Business & Economy – Page 47 – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

Tunisian Model Ameni Esseibi Named ‘Arab Fashion Council Ambassador’

The Arab Fashion Council, a non-profit organization representing the fashion industry in the Middle East and North Africa, has named Dubai-based Tunisian model Ameni Esseibi as its new ambassador.

The announcement coincided with the launch of Arab Fashion Week, which includes 28 shows divided into three main programs, namely couture on Thursday and Friday, ready-to-wear from March 26 to 28, and events that will run throughout the five-day gathering.

Esseibi prides herself on being the Arab Fashion Council’s first-ever plus-size ambassador.

She said: “I feel proud. This is a huge step to acknowledge every woman, which is just the first milestone toward a new era for the fashion and retail industries to update the standards boldly and make them more inclusive for every woman. With my new title, I thrive on being a role model for self-confidence.”

The 24-year-old, considered the first plus-size model in the Middle East, is a staunch advocate for inclusivity and diversity in the fashion industry.

Esseibi’s new role marks the first time that the Arab Fashion Council has acknowledged a plus-size model as an envoy, a move it hopes will show its commitment to making a difference in the fashion industry when it comes to inclusivity and tolerance.

Mohammed Aqra, the Arab Fashion Council’s chief strategy officer, said: “It strategically encourages designers to take a step closer to include diverse profiles of the consumers, offering a wider choice for them at offline and online retail.

In addition to being a council ambassador, Esseibi has worked with a number of esteemed brands including Jean Paul Gautier and H&M and has featured in the pages of multiple publications including Vogue Arabia and Elle Arabia.

source/content: arabnews.com

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Ameni Esseibi prides herself on being the Arab Fashion Council’s first-ever plus-size ambassador. Supplied

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TUNISIA / DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Abdulaziz Fahad Al-Jouf, Founder and CEO of Payment Processing Company ‘PayTabs’

Abdulaziz Fahad Al-Jouf is the founder and CEO of PayTabs, a payment processing company founded in Saudi Arabia in January 2014 and now based in Bahrain.

He graduated from Riyadh’s Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in Islamic business and subsequently obtained a bachelor’s degree in information technology from the University of Nebraska-Omaha and a master’s degree in e-business from the New York Institute of Technology.

PayTabs was founded in 2013 after Al-Jouf “faced problems finding a suitable payments gateway for one of his business startups … and figured there would be many others with the same issues.”

PayTabs was, according to Al-Jouf, “taken under the wing” of Saudi Aramco’s entrepreneurship scheme “Wa’ed” and made headlines in August 2017 when it raised $20 million investment from unnamed sources.

In 2018 PayTabs was recognized by Forbes Middle East as No. 1 among “the top 20 Fintech startups to watch.”

In the same year, Al-Jouf was featured on the cover of Arabian Business magazine, and PayTabs was named “Fintech Company of the Year” at the Arabian Business Achievement Awards.

source/content : arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA / BAHRAIN

UAE’s MoHAP launches World’s First Metaverse Customer Happiness Service Centre

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has launched the world’s first Metaverse customer happiness service center at the Arab Health 2022, the first experience of its kind in a health exhibition in the world.

The step ushers in a new era of digital reality and human-computer interaction in government health care services, by enhancing the integration of the real, virtual and digital world.

The Ministry’s stand at the Arab Health being held at the Dubai Trade Centre from 24th to 27th January, will be a unique stage to showcase this unique technology and test the performance of virtual activities that provide real experiences in one of the most innovative and future initiatives launched by the ministry.

Although the full version of the MoHAP MetaHealth platform is expected to be launched by mid-2022, visitors to Arab Health 2022 will have the opportunity to instantly teleport into the world of MetaHealth and choose to speak with a real employee from the Customer Happiness Center in a must-try experience.

he new technology also provides an opportunity for customers to join the MetaHealth space and move from their current location to the Ministry’s virtual Customer Happiness Center, without actually crossing the distance between the two areas. Customers, then, can request information, submit documents, pay fees and more, with the actual faces of users being displayed in the virtual room instead of avatars.

The new service also provides a tangible solution for the people of determination who are unable to move physically from their homes to one of the Ministry’s customer happiness centers and finish their transactions smoothly.

Al Owais added, “Today, we are experiencing the world of “Metaverse”, with the launch of the world’s first virtual customer happiness center in the three-dimensional digital space, in the first experience of its kind, in preparation for a new and promising future health sector through Arab Health, one of the largest international exhibitions.”

The UAE health minister asserted that Virtual Reality technology will play a more important role in the future of the UAE during the next fifty years, especially in light of the development of advanced digital infrastructure, which is one of the best in the world.

“The flourishing of digital transformation in the government sector pushes us forward to continue achieving the goals and aspirations of the UAE to lead the artificial intelligence and virtual reality sector, which places the country in a perfect position to attract and use advanced technologies, especially Metaverse,” said Dr. Muhammad Salim Al Olama, Under-Secretary of the Ministry and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Health Services.

source/content: wam.ae

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Tunisian-French Film Producer Tarak Ben Ammar buys Studios De Paris from EuropaCorp

Tunisian-French film producer Tarak Ben Ammar has finalized a $37 million deal to purchase Studios de Paris, the production facility outside the French capital.

The studios are known for being home to Netflix shows such as “Emily in Paris” and “Murder Mystery 2” and blockbusters such as “Jackie,” “Lucy” and “Taken 2”.

The facility, which has nine sound stages, was placed under court protection a year ago for its debt which are being paid by the acquisition, reported Variety

The studios were co-founded by Ben Ammar, who co-owned them through his company Bleufontaine along with EuropaCorp, a French film and TV production and distribution company created by Luc Besson in 1999, Front Line, Europacorp’s holding company, and Euromedia, a live transmissions company.

Now, Ben Ammar has acquired the shares owned by all three other partners in a deal completed via Eagle Pictures France, a subsidiary of the producer’s Italy operation.

The studios will continue to “represent a center of excellence for the French film industry and be an attractive factor for the entire sector,” according to a statement released by EuropaCorp to investors.

source/content: arabnews.com

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The studios are known for being home to Netflix shows such as “Emily in Paris” and “Murder Mystery 2.” (Studio de Paris)

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FRANCE / TUNISIA

Egyptian Mobile App helps Hearing-Impaired Master the Art of Sewing

Fashion design was part of my study at a very young age and I started my career 10 years ago,” says Egyptian designer Esraa Adel, who graduated from a vocational-technical high school’s ready-made garments department.

Adel specialises in women’s casual wear designs après midi, soiree and much more. She launched her own line of soiree dresses under the title Fashion Corner Brand.

“I took a course to learn sign language for two months to be able to communicate with the hearing-impaired, then introduced changes to the course content to fit their needs. I offer patron (sewing patternmaking) courses using sign language too,” she adds.

Adel stresses that her stern belief in social work and making a difference for people prompted her to help the hearing-impaired with opportunities to start their own businesses.

She teaches drawing mannequins for different female body types, how to choose the right dress for the right body shape, patron drawing and the basics of sewing..

The mobile app ‘Professional Course for Tailoring Clothes with Patron’ was released two years-ago and is available on the Android play store in Arabic version.

“70 percent of users are hearing-impaired and people with disabilities,” Adel says.

The idea for the app won the top prize at the Tamkeen Competition in 2020, which aims to develop software and mobile phone applications for people with disabilities and is held under the auspices of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

El-Khalifa Computer Group is an Egyptian Software Company that turned the idea for the app into reality.

“The company is the owner and it plans out the entire process. It generates the idea, app design, software, and financial part,” Adel says.

The company received a grant from the ministry to give the hearing-impaired sewing courses in Cairo.

“I was the only one to give this kind of course in Egypt,” Adel adds. “I am responsible for shooting the videos and creating accessible material and scientific subjects for the application.”

“The app content helps users master tailoring. It takes two months to study before the user can launch their own project,” she adds.

The app consists of 30 tutorial videos for woman’s wear. It includes how to take accurate body measurements and using sewing machines, needles, scissors and fabrics. It shows applicants the full steps of the tailoring process and how to get the best finish for the final product.

The “fabrics dictionary” is a newly added option that is not available in other sewing apps. It has a full list of fabric types and a video on how to identify them by touch. The fabric glossary is for sewing terms, expressions, and terminology.

The app has three features: sign language, audio, and text for the hearing-impaired.

source/content : english.ahram.org.eg

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EGYPT

Saudi Cup 2022 ‘Most Expensive Equestrian Race in the World’ certified by Guinness World Records, March 2022

The CEO of the Horse Races Club and Secretary-General of the Equestrian Authority, Eng. Marwan Bin Abdulrahman Al-Olayan, received at the club’s headquarters in Riyadh, a Guinness World Records certificate for the most expensive equestrian race in the world.

Guinness World Records official Adjudicator, Ahmed Bucheeri, presented the certificate and award during a ceremony on the platform of the King Abdulaziz Racecourse for Horse Racing.

The 2022 Saudi Cup was able to break records as the most expensive horse race in the world, with a financial prize of $20 million, while the total value of the Saudi Cup race prizes is $35.1 million, representing the most expensive horse racing prize in the world.

He added that the largest financial prize for the individual race, worth $20 million, was in the Saudi Cup, which was organized at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, in Riyadh on Feb. 26, 2022, pointing out that Guinness World Record is now officially registered under the name of the Saudi Cup 2022 after it used to be under the name of the Dubai World Cup, where the prize amounted to $10 million.

source/content: saudigazette.com.sa

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The CEO of the Horse Races Club and Secretary-General of the Equestrian Authority, Eng. Marwan Bin Abdulrahman Al-Olayan, received at the club’s headquarters in Riyadh, a Guinness World Records certificate for the most expensive equestrian race in the world.

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SAUDI ARABIA

Ahmad bin Saeed tops Forbes Middle East’s Top 50 Travel & Tourism Leaders list

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, topped Forbes Middle East’s Top 50 Travel & Tourism Leaders list.

The list spotlights 50 leaders who drive growth in the Middle East’s travel and tourism industry, building on their desire to reconnect with the world.

Emirates Airline and Group’s revenue reached US$6.7 billion in the first half of the 2021/2022 fiscal year.

Moreover, Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths ranked third on the list.

The UAE dominated this month’s list with 24 of the leaders featured based in the UAE, followed by 11 in Saudi Arabia, and four in Egypt.

The hotels and hospitality sector is the most dominant on the list with 26 entries, followed by aviation with 17, and tourism with seven entries.

source/content: wam.ae

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

13th Makkah Excellence Award Winners Honored – Saudi Arabia, March 2022

The winners’ ceremony for the 13th Makkah Excellence Award took place on Wednesday, with recipients honored by Gov. Prince Khalid Al-Faisal.

The awards were announced earlier in February during the sixth session of the Makkah Cultural Forum, which was held under the theme of “How to be a role model in the digital world.”

In its sixth session, the Makkah Cultural Forum achieved nearly 771 digital initiatives, and the Makkah Excellence Award, since its inauguration, received more than 4,500 initiatives.

The awards covered nine categories.

The Ministry of Sports won the award for administrative excellence, with the prize handed to Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal.

The scientific and technical excellence award went to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology.

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah won the environmental excellence award and this was presented to Abdulaziz Alduailej, president of the General Authority of Civil Aviation.

The Special Forces for Hajj and Umrah Security won the award for Hajj and Umrah services. The prize was presented to Maj. Gen. Mohammed Al-Bassami, commander of the Hajj Security Forces.

Two companies were honored for their economic excellence. The first was Um Al Qura Development Company, with the prize presented to Abdullah Saleh Kamel, chairman of the company’s board of directors. The second was Petro Rabigh Company, and the award was presented to Othman A. Al-Ghamdi, Petro Rabigh’s president and CEO.

The humanitarian excellence award went to the Saudi Red Crescent Authority, with the award given to the authority’s president Jalal Alowaisi. The other winner of this award was Fayez Al-Malki, a Saudi actor known for his humanitarian work. Al-Malki was the only individual winner across all categories.

The cultural excellence award went to the Red Sea International Film Festival, and was presented to Film Commission CEO Abdullah Al-Eyaf.

The urban excellence award was given to the Jeddah dome project, and the prize was presented to Nawaf Abdulkareem, director general of Jeddah season.

The Ehsan charity platform was recognized for its social excellence.

Wednesday’s ceremony also honored and announced the winners of the Makkah Days Challenge for Programming and Artificial Intelligence.

Winners included the University of Jeddah for their “Air Supply Ambulance” initiative in the field of Hajj and Umrah, Taif University for an initiative called “Mustahil” in the field of smart cities, and Um Al Qura University for its “Athar” initiative in the field of tourism and entertainment.

source/content: arabnews.com

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Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, the Governor of Makkah region, during his speech. (Supplied)

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SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia Unveils Guinness World Record-Breaking Riyadh Season Postage Stamp

Saudi Arabia has officially unveiled a special Riyadh Season stamp that set a new Guinness World Record.

Measuring an incredible 64 square feet 7 square inches, it broke the record for the biggest special stamp in the world on Feb. 14. The public finally got a glimpse of it when Saudi Post displayed it at Boulevard Riyadh City, one of the special Riyadh Season zones.

“By revealing this stamp, the world’s largest special stamp, we broke Walt Disney’s record, set in 2019,” Bandar Al-Toaimi, Saudi Post’s general manager of corporate communications, told Arab News.

“We are so delighted it has been achieved by Saudi capabilities; from concept to design and implementation, it was all done by Saudi talents devoted to Riyadh season.”

The special stamp celebrates Riyadh Season, which was introduced in 2019 and has become one of the biggest events in the Saudi entertainment calendar. The design includes a winter wonderland scene, the Riyadh Season logo, a hot air balloon, a fountain, a racing car and fireworks.

source/content: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

RECORDS : Morocco holds the Record for ‘Africa’s Tallest Turbine’ : February 2022

The state-of-the-art wind turbine in Morocco’s Oualidia is expected to generate an annual average of 2.500 MW/h, reducing CO2 emissions by 2.500 tonnes every year.

The 144-meter tall structure, part of the InnoVent’s Oualidia wind farm, provides a milestone thanks to high production capacity and cost-efficiency.

Construction work for the turbine began in 2019 following a deal between Morocco’s government and Spanish renewable energy company Nabrawind Technologies.

The installation is the first “self-erecting turbine” for Nabrawind Technologies.

Aside from breaking the continental height record for turbines, the Nabralift tower is special on grounds of the innovative construction method. The company used an innovative self-erecting system to construct the tower, without the need for conventional large-size cranes.

Built in collaboration with French developer InnoVent, the turbine additionally breaks the record for the tallest turbine constructed with a self-erecting system.

The innovative construction model was also cost-optimal as the tower only needed 80 square-cubic meters of concrete for its foundation, down from 500 square-cubic meters necessary for structures of such height, lowering cost by 60%.

source/content: moroccoworldnews.com

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MOROCCO