly one of the best countries to have a high quality of life, enjoy a successful and happy life for oneself and for your families, and be part of a positive and peaceful society. This is my invitation to all peace loving, creative and smart people to consider UAE as their second home.
Dr Maryam Matar Reprogram Your Genes Program
We continued and I asked Dr. Matar what is she personally doing to stay youthful and vibrant. And she explained her own regimen.
I have very successfully incorporated my own signature and unique program in my life. Dr Maryam Matar Reprogram Your Genes – is my signature program, designed to utilize the science of Epigenetics, cell rejuvenation and Microbiome intelligence, for age reversal.
This program was launched in early 2021 and is completely personalized roadmap best suited for professionals, leaders and citizens who wish to retain their peak health, peak performance of their body and brains and stay youthful. A key feature of this program is using Epigenetics, understanding genes and ethnicity to plan how to derive best benefit of fitness or exercise routines, food and other dietary intakes.
I also follow a personalized plan conceptualized by me in UAE Genetic Diseases Association, and popularly known as reprogram my genes. It is an epigenetics based lifestyle plan using critical and essential factors such as mind-body balance, stress management, lifestyle management to maintain optimal telomere length, remodel cell membrane in regards to insulin intake etcetera and increasing the efficiency and number of mitochondria .
I fully live as an example case study of my program. As a multitasker woman who plays multiple roles, especially of a mother, I have a highly disciplined life built on my own programs. My everyday routine is designed with awareness, taking care of all essentials which I recommend for my clients, such as sleep hygiene, lifestyle, nutrition and stress management.
source/content: forbes.com (headline edited) / Dr Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD
Here are six powerful fiction books by Palestinian authors.
01. ‘My First and Only Love’
Sahar Khalifeh’s book is a deeply poetic account of love and resistance through a young girl’s eyes.
02.‘Minor Detail’
Adania Shibli’s book is a searing novel meditating on war, violence and memory. It was longlisted for the 2021 International Booker Prize.
03. ‘Where the Bird Disappeared’
This lyrical novel, by Ghassan Zaqtan, is set in the surroundings of the Palestinian village of Zakariyya. It weaves a narrative rich in sensory detail yet troubled by the porousness of memory.
04. ‘Trees for the Absentees’
Ahlam Bsharat’s novel moves delicately between a young woman growing up and the occupation that looms overhead.
05. ‘Against the Loveless World’
Susan Abulhawa’s book follows Nahr, a young Palestinian woman who fights for a better life for her family as she travels as a refugee throughout the Middle East. It was among the finalists for the 2020 Athenaeum of Philadelphia Literary Award.
06. ‘Mother of Strangers’
Based on the true story of two Jaffa teenagers in the late 1940’s, “Mother of Strangers” by Suad Amiry follows the daily lives of Subhi, a 15-year-old mechanic, and Shams, the 13-year-old student he hopes to marry one day.
Libyan novelist has written 81 books which have been translated into 40 languages.
The Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) has named Ibrahim Al-Koni, Libyan writer and novelist, as the ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’ for the 42nd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF). The fair, which will open on November 1, will run till November 12.
The authority said the honour is in recognition of his profound impact on both the Arab and global cultural and literary spheres and his invaluable contributions. Al-Koni’s exceptional efforts have enriched the literary world and has been instrumental in spotlighting Arab authors on the global stage, with his literary works being translated into over 40 languages, finding a place in the curricula of universities worldwide, including those in Europe, America, Japan, and beyond.
The choice of Al-Koni for this accolade aligns with SBA’s mission to celebrate distinguished individuals in the realms of thought, literature, history and the arts. These notable figures have not only enhanced the cultural heritage but have also created impactful works that have left a lasting imprint on both the Arab and global stages across a spectrum of literary and intellectual domains, the SBA said.
Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of SBA, said, “The authority believes that honouring cultural and literary figures is an important step in building the cultural identity of any civilisation and nation. Thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the emirate has become a platform for honouring Arabs whose thought and literary contributions have become a cornerstone of literature and knowledge. This includes the Libyan writer and novelist Ibrahim Al-Koni, whose recognition today asserts the strength of literature, culture, and knowledge in presenting the Arab identity to the world’s cultures.
“This recognition introduces the younger Arab generations to a prominent figure who has a significant and influential presence in the Arab and global cultural scene. Al-Koni’s portfolio includes more than 80 books in the fields of novels, literary studies, criticism, linguistics, history, and politics, serving as a source of inspiration and pride for Arabs. They are a testament to his strength and ability to compete in the realms of knowledge and culture, earning high recognition as one of the most prominent influencers in the Arab cultural landscape and one of the most widely recognised Arab authors in the world.”
81 books in 40 languages
Al-Koni was born in Ghadames, Libya, in 1948. He is among the most prominent contemporary Arab novelists and has been a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature on several occasions. He obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in literary and critical sciences in 1977 from the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow. He has worked in various journalistic and diplomatic roles around the world, with his most recent being a diplomatic advisor at the Libyan Embassy in Switzerland. Al-Koni is proficient in eight languages, including Tamasheq, Arabic, Russian, English, Polish, German, Spanish, and Latin.
The prolific Libyan writer has authored 81 books in various fields, and has been translated into more than 40 languages. He was selected by the French Lire Magazine as one of the top 50 contemporary world novelists, and received wide acclaim from cultural, critical, academic, and official circles around the globe.
Al-Koni has received numerous regional and international awards, including the Sharjah Award for Arab Creativity in 2008.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Ibrahim Al-Koni, Libyan writer and novelist, who has been named as the ‘Cultural Personality of the Year’ for the 42nd edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair. Image Credit: Supplied
A total of 79 scientists from Cairo University are among a list of 160,000 scientists whose practical opinions are cited in various specializations with a (2 percent).
President of Cairo University Dr. Mohamed Othman Elkhosht received a report on Stanford University’s announcement of a list of scientists whose practical opinions are cited in various specializations with a (2 percent), featuring about 160,000 scientists from 149 countries, based on the Scopus database, in 22 scientific specializations, and 176 sub-specialization for distinguished researchers.
Dr. Elkhosht announced that the Stanford list included a large number of Cairo University scientists, with a total of 79 scientists on the two lists, whether the total from 2011 to 2022, or the latest version 2023, as this year’s list included scientists from 11 colleges (an increase of 8% over the previous year).
Number of scholars featured from Cairo University in the report’s 2022 edition was 73 scholars, representing 9 of the university’s faculties, and compared to the number of 74 and 55 scholars during the previous years (2021 and 2020, respectively), Cairo University thus leads all Egyptian universities and research centers in all years from 2020 until now.
Dr. ElKhosht explained that the annual Stanford University report is an objective, external indicator of the progress of scientific research at Cairo University.
It is also a quantitative indicator for the university to identify the number of distinguished faculty members in research and a reflection of the university’s methodology, plan, applied practices, and the support that the university provides to its employees from the various colleges and institutes affiliated with it.
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Saeed, Vice President of the University for Postgraduate Studies and Research, pointed out that the report reflects the strengthening of the confidence of the international scientific and research community in our scientists in all fields and specializations, and that the results of the classification this year included two lists, the first of which is specific to the list of the total practical years 2011 – 2022 (with a total of 417 scientists), While the second included the list of last year, 2022, with a total of 817 scientists, adding that this year’s list (2023 edition) contained 926 Egyptian scientists, while last year’s list (2022 edition) included 680 Egyptian scientists from various universities and research centers, compared to 605 and 396 during the years 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Stanford University used the Scopus database of the international publisher Elsevier to extract various indicators in this list, including global scientific publishing, the number of citations, the H index, and co-authorship, all the way to the composite citation index.
source/content: egypttoday.com (headline edited)
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Dr. Fares bin Abdullah Al-Farsi, with his team, won the prize for the best innovative research project in a science marathon, in which more than 27 teams from various countries participated, during the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting.
Dr. Al-Farsi explained to Oman News Agency (ONA) that the winning project is concerned with using smart biochips to identify and resist bacteria that cause infections in chronic wounds, indicating that these slides contain microscopic antibodies manufactured in a laboratory, and linked to enzymes and sensors that help identify and eliminate bacteria as they approach the wound site.
He pointed out that the winning project was part of a research team consisting of young scientists from several disciplines, with the support of the “Max Planck” Foundation in the Federal Republic of Germany, adding that the participating research projects were evaluated by a scientific committee consisting of a number Nobel Prize-winning scientists, as well as global investors in the field of developing scientific research.
Dr. Al-Farsi pointed out that his participation in the 72nd Lindau Nobel laureate Meeting, which was held last June in the Federal Republic of Germany, came with the support of the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation to represent the Sultanate of Oman among the top 600 young scientists in the medical field, with the participation of more than 40 Nobel Prize-winning scientists.
An Omani innovator has won the Grand Prize in an international competition in South Korea among 353 innovations from more than 18 countries around the world, Oman News Agency (ONA) announced.
Omani innovator Razan bint Hamad Al Kalbani won the Grand Prize in the Korea International Women’s Innovations Exhibition and Competition (KIWIE) for her innovation “X-ray absorbing coating from a natural ingredient”, among 353 innovations from more than 18 countries around the world.
Razan Al-Kalbani told Oman News Agency that her scientific innovation is a coating that absorbs X-rays from a natural ingredient (lycopene), which is the red pigment found in tomatoes, watermelons, red fruits and vegetables in general.
She added “After extracting the lycopene, I carried out laboratory tests and mixed it with a coating with unique properties and techniques to ensure that the properties of the lycopene were not affected.”
She pointed out that the scientific innovation is the first of its kind in the world using a natural compound to shield rays, indicating that the paint absorbs rays by 97%, and is characterized by being 100% water and moisture resistant, and 95% heat resistant, and prevents the formation of mold and bacteria, and is non-flammable.
She pointed out that one of the most prominent features of this scientific innovation is the possibility of using tomato mold to extract lycopene, and in terms of mechanical advantage, it is less expensive than the lead currently used.
She stated that her participation in the Korea International Women’s Innovations Competition and Exhibition (KIWIE) came with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.
She stated that her scientific innovation achieved many achievements at all levels, whether global, regional and local, most notably her winning the first place in the Falling Walls Lab competition in November 2020, the silver medal at the Challenge and Innovation Forum in the State of Qatar, the gold medal at the Second Beirut International Innovation Exhibition.
She also won the silver medal at the level of the Middle East in the Mabaret Fayda Al-Saad competition in the State of Kuwait.
The University of Rhode Island neurotoxicologist and dean came to the U.S. for college in the 1980s.
Nasser Zawia hails from Al Bayda, a town in the south of Yemen, a country that has long been affected by war and is currently experiencing widespread famine. Zawia traveled to the U.S. in the 1980s to earn an undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He stayed in America, obtaining a PhD in pharmacology and toxicology from the University of California, Irvine. But Zawia never planned to stay on in the U.S. permanently. “Like many students who came here in the 80s, the objective was to come to go to school and go back to your home country and serve there,” he told The Scientist. “However, I married an American citizen.”
In 1990, Zawia and his wife moved to Yemen, where he planned to take a job at Sana’a University’s medical school. But the first Gulf War broke out in 1991. “The war was between Kuwait and Iraq,” he said. “But at that time, the position of the Yemeni government was supportive of Iraq. The connections with the U.S. were being threatened. I left during a climate where there was a lot of uncertainty and fear and insecurity as to what might happen.”
Returning to the U.S. in 1991, Zawia used connections he had made in US universities to secure postdoctoral positions at the University of South Florida and then at the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. After studying environmental toxicology at NIEHS, Zawia landed a faculty position at Meharry Medical College, a historically black college in Nashville, Tennessee, where he studied the developmental effects of lead exposure in minority populations. “I found that to be something where I could serve the underserved,” he said. “I stayed there for five years and then moved to the University of Rhode Island.”
Although he was successfully navigating the halls of academia and earning his citizenship in the early ’90s, life in the U.S. was not easy for Zawia. “The U.S. was not very receptive to people from the Middle East at that time because of the first Gulf War,” he recalled. “Those of us from that region of the world, our life is always punctuated by all kinds of events involving war. Every 10 years it seems like something big happens, which impacts us in many ways.”
The next big event that would have an effect on Zawia and countless other Americans happened on September 11, 2001. “Those of us who are Arab Americans/Muslim Americans in this country have always been dealing with wars and difficulties in our ancestral homes. But we didn’t ever think or expect that someone would come to the U.S. and cause such a catastrophe. And it changed our lives a lot. And everybody else’s,” he said. “But still we were Muslims in the U.S., and we had to deal with the Patriot Act and then the NSEERS [National Security Entry-Exit Registration System] registration for citizens coming from Muslim countries.”
Despite anti-Muslim sentiment spawned by the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Zawia chose to stay. Since setting up his University of Rhode Island (URI) lab in 2000, he’s made seminal discoveries, including research that pointed to a developmental basis for Alzheimer’s disease. He and his colleagues found that early exposure to lead increased the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease–related pathologies later in life. Zawia is now working on the epigenetics involved in this phenomenon, and said that his team is pursuing clinical trials of a repurposed drug to treat rare types of neurodegenerative disorders in Europe.
Although the Trump administration’s executive orders on immigration have restricted some travel for people from several countries in the Middle East, including Yemen, the policy has not directly affected Zawia, a naturalized US citizen. But both as a scientist who attends international conferences and as an administrator who seeks to entice talented students from all corners of the world to come to URI, he said he is seeing the damage the restrictions are having. “It is a concern for faculty here that were born in one of those seven countries,” he said. “Even though the law might be clear, how it’s applied may have an impact on our mobility.”
Zawia noted that the effects of the new immigration policies appear to be restricting the flow of students to URI and other US academic institutions. “In graduate education—especially in the STEM disciplines . . . we’re very heavily dependent on international students—it looks like huge drops in applications, a lot of concerns among our students on campus,” he said. “It just sends the wrong message. Graduate education is a strategic asset for the United States. Having the best minds come for an education here, staying, and interacting with our faculty and researchers is the secret to us always maintaining our leadership position.”
On top of the uncertainty surrounding his life as an immigrant researcher and administrator in the U.S., Zawia is grappling with an increasingly unstable situation in his home country, where some of his family still live: 19 million Yemenis are on the brink of a catastrophic famine in a country besieged by civil war. “My personal life and my connections to the country and my family have been upside down, to say the least,” he said.
With all that Zawia has witnessed in the U.S. as a Muslim Arab-American, he views the current political and social climate as the most damaging he’s seen. “I feel the impact of what’s going on now is much greater than what we experienced in the ’90s, with first war in Iraq or 9/11,” he says. “What’s going on right now is really very unsettling and very worrisome. Past events and past wars had more of a selective impact on us as Middle Eastern people and Muslim Americans. But the changes this administration is bringing about in many different facets of life is really . . . disrupting a lot.”
source/content: the-scientist.com / bob grant (headline edited)
Achieving success is no easy feat especially if you are working from the ground up. With passion and skill, a lot of people achieve self-made success. Today we are celebrating one such individual, Sudanese-American physician Iman Abuzeid who is the co-founder and CEO of a digital nurse hiring platform. She just nabbed a spot on Forbes’ ninth annual list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women and for good reason, with an impressive net worth of 350 million US dollars.
Being only one of two Arab women on the Forbes list, Abuzeid’s ranking is placing the Arab identity and voice at the forefront. Beyond that, the 38-year-old doctor is the only self-made millionaire on the list who earns money through the field of medicine on Forbes’ list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women. She achieved her impressive ranking almost a year after her nurse-hiring start-up called Incredible Health was able to raise 80 million US dollars and that helped hike her company’s valuation to 1.65 billion US dollars.
Along with Abuzeid, many other prominent self-made women made it to the Forbes list including TV creator Shonda Rhimes and Insitro founder and CEO Daphne Koller. Also for the sixth consecutive year, the top spot went to building supply distributor Diane Hendricks. With all that being said, knowing the incredible work each of these women achieved acts as a beacon of inspiration for younger girls to follow in their footsteps.
Dubai holds lots of Guinness World Records from being home to the world’s tallest tower, the world’s deepest swimming pool and the world’s tallest landmark sign.
And now, the city can add another accolade to its impressive list of world records as Expo City’s Al Wasl Plaza has secured a Guinness World Record.
Al Wasl Plaza – Expo City’s dome – has won the Guinness World Record title for the largest interactive immersive dome.
Alwaleed Osman, Official Adjudicator at Guinness World Records, said on the unveiling of the award: “Al Wasl Plaza stands as a testament to architectural excellence and a distinguished structure that resonates with those who have had the privilege of experiencing it.
“Its recognition in Guinness World Records underscores the commitment of Expo 2020, and the subsequent Expo City Dubai, to innovation and excellence.”
The beating heart of Expo City, it’s 130 metres in diameter and over 67 metres tall (that’s big enough to fit the Leaning Tower of Pisa beneath it) and visitors can see immersive 360° videos projected onto the surface of the dome.
Up to 252 laser projectors are used to put images on the architecture that can be viewed from inside or outside of the dome.
Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Al Wasl Plaza has been built using unique materials that ensure it can be used year-round.
The semi-outdoor space has a trellis framework made out of steel and the pattern is inspired by the logo of the Expo 2020 exhibition. Fun fact: The logo is fully visible at the apex of the dome.
During Expo 2020 Dubai, Al Wasl Plaza was a hub for events from concerts to performances and, next year, it will host the UNTOLD music festival.
Al Wasl Plaza hosts daily projection shows and, upon news of its latest award, has opened the new Al Wasl Plaza Café – a homegrown brand that offers Arabic fusion cuisine.
