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Officials in Saudi Arabia have announced a joint project to establish the largest coral garden in the world at NEOM, the futuristic mega-city being built in the Kingdom’s northwest.
NEOM and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) said that the project that will cover 100 hectares on Shusha Island on the shores of the Red Sea.
The Shusha Island Coral Park will become a global center to showcase innovations to protect and restore coral reefs and accelerate conservation solutions, helping to reduce the effects of climate change, a statement issued by Saudi Press Agency said.
Shusha Island is home to more than 300 species of coral and 1,000 species of fish.
The project is scheduled to be completed in 2025, making NEOM a world leader in restoring and developing coral reefs.
source/content: arabnews.com
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A picture shows coral reefs at the Obhor coast, 30 kms north of the Red Sea city of Jeddah, 20 December 2007. AFP PHOTO/HASSAN AMMAR (Photo by HASSAN AMMAR / AFP) / pix: arabnews.com
It was commissioned for construction by Al-Mu’izz li-Din Allah of the Fatimid dynasty in the new capital of Egypt in 970 and built by the builder of Egypt, Gawhar El-Seqelly. Construction began on April 04th, 970.
Cairo’s historic Al-Azhar mosque was the first artistic architectural building constructed by the Fatimids, the Islamic dynasty that ruled Egypt, North Africa and parts of the Arabian Peninsula from the tenth to the twelfth centuries.
Previously called ‘Cairo’s Mosque,’ Al-Azhar was named after the Prophet Mohammed’s daughter Fatimah al-Zahraa.
Because it was the first mosque and the first Islamic university to be built in Cairo, the city was named since then “The City of A Thousand Minarets”. After Al Karaouine in Idrisid Fes, which is a university in Morocco, Al-Azhar has developed to be the second most important university in the world.
Al-Azhar mosque was later turned into a university under the ruling of a senior Fatimid Islamic scholar Al-Aziz Billah. The university included 37 scholars who carried out religious teachings and dormitories to accommodate students.
After operating as an educational platform, Al-Azhar mosque was shut down in 1171 for 100 years under the auspices of the Ayyubid caliphate.
The historical mosque was later reopened by Mamluk Sultan al-Zaher Baybars in 1266.
Al-Azhar was first renovated following an earthquake in 1302.
Nour Elbery and Marawan Mahmoud from Egypt, and Rashid Modibbo from Nigeria, selected a winners of the 9th edition of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2021.
The Award is held under the patronage of Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan Al Nahyan, NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), in partnership with Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF).
The winning trio are architecture students from the American University of Sharjah (AUS).
Their winning submission, titled Cocoon, seeks to demonstrate how yesterday and tomorrow merge into one another, blurring time and rhythm, and forcing us to reflect on our shared experience of the pandemic, both individually and collectively. The installation will be available for viewing in November.
Members of this year’s selection committee included ADMAF Founder, Huda Ibrahim Alkhamis, NYUAD Interim Dean of Arts and Humanities, Awam Amkpa, Director of Abu Dhabi Art, Dyala Nusseibeh, and artist, Azza Al Qubaisi.
Executive Director of The NYUAD Art Gallery and the University’s Chief Curator Maya Allison added, “The Christo Award offers the unique opportunity to young artists to create an artwork that, in the spirit of Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s work, can be publicly exhibited and enjoyed. This year we witnessed how the artists responded to the uncertainty and challenging environment of this time, by using their creativity to design a Cocoon for humanity.”
The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award is open to UAE-based students and recent graduates and was established as a launchpad for visual artists across the Emirates.
The jury for short films and the Cinefondation competition for Cannes Film Festival 2021, which will take place next month, has been announced, and it includes Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania and Egyptian director Sameh Alaa.
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Arab filmmakers Kaouther Ben Hania, left, and Sameh Alaa join the short film jury for Cannes Film Festival 2021. La Biennale di Venezia, Getty Images / pix: thenationalnews.com
Yusuf el-Sebai was an Army Officer, Novelist, Journalist and Minister of Culture, Editor in chief of Al-Ahram National newspaper and the Head of the Journalist’s Syndicate.
Sebai had an effective role in establishing the Supreme Council of Arts and Literature.
Sebai was born on June 17, 1917, and outside the borders of his homeland was killed in 1978.
He wrote many works that turned into successful cinematic works, including 10 works of the 100 best films in the history of Egyptian cinema.
Through his writings, the prominent writer was able to chronicle the 1952 revolution, the aftermath of the war of attrition and the positive vibes of the October war.
Rod Qalbi :This is one of the most powerful accounts of the pre-July 1952 revolution period. It portrays the previous feudal domination of the land, classism and injustice that took hold of the Egyptian society during that era. The novel was turned into one of the most successful films depicting the 1952 revolution in 1957.
Hata Akher el-Omr (Until the last breath) : The film illustrates the impact of war on the lives of individuals, and the negative consequences that prevail. The film stars include Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Omar Khorshid and Najwa Ibrahim. It is the production of 1975, and is the story, script and dialogue of Youssef Sibai. The film’s music was composed by Nina Rahbani.
Gafat al-Domoo (No more tears) : The novel was political, with a romantic love story happening on the sidelines. The novel focused on the unity between Egypt and Syria and the events that preceded it through the character of Sami, the famous journalist and politician. Sami falls in love with an infamous singer struck by numerous rumors.
El-Omr Lahza (Life is short) : This novel speaks of the situation that preceded the victory of October 6, 1973 in the war of attrition. It describes the political situation, exploiting power, and corrupt citizens making use of the sacrifices of the soldiers fighting in the battlefield.
Aqwa Min el-Zaman (Stronger than time) : This novel depicts Egypt in the era of building the High Dam and the ambitions and dreams that accompanied this period in the history of Egypt, shedding light on the challenges the country faced.
Zuhair Murad. Couture, Ready-to-Wear, Bridal and Accessories.
The House of Zuhair Murad – designs, manufactures, distributes and retails coveted high fashion clothing. The brand is present in over 100 points of sales spread over the globe.
Inception and growth of boutiques:
Lebanon:
1997 – First Atelier opened in Beirut
2006 – First Boutique in Downtown Beirut
2010 – Relocated Corporate Office and Design Studio, Beirut
2013- Inaugrates Bridal Boutique, Beirut
International:
2001 – First Parisian ‘Maison de Couture’ in Paris
2016 – First store within a store, Kuwait
2017 – Shop in a shop, Vakko-Zorlu Center, Istanbul
2018- First Boutique in UAE, Fashion Avenue, Dubai Mall
Launches:
2001 – First Couture collection present in Haute Couture Week in Paris
2005 – First Ready-to-Wear (RTW) evening collection
2011 – Launches RTW Bridal collection
Honours:
2012 – Elected as Guest Member on the Supervisory Board of the ‘French Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode’
UNICEF chose Egyptian megastar Ahmed Helmy to serve as Regional Ambassador for the Middle East and North Africa.
“I am truly excited about this new role, I am delighted to continue to work with UNICEF to advocate for children’s rights across the region” said Helmy during the ceremony tailor made to announce his appointment as regional ambassador which was held through online video on June 6.
In 2017 Helmy was chosen to serve as UNICEF Ambassador in Egypt and has participated in multiple events to advocate for child protection and empowerment.
Helmy has previously cooperated with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to promote for the Food for Education project.
Additionally, Helmy collaborated with UNICEF in the #FightUnfair social media campaign launched in December 2015 to shed the light on the challenges facing children and young adults in Egypt.
Both Helmy and his wife Zaki were appointed as UNICEF Egypt Ambassadors; both were featured in two short videos promoting for ending violent disciplinary practices.
The Mauritanian is a 2021 legal drama film based on the true story of Mohamedou Ould Slahi, a Mauritanian man who was held for fourteen years (from 2002 to 2016) without charge in the Guantanamo Bay detentian camp, a United States military prison.
Awards / Nominations :
– 78th Golden Globe Awards the film received two nominations; Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (for Rahim), with Foster winning Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.
At the 74th British Academy Film Awards the film received five nominations, including Best Film, Outstanding British Film , and Best Actor for Rahim.
