Mona Kosar Abdi (aka) Mona Kosaar Cabdi (Somali). Reporter. Journalist. News Presenter
Presently:
-Co-Anchor : ABC World News Now and America This Morning
-Former : WSET Reporter and Co-Host
_________________
_________________________
AMERICAN / SOMALIA
Nancy Ajram (Nancy Nabil Ajram). Singer. Television Judge. Businesswoman. Philanthropy.
With this record Nancy Ajram has outperformed major singers Fairuz and the late Umm Kulthum.
Nancy came at the top of a list as the ‘Most Listened’ to female artist on the Spotify platform, after she achieved more than 100 million plays of her songs, followed by Fairuz with 67 million plays, then Egyptian songstress Sherine Abdel Wahab with 26 million plays, then Iraqi artist Aseel Hamim with 22 million plays.
In addition, the list includes the following artists; Yara, Elissa, Najwa Karam, Assala Nasri, Haifa Wehbe, Carole Samaha, Samira Said, and finally the late Umm Kulthum known as “Kawkab Al Sharq” with 7.6 million.
Judge on MBC’s reality talent show ‘ Arab Idol’ (2003 onwards)
Records :
-Nancy Ajram has previously won many international awards, including World Music Award for the highest sales in the Middle East.
-Over 30 million records have been sold world wide, making her one of the best selling Middle Eastern music artists.
-First and only female spokesperson of Coca-Cola in the Arab World.
-UNICEF’s First Female Regional Ambassador for Middle East and North Africa (October 22nd, 2009)
-Listed on ‘One of the Most Powerful Arabs’ by Arabian Business (several times) / Listed on ‘Most Influential Arabs’ – by Newsweek
Awards:
___________
____________
Lebanon
Amin Maaloof . Scholar. Writer. Novelist.
Honours / Decorations :
-Chevalier of the Legion of Honour – France / – Grand officier of the National Order of Merit – France / Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Letrres – France / Knight First class of the Order of the Lion of Finland / Grand Cordon of the National Order of the Cedar – Lebanon / Officier of the Order of Cultural Merit – Monaco
-Spanish Prince of Asturias Award for Literature (2010)
-Sheikh Zayed Book Award for “Cultural Personality of the Year” -2016
-Elected member of the Academie francaise – 23 June 2011 . Maalouf is the first person of Lebanese heritage to receive that honor
Books / Fiction :
–Leon l’Africain (1986) Leo Africanus-translated by Peter Sluglett / Samarcande (1988) Samarkand – translated by Russell Harris / –Les jardins de lumiere (1991) – The Gardens of Light – translated by Dorothy S. Blair / –Le Premier siecle apres Beatrice (1992) – The First Century after Beatrice – translated by Dorothy S. Blair / –Le Rocher de Tanios (1993) – The Rock of Tanios – translated by Dorothy S. Blair / –Les Echelles du Levant (1996) – Ports of Call – translated by Alberto Manguel / –Le Periple de Baldassare (2000) – Balthasar’s Odyssey – translated by Barbara Bray
Books / Non-Fiction :
–Les Croisades vues par les Arabes (1983) – The Crusades Through Arab Eyes / –Les Identites meurtrieres (1998) – In the Name of Identity : Violence and the Need to Belong – translated by Barbara Bray / –Origenes (2004) – Origins : A memoir – translated by Catherine Temerson / – Le Dereglement du monde (2009) – Disordered World – translated by George Miller
_________________________________________
French / French-Arab / Lebanese-French
Amr Diab (aka) El Hadaba . Musician. Actor.
One of the top selling Arab music recording artists.
Awards :
-7 – World Music Awards / 6 – African Music Awards / many more etc.
-The First Arab singer to receive the largest number of International Music Awards for most album sales in the Middle East . Guinness World Record – 2016
-Inducted into ‘Dubai Star Walk of Fame’ – 2019
-First Arab Musician to be featured by Spotify on a Times Square Billboard in New York – 2019
-Will feature in upcoming Netflix Arabic series for Middle East and North Africa, after his 27-year hiatus from acting.
____________________
___________
Egypt
13,377 camels participated in the largest camel racing tournament in the world. Certificate issued by Guinness World Records.
The event was organised by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation and was held on September 13th, 2019 at Taif, Saudi Arabia.
_______________
Saudi Arabia
Hazza Sulaiman Al Shehhi – successfully executed the highest sword throw reaching 21.275m (69ft.9″).
It was achieved as a part of the Fujairah Crown Prince Award and Al Saif Traditional Sword competition, held at Fujairah Fort, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates on November 26th, 2010.
Hazza has a specially developed technique for throwing the sword.
The attempt was measured using videography and high precision laser measuring meter called Leica Disto D8. The event was certified by Guinness World Records.
_______________________________________
Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Sharjah Art Foundation announces winners of Short Film Production Grant.
Filmmakers Nadira Amrani (b. 1993, Manchester, UK), Soha Shukayr (b. 1989, Baljarshi, Saudi Arabia) and Pelin Tan and Anton Vidokle (b. 1974, Hilden, Germany; b. 1965, Moscow, Russia) have been awarded a total of US$ 30,000 to support the creation of the three original short films.
The winning candidates were selected from a pool of more than 500 applicants from over 65 countries,
All three films will be shown at future editions of the Sharjah Film Platform.
Shukayr presenting her film at 3rd edition of Sharjah Film Platform, 4th to 21st November 2020, and Amrani and duo Tan and Vidokle presenting their films at the 2021 edition.
“Sharjah Film Platform was conceived to support filmmakers from all over the region and around the world ” said Hoor Al Qasimi, Director of Sharjah Art Foundation. “
_____________________________________
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The world’s longest chandelier by number of lights called ‘ Reflective Lights’ is installed at the Ali Bin Khalifa Al Hitmi & Co, office building on the water front in Doha on June 23rd, 2010.
-Largest Chandelier in the world
-Largest inter-active LED light sculpture
The exhibit is an organic art sculpture by day and then transformed when the light is introduced behind the glass frame.
The ‘Reflective Lights’ chandelier weighs 18,000 kg (39,683 lbs) and has 165,000 LED units. It measures 5.8m (19ft) in height at 12.5m (41 ft) in linear width and 38.5 m (126 ft 4in) in linear length. Certified by Guinness World Records.
The Chandelier is designed by Beau McClellan, Scotland.
________
Qatar
Marawa Ibrahim (aka) Marawa The Amazing, has the World record for performing ‘200 Hoops at one time’. Acrobat. Author. Teacher.
She also holds another 12 records. Austraclian champion of records.
Author of the book ‘The Girl Guide’ – helping to empower young women to live changing their bodies.
www.marawatheamazing.com
_______________________________
Australian. Somali-Australian
Ahmed Helmy’s (Ahmed Muhamed Helmy Abdel Rahman Awwad) name was placed in the ‘Celebrity Corridor in Dubai’ , an Arab Version of the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame’.
Ahmed Helmy – Actor. Comedian. Film Producer. TV Presenter. TV Personality. Author
Dubai Star was launched with the first 400 stars in October 2019.
The Dubai Stars is a grand tribute to renowned personalities who have positively contributed to the world through their work in various fields, such as filmmaking, art, architecture and music.
__________
Egypt