Leaders – Page 4 – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

BAHRAIN’s 51st National Day: December 16th. HM King patronises Bahrain’s celebrations of its National Days

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today patronised, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the ceremony held at the Al-Sakhir Palace on the occasion of the kingdom’s National Days, in commemoration of the establishment of the modern Bahraini State as an Arab and Muslim state, founded by Ahmed Al Fateh in 1783, the anniversary of its full membership in the United Nations, and the anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne.

On arrival at the Al-Sakhir Palace, the artillery fired 21 rounds to salute HM the King, who was accompanied by a constellation of cavalry.

The National Anthem was played, and some holy Quran verses were recited.

After that, HM King Hamad delivered the following keynote speech:

“In the name of God, the most Merciful, the most Compassionate,

Praise be to Allah, and prayers and peace be upon Prophet Mohammed and his family and companions,

Your Highnesses, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,

May the peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you,

This year’s glorious National Day arrives with its atmosphere full of joy on the return of our lives to their former state, thanks to God. Here, we meet you on this blessed day of our dear homeland, in the essence of its commemoration, which returns to us with good and affection, in the expansive glory of the Kingdom of Bahrain, whose civilisational achievements have, for over two centuries, continued to transcend among nations, through the giving of its people at all times and periods.

In fact, with every new commemoration of this day with its experiences and achievements, the more confidence we feel in our progress in building towards the goal of the advancement and prosperity of our honourable citizens, a matter to which our esteemed Government is committed, and for which it strives with determination and diligence.

In this regard, we must first commend the national endeavours being undertaken to achieve our ultimate goal to achieve good and prosperity for every citizen, and we refer, in this context, to the results of the Economic Recovery Plan, whose positive impact extends to all sectors of development. We are proud of the active role of financial and economic support programmes, particularly in facing the economic and health difficulties, and we direct raising their efficiency and enhancing equitable access to them, by considering their effectiveness and great benefit to living standards.

Here, we express our satisfaction with what has been achieved in meeting the housing needs of the Bahraini family, commending the record government achievement, and emphasising in this regard the need to continue development plans for the housing sector with their innovative solutions and vast investments, in partnership with the private sector, to ensure decent and suitable housing for citizens.

In the context of its priorities, our country continues to preserve and protect human rights under the auspices of its independent legal institutions, and among the results of those efforts is the comprehensive programme of alternative sanctions and measures, which we are keen to realise given its noble objectives of giving its beneficiaries new hope for the stability of their families, and for a promising future of giving and contributing to the building of their society.

Brothers and sisters, on such a special occasion that brings us together with you today, it gives us pleasure to celebrate the pioneers of national action, from the sons and daughters of our dear nation, in honour of their efforts, and in recognition of their outstanding services, which we greatly appreciate, and we will not find a more remarkable day in the life of the country to express to them pride in their leadership and excellence, and to thank them for giving this day its most beautiful meaning.

May God grant you all success, and may the peace, mercy and blessings of God be upon you.”

Then, HM the King conferred medals on national work pioneers.

After that, Kefaya Habib Al-Anzoor, delivered a statement on behalf of the honourees in which she expressed deepest pride in HM the King’s patronage of the auspicious National Days, and honouring of national work pioneers.

She asserted that the annual honouring of the distinguished national work pioneers is an impetus for them to be more dedicated in serving the nation and raising its flags at all international gatherings so that Bahrain always remains at the top across various fields.

She lauded the historic wide-ranging achievements attained by the kingdom during HM King Hamad’s prosperous era, noting that the precious royal honouring is a source of pride, and that it motivates everyone to do their utmost to be more dedicated to serving the homeland.

She affirmed that the kingdom’HM the King’s patronage of the honouring of military and civilian national work pioneers will optimise the kingdom’s accomplishments, noting that thanks to the constant royal support and forward-looking vision, Bahrainis have brought about unprecedented achievements in the scientific, cultural and youth fields, locally and abroad.

She extended deepest thanks, appreciation and gratitude to HM the King for honouring national work pioneers on this cherished national occasion.

She also extended sincere congratulations to HM King Hamad on the glorious National Days, wishing HM the King abundant health, happiness and long life.

The honouree list included:

– Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa

– Faeqa bint Saeed Al-Saleh

– Ali bin Mohammed Al-Romaihi

– Ayman bin Tawfiq Al-Moayyed

– Shaikh Hesham bin Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa

– Eman Ahmed Al-Dossari

– Osama Saleh Al-Alawi

– Major-General Mohammad Abdulla Al-Noaimi

– Brigadier-General Fahd Mohammed Al-Humaidan Al-Najdi

– Brigadier-General Dr. Hassan Mohammad Noor

– Brigadier-General Mohammed bin Mohammed bin Dinah

– Colonel Tariq Ahmed Ali Al-Buflasa

– Warrant Officer Ahmed Mohammad Ali Mohammad

– Abdulla Jehad Abdulla Al-Zain

– Faisal Mohammed Hassan Al-Mahroos

– Ghassan Ali Muhanna Mohammed Al-Muhanna

– Mark Joseph Thomas

– Mazen Mohammed Ahmad Mattar

– Ahmed Yousif Talib Abdulghani

– Abdulla Ali Al-Binkhalil

– Mustafa Mohammed Ahmed Mustafa

– Nawaf Abdulla Hamza

– Shaikha Mariam bint Abdulwahhab Al Khalifa

– Chancellor Rashid Mohammed Bu Najma

– Abdulla Khalid Ahmed Al-Nassar Al-Dossari

– Mohammed Khalid Al-Fadhala

– Hamad Ali Al-Mannai

– Ambassador Ali Jassim Al-Aradi

– Nada Ahmed Mustafa

– Adnan Abdulwahhab Eshaq

– Kefaya Habib Al-Anzoor

– Akbar Jassim Ashour

– Ziyad Adel Darwish

– Fatima Abdulghani Ismail

– Amna Ali Al-Arrayad

– Huda Mirza Abbas Al-Salman

– Mohammad Yusif Al-Binfalah

– Ramzi Raisan Al-Badran

– Najlaa Mohammed Qassim Al-Shirawi

– Dr. Haitham Ali Jahrami

– Dr. Abdulla Mohammed Al-Khan

– Badriya Jassim Al-Kuwaiti

– Marwan Fuad Salman Kamal

– Alia Ali Al-Aali

– Mustafa Aqeel Al-Shaikh

– Lama Abbas Saeed Al Mahrous

– Abdulhussain Ibrahim Isa

– Beshara Abdo Beshara

– Hanan Ibrahim Al Emadi

– Mohammed Salman Makki Habib

– Ahmed Abdulghani Isa Ahmed Madan

– Nabeel Abdulrahman Ajur

– Hussain Jassim Mohammed Ali Al-Sakran

– Khalifa Yacub Yousif Al-Amer

– Mohammed Jassim Al-Amer.

WHQ

source/content: bna.bh (headline edited)

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BAHRAIN

BRITISH / LEBANESE: Central Bank of Ireland, Governor Gabriel Makhlouf confronts crisis with the perspective of a well-travelled man

With a Lebanese name and a Cairo birthplace in the background, Gabriel Makhlouf is steering Ireland’s financial recovery.

As governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, Gabriel Makhlouf is much preoccupied by the issue of resilience in a small, open economy challenged by a year of pandemic.

Mr Makhlouf’s own peripatetic life has shown him how precious an asset the quality of adaptability is at a time of change, be it in a person or for a national economic system.

Upheaval and the Makhloufs on the move could be a theme stretching back to when his father’s side of the family travelled across the Mediterranean from their Lebanese homeland to Cyprus.

When the island was part of the Empire, the family became British subjects and Makhlouf Snr ended up working at the embassy in Cairo after the Second World War.

It was in that palatial building near the Nile that he fell for a Greek-Armenian woman whose forebears had fled the historical turmoil of Izmir in 1922. Her family moved to Athens where she has come full circle to live today.

Mr Makhlouf was talking to The National at a time when Ireland’s strict national Level 5 lockdown is both defining his job and providing a perspective on the decades of movement and upheaval that have brought him to where he is now.

At a conference last week, the governor spoke of how the outlook had deteriorated in 2021 with the renewed lockdown. The short-term need to bolster the economy coincided with structural changes from technological innovation and climate policies. Ireland suffered a 7.1 per cent slump in domestic demand last year but is expected to see a 2.9 per cent increase in 2021.

Unemployment is predicted to reach 9.3 per cent this year and for an economy with a high level of property-focused debt, ensuring that households are supported is a priority. Mr Makhlouf points out that growth is not the same as having the capacity to recover quickly.

“We cannot anticipate every type of shock but we can build resilience,” he said in his keynote address. “Resilience is what has prevented the financial system repeating its previous failure. Resilience is what has protected households, businesses and communities against the worst of the damage from the shock of the pandemic.

“Economic resilience is what helps communities to manage the disruption caused by change and to manage the economic transitions we are living in right now.”

In providing leadership during financial strife, it is perhaps a boon to have some sense of dislocation. He describes his mother’s family as refugees. His parents met in a milieu that was the product of worlds with roots as far back as the Phoenicians, ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. And yet the people of Mr Makhlouf’s parents’ generation made their choices and moved to build new lives.

“My mother, who was born in Athens, had spent most of her life outside of Greece, but when my dad retired she came back,” he recalls. “My dad moved on and lived all over the world and settled in Greece at the end, before he passed away.”

Mr Makhlouf was born in Egypt but left at the age of three when his father joined the United Nations and moved to the Congo. Makhlouf pere’s time as an international diplomat exposed the young Gabriel to many cultures.

“My first language was French, because my parents’ mutual tongue was French,” he says. “So I learned English when I was about seven when we went to Bangladesh, and when we got to the Pacific we lived in Samoa.

“I went to school in Samoa. My parents then decided they ought to send me to boarding school if I was going to get a proper education and not one that changed every few years.”

Travelling during the school holidays from the school in England was a regular odyssey in itself. “The trip to get to Samoa and back to England involved stopping in Los Angeles, Honolulu and Pago Pago, an American territory pronounced ‘Pango Pango’,” he recalls.

“But then they moved to the Philippines, they moved to Fiji, they were in Ethiopia and they were in Thailand. So, you know, my brother and I got used to this life.”

It is a puzzle, then, to establish the appeal to the young Mr Makhlouf of embarking on a career as a Whitehall civil servant. He explains it as following his father’s footsteps in to the bureaucracy. Certainly, the career path was more about determination and making opportunities than wanderlust.

“I don’t think I joined the civil service for stability, to be honest, but maybe somewhere deep inside me there might have been that,” he says. “I joined the civil service really for interest. I joined as a tax inspector at the beginning. And it was an interesting career option – it involved law, it involved accountancy and it gave early opportunity to manage.”

Fate intervened to resume the family’s roving tradition when Mr Makhlouf was headhunted in 2010 to run New Zealand’s finance ministry, the Treasury. There, he was responsible for developing a measure of well-being as a replacement for the traditional gross domestic product yardstick.

In one memorable allusion in a speech he compared the role of an economist to that of an artisan, challenged with weaving together different strands of evidence into a structured framework.

Before upping sticks to the southern hemisphere, Mr Makhlouf at one point worked directly with then-UK chancellor Gordon Brown, who became prime minister at the time of the global financial crisis in 2008.

Asked about his former boss and a recent warning that the world now faces another lost decade or perhaps even worse than after that crash, Mr Makhlouf acknowledges how bad it was last time around but disagreed on the dangers now.

“I think that there is one massive difference between the crisis in 2008 and today’s crisis,” he says. “Which is that the crisis in 2008 was a crisis of the financial system, the financial system basically collapsed.

“Today, the financial system is still standing, and it’s the financial system that’s playing a very important role in supporting businesses and households through the pandemic and hopefully into a recovery and out the other end.”

World leaders are proving to be different kinds of players, having recognised that this is an economic crisis caused by a health crisis. “Governments throughout the world have chosen to close down economies for the sake of people’s health. In some respects that is been planned. In comparison to what happened in 2008 where actually events completely overwhelmed us.”

So Mr Brown’s fears are too pessimistic? “A lot of the changes and challenges that are ahead of us, I think if we manage them, then I think they can be managed well,” he says.

Mr Makhlouf takes heart from the rapid adjustment of businesses to home-working and new patterns of demand. “Economies across the world and certainly in the industrialised world have adapted to the restrictions,” he says. “More businesses are set up for that and more consumers were ready and knew how to proceed.”

The scale of “technological adaptation” since he accepted the Irish job in 2019 is something he could well have guessed was just around the corner.

The governor has not been immune to the extraordinary pressures imposed by lockdowns. Even at the outset of the pandemic, the family’s far-flung ways isolated him in Athens just as the 2,000-strong staff of the central bank in Dublin were forced to work from home.

With his mother ill in hospital, Mr Makhlouf was on hand to help her recover. “Effectively, I carried on working like everyone else via laptops and iPads. It’s quite an extraordinary thing that we all seem to have got used to.”

History means that a British citizen running the Irish central bank will always be a talking point. The moment that the UK left the EU put Mr Makhlouf in an invidious spot.

First, there is migration of businesses and banking activity from the City of London to Dublin so that firms remain within the EU umbrella. Is this an opportunity?

“Overall, I think the impact of Brexit is negative. It’s negative for Ireland and for the UK and for the EU,” he says. “We’re most exposed as a country in the agricultural sector, in particular. The fact that there was, at the end of the day, a deal albeit a very slim deal was better than there being no deal.

“On financial services, we have seen post-referendum a move of business from London to Dublin,” he agrees. “I’m not sure I would necessarily call it an opportunity at all. I think from my perspective as a regulator this increases the need for us to manage and ensure the financial system works properly.”

With his son, brother and wife’s relatives living in London, the governor observes that the pandemic has played a greater role than Brexit in cutting off families and friends. But things are different.

“I feel sorry for someone like my son — his opportunities to work in 27 other countries have now been limited. So his generation has lost out,” he says. “Ireland and Irish people have got many connections in the UK, we recognise Brexit has happened but those connections haven’t disappeared, they haven’t been lost.”

As two movie-perfect countries on the periphery of continents with roughly similar populations, one wonders what the biggest change is for Mr Makhlouf in switching from New Zealand to Ireland.

There is the remoteness of the former compared with the latter’s position within the wealthy European market. But the answer, he feels, is the perspective on China. In New Zealand, much time was spent thinking about and visiting that part of east Asia. He himself went at least nine times.

“The role that Asia has been playing and will play in the 21st century usually dominated a lot of thinking. And what’s interesting coming back to Europe, and perhaps now it’s not surprising at one level, but it was noticeable how little of our time was spent thinking about Asia.”

For the well-travelled, there is the unchanging truth that proximity is often the most powerful force in geography.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited) (feb 18th, 2021)

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The lockdown both defines Gabriel Makhlouf’s job as Governor of the Irish central bank and provides a perspective on the decades of movement and upheaval that have brought him where he is today. Courtesy Central Bank of Ireland

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BRITISH / LEBANESE

ARAB RECORDS: 6 Arab Achievements in the 2023 Guinness Book of World Records

Guinness World Records, the global authority on record-breaking achievements, announced on Friday that its 2023 edition, available now in stores and online in the Middle East, features 50 records from the Arab world.

Read on for some of the latest achievements from the region.

01. Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom is flexing its muscles with a set of achievements including the largest LED structure and brightest suspended ornament by Noor Riyadh Festival and the largest Lego brick Formula One car by the Saudi Arabia Motor Federation.

02. UAE

From the UAE, the new book covers a number of humanitarian record-breaking initiatives such as the largest donation for a patient’s medical treatment by the charity organization Emirates Red Crescent and the most awareness ribbons made in one hour by the Emirates Oncology Society, an organization dedicated to promoting multidimensional care for cancer patients.

03. Iraq

There are three achievements from Iraq: the largest pin-and-thread art by artist Saeed Howidi, the most eggs balanced on the back of a hand (18 eggs) and the tallest stack of M&M’s by Ibrahim Sadeq.

04. Egypt

Mohamed Shehata achieved the widest arm span on a living person (male) and the widest hand span on a living person (male), while Mahmoud Ayoub was featured for achieving the most finger-tip push-ups (one arm) in one minute.

05. Kuwait

Yousef Al-Refaie became the youngest person to climb the Seven Volcanic Summits (male). Kuwait was also featured for the longest indoor slide achieved by LOOPZ.

06. Algeria

From Algeria, the trade center Algiers International Fair created the largest bowl of couscous, and Djamaa el Djazaïr, also known as the Great Mosque of Algiers, broke the record for the tallest minaret, the tower used to project the Muslim call to prayer.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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ALGERIA / EGYPT / IRAQ / KUWAIT / SAUDI ARABIA / U.A.E.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES(U.A.E) : Mohamed Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs Elected Chairman of the Development Committee of the World Bank Group(WBG) and International Monetary Fund (WBG-IMF)

Mohamed Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, has been elected as Chairman of the Development Committee (DC) of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which aims to achieve international cooperation and consensus on issues related to development. The DC is a joint ministerial committee of the Boards of Governors of the Bank and the Fund.

During his two-year tenure, the minister will work with the committee’s members that include ministers, and the Board of Governors of the WBG and IMF to complete and manage the committee’s programmes related to sustainable and comprehensive economic development, in order to build and develop the economies of developing countries.

Al Hussaini thanked the member states and the WBG for electing him as the Committee Chairman, stressing the United Arab Emirates’ keenness on cooperating and coordinating with its strategic partners and all international organisations to enable comprehensive and sustainable development at all levels.

A ministerial-level forum that represents the member countries of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund, the Development Committee was established in 1974 and was previously known as the ‘Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors of the Bank and Fund’. It comprises 25 members from the finance or development ministries that are members of the WBG and the IMF.

The Committee is mandated to address a wide range of issues, including, but not limited to, the role of the IMF and WBG, in confronting future crises, digitalisation, the green economy, trade, industrial policies, and poverty.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

SAUDI ARABIA: Re-elected to the Membership of the Council of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Canada

Saudi Arabia was elected to the membership of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization until 2025 during voting at the ICAO 41st general assembly in Montreal, Canada.

The Kingdom was re-elected after a voting process with the participation of 193 UN member states.

The council has 36 members, including the US, France, Singapore and the UK, “thus providing a voice to the Arab and Islamic countries,” the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser praised the importance of the election for the Kingdom, saying: “Since the establishment of the first airline in 1945, the Kingdom has proven its commitment and tireless work toward the aviation sector, both domestically and internationally.”

He added that the Kingdom is now working in line with the vision of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman by consolidating its global leadership role in the sector.

Al-Jasser said that the election “represents a broad tribute to the tireless efforts being made by the Kingdom to be a center for air linkage between the three continents to achieve the objectives of the national strategy for transport and logistics services.”

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh Al-Jasser attends 41st International Civil Aviation Organization General Assembly in Canada. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E) : Mohammad Al Gergawi announces details of ‘Great Arab Minds’ designed to search for exceptional talents among Arabs

Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Chairman of the Committee leading Great Arab Minds, and Secretary-General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), highlighted the details of “The Great Arab Minds” initiative.

Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in January 2022, the initiative is the Arab world’s largest movement designed to search for exceptional talents among Arab scientists, thinkers, and innovators across key fields.

The Great Arab Minds initiative, under the MBRGI, aims to identify, support and acknowledge leading thinkers in the region, amplify their impact and inspire future generations. One of its main purposes is to reduce the emigration of Arab scientists, specialists, intellectuals, doctors, and engineers.

He affirmed that “The Great Arab Minds” initiative reflect His Highness’ vision in reigniting the Arab World’s Civilisation Drive, support great Arab minds and acknowledge their work and achievements, in service of humanity.

Mohammad Al Gergawi pointed out the importance of the Arab Reading Challenge initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, among many other development projects, serving more than 91 million beneficiaries.

A study conducted by KPMG, showed that ignorance costs the Arab world more than US$2 trillion. The Great Arab Minds initiative aims to change this reality and contribute to shaping a brighter future for Arab generations.

During an event organised in the Museum of the Future to announce the details of the initiative, Mohammad Al Gergawi witnessed the signing of four partnerships between “The Great Arab Minds” initiative and KPMG, LinkedIn, Meta, and Majarra.

The initiative’s mission is to search for exceptional talents among Arab scientists, thinkers, and innovators across key fields, aiming to identify, support and acknowledge leading thinkers in the region, amplify their impact and inspire future generations.

Over a 5-year period, “The Great Arab Minds” will reward scientists, thought leaders, scholars, and innovators across 6 categories: Natural Sciences (Physics and Chemistry), Medicine, Literature and Arts, Economics, Technology and Engineering, and Architecture & Design.

The initiative includes the “Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Great Arab Minds”, which will be awarded to 6 winners of six categories each year.

The Great Arab Minds initiative aims to facilitate the recognition of Arab thought leaders, scholars, scientists, geniuses, and transforming their ideas to real-life breakthroughs and solutions. It also aims at empowering cluster of Arab scientists and thinkers and building a network of Arab thinkers, scientists, and exceptional talents in various fields to work as one team to drive the Arab world’s intellectual renaissance.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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source: youtube.com

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

EGYPT: On the trail of the Holy Family in Egypt

As Egypt promotes the trail of the Holy Family as a major tourist experience, Ahram Online republishes an account of stops and cities where the Virgin Mary, Joseph and Jesus found safety and shelter in the country.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

(Matthew 2:1-2)

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The story of the holy family’s journey from Palestine to Egypt has long been recorded with dedication by historians and authors around the world. Many look upon the journey as a mark in the history of Egypt, not merely a religious event. Egyptians look with fondness and pride on the passage of the holy mother and her child through the land of Egypt, and the fact that they found solace here.

The flight to Egypt

The Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem of Judaea in Palestine. Upon his birth, wise men preached to the people of the city, declaring that Jesus was the chosen one, and that, “according to prophecies” they had seen in the stars, he would become the next king of the Jews. Upon hearing the news, King Herod was overcome by terror at the possibility of losing his throne. He decided that killing Jesus was the only way to protect his royal status.

In a dream, Joseph, the carpenter, was ordered by God to escort Jesus and his mother to Egypt, where they would find refuge. Both Western and Eastern traditions agree that the method of transport most likely used by the holy family on their journey to Egypt would have been a donkey. In this situation, the Virgin Mary would have been seated on the donkey, holding the child Jesus in her arms and Joseph would have walked by their side, leading the way.

The holy family in Sinai

Keller writes in his book, The Bible as History (1955): “A day’s journey from Gaza brought the holy family to the ancient township of Jenysos, which is mentioned by Herodotus, the Greek historian.” Today, this village, which is part of the Gaza Strip, is known as Khan Younis. “The next town on the holy family’s route would have been Raphia (Rafah), the frontier town between the Gaza Strip and the province of Egypt.”

Continuing for another 44 kilometres, beyond Raphia, and after almost two days of traveling, the mother and child reach Wadi Al-Arish, a point at which they are safe enough to obtain food and shelter. The holy family passes by other towns in Sinai such as Al-Muhammadia and Al-Farma, located 35 kilometres east of El-Qantara City. Churches from the 5th and 6th century have recently been discovered in Al-Farma.

Route to the Nile Delta

The holy family continued on its trip to the Nile Delta, stopping at the city of Musturod, only 10 kilometres from Cairo. “The Virgin Lady”, a 12th century church, was found in the city.

Keller adds in his book: “The city of Musturod was again visited by the holy family on their return journey to Palestine.” After leaving Musturod and passing by Belbes, the holy family travel west to the Valley of Natroun, crossing the western branch of the Nile (the Rasheed branch).

The holy family in Cairo

The movie Journey of the Holy Family portrays the settlement of the blessed family in Al-Mataraya district near Ein Shams (Old Heliopolis). They find shade under a sycamore tree that came to be known as “Mariam’s Tree,” which has evolved into an engrossing attraction for religious tourists. The holy “Mayron oil,” or the “Chrism,” is nowadays prepared from the oil of the tree.

An ancient church was built in the area by the name of “The Virgin Mary” and is visited by people to this day. Paintings can be found inside the church, including maps of the holy family’s journey, as well as a statue of Jesus and his blessed mother guarded by Joseph the Carpenter.

In his book The Geography of Coptic Egypt (1989), French historian Amelenio narrates some of the stories passed down about the miracles of “Mariam’s Tree.”

One such story tells how “the French army sat by the tree, drank from its well and wrote their names on its stems.” It is believed that some of the wounded soldiers were healed by its oil. Amelenio adds: “Al-Matarya district became the most popular shrine in Egypt; a place where people flooded to for blessings and spiritual remedies.”

The second district visited by the holy family in Cairo was Al-Zeitun, where a church by the name “The Virgin Mary” was constructed in Toman Bey Street. It is said that appearances of the blessed lady were witnessed around the domes of the church up until recent years.

Another spot visited by the holy family was Zowela Avenue on at Been El-Soreen Street in El-Gamaleya district. An ancient church is found there with the same name, “The Virgin Mary”. It is considered one of the largest churches in Egypt and is distinguished by its basaltic style.

The holy family moved on to “Old Egypt” (Al-Fustaat) where they dwelled for a short time in a cave in Abi Serja’s Church, within the walls of the Roman Babylon fortress. “The cave is about 20 feet tall, 15 feet wide and does not have any windows,” as described by Amelenio, who believes the holy family’s stay in the cave did not exceed a week. After leaving Al-Fustaat, they moved to Maadi district and settled at the location where the Virgin Mary Monastery and church were later built by the Nile.

Amelenio explains that during Ottoman rule in Egypt, the church had a marina for boats allocated for the transport of people and soldiers traveling to and from Egypt. Some villages in Upper Egypt were visited by the holy family such as Assiut and Minya. In the book History of the Coptic Nation, author Samy Saleh records that the holy family took the same route on their journey back to Palestine. They first go to Maadi, passing through Old Egypt, then follow the road to Ein Shams, back to the city of Mustorod, and finally El-Arish, and from there to Gaza.

The trail of the blessed

At present, many Egyptian historians and archeologists are calling for a project to track each town or city visited by the holy family, so as to make it easier for tourists to visit the blessed spots, thus reviving the symbolism of the holy journey and its message of peace and goodwill to all men.

*This story was first publised in Christmas 2012.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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EGYPT

SUDAN: 11 Inspiring Sudanese Scientists – Highlights

Scientists play one of the most significant roles in our world, most importantly today as we deal with a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 300,000 people. Throughout history, there have been many accomplished and inspiring Sudanese scientists who have changed our understanding of the world around us with their research, discoveries and tangible impact.

Here are some internationally acclaimed Sudanese scientists in Sudan and across the world that you should know about:

Ismail Abdel Rahim El Gizouli

Ismail Abdel Rahim El Gizouli is an energy and environment specialist. He was member of the bureau of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) from 2002 to 2008 and was re-elected for another term from 2008 to 2015. He then acted as interim chairman of the IPCC in 2015. In addition, he was the vice-chair of the Facilitative Branch of the Compliance Committee of the UNFCCC from 2005 to 2007 and was the Chair of the Facilitative Branch and Co-Chair of the Compliance Committee of UNFCCC from 2007 to 2009.

He received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematic and Physics from the University of Khartoum in 1971 and a Master of Science in Operation Research & Statistics from the University of Aston in Birmingham, UK in 1980.

El Gizouli worked as a freelancer and conducted many consultancies for the African Development Bank, World Bank, UNEP, FAO and African Energy Policy Research Network (AFREPRN). In 1998, he joined The Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources in Sudan as a consultant on all UNDP-Government joint climate change projects.

He has participated in many international, regional and national conferences, meetings and symposiums in industry planning, sustainable development, energy, environment and climate change. In addition, he published many papers and is one of four authors of two energy-related books published by ZED Books England. He also contributed as Review Editor to many IPCC Reports including Safeguarding the Ozone Layer and the Global Climate System, Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (Main Report and Technical Summary), Working Group III contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report (Mitigation of Climate Change) and Fourth Assessment Synthesis Report.

Dr Balgis Osman Elasha

Dr Balgis Osman-Elasha is senior scientist at the forefront of global research on climate change. She has been a climate change expert at the Compliance and Safeguards Division at the African Development Bank (AfDB) since 2009. She holds a PhD in Forestry Science, a master’s degree in Environmental Science, and a Bachelor of Science with honour in Forestry and Agricultural Science. She has more than 17 years of experience in the field of climate change with a special focus on vulnerability and adaptation assessment related to African countries and the Middle East, emphasising the human dimension of global environmental changes.

Dr Osman-Elasha has reviewed a number of scientific papers to Elsevier and other highly reputable journals as well as a guest editor to a number of scientific publications. Before joining the African Development Bank, she was a senior researcher at the Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources (HCENR)-Sudan. Her research focuses on vulnerability and adaptation assessment in drought-prone in Africa.

Dr Osman-Elasha is the winner of the UNEP Champions of the Earth Award for outstanding environmentalists and the winner of Lead Authors-Nobel Peace Prize. She is also a member of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Professor Elfatih Eltahir

Professor Elfatih Eltahir is the Breene M Kerr Professor of Hydrology and Climate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a focus on sustainable development in Africa. Elfatih earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Khartoum, a Master of Science in hydrology from the National University of Ireland, and a Master of Science in meteorology and a Doctor of Science (Sc.D) in Hydroclimatology from MIT.

Professor Eltahir published more than 21 peer-reviewed articles in the area of health covering the standard archival categories of infectious diseases, tropical medicine, and parasitology. These articles were published by leading journals such as Lancet, Nature Climate Change, Malaria Journal, Parasites and Vectors, Geo-health, and Environmental Health Perspectives.

Professor Eltahir received the US Presidential Early Career Award in 1997. He is an elected fellow of the American Geophysical Union, and a member of the Sudanese National Academy of Science. He is a member of the Scientific Council of the International Center of Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy. In 1999, Professor Eltahir received the Kuwait Prize in Applied Sciences for his work on Climate Change, making him the youngest person to receive this prestigious prize, offered to scientists from Arab countries. In 2017, Professor Eltahir received the Hydrologic Sciences Award from the American Geophysical Union.

Dr Hiba Salah-Eldin Mohamed

Dr Hiba Salah-Eldin Mohamed is a molecular biologist at the University of Khartoum. She studied zoology at the university, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1993, followed by a master’s degree in 1998. She then received her PhD from the University of Cambridge Institute for Medical Research (CIMR) in Cambridge, the UK in 2002. Her doctoral research, “The Role of Host Genetics in Susceptibility to Kala-azar in Sudan”, was under the supervision of Jenefer Blackwell, a well-known Professor of Molecular Parasitology. Mohamed remained at the CIMR as a postdoctoral fellow. She, along with Professor Blackwell, were later awarded the Wellcome Trust Research Development Award (2004-2007). She then moved back to Sudan and joined the University of Khartoum to be a professor in the Department of Molecular Biology.

Mohamed was awarded the 2007 Royal Society Pfizer Award for her research on understanding the genetics of kala-azar, which is also known as Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL). In 2010, Mohamed was appointed a Fellow of the Global Young Academy.

Dr Layla Zakaria Abdel Rahman

Dr Layla Zakaria Abdel Rahman is a leading scientist and globally respected researcher in the field of biological technology. She graduated from the University of Khartoum and then moved to Manchester, the UK in the late 1980s to continue her education. She pursued a master’s degree and a PhD from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST).

Dr Abdel Rahman’s breakthrough in growing sugar cane method involved taking cells from plant leaves, shoots or roots and growing them in a liquid culture to produce artificial seeds able to germinate. Her results and patented techniques garnered global attention and attracted interest from huge research and production companies across the world. The breakthrough led to cheaper and more productive cultivation in developing countries.

Dr Abdel Rahman passed away in 2015 at the age 59 in the UK after a fight against cancer.

Professor Mohamed H A Hassan

Professor Mohamed H A Hassan is co-chair of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP), a global network of science academies, and Chairman of the Council of the United Nations University (UNU).

He received his higher education in the UK from Newcastle University and University of Oxford. After obtaining his Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics from the University of Oxford, he returned to Sudan to lecture at the University of Khartoum. He later became the Dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences at the university.

Professor Hassan has published several articles in Theoretical Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy; Wind Erosion, Dust and Sand Transport in Dry Lands; and Science and Technology in the Developing World.

He was the founding Executive Director of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), President of the African Academy of Sciences, and Chairman of the Honorary Presidential Advisory Council for Science and Technology in Nigeria.

He also serves on a number of boards of international organisations worldwide, including Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training (START) in the USA; Bibliotheca in Alexandrina in Egypt; the Council of Science and Technology in Society (STS) Forum in Japan; the International Science Programme in Sweden; the Science Initiative Group (SIG) in the USA; and the Centre for International Development (ZEF) in Germany. He is a member of several merit-based academies of science, including TWAS; the African Academy of Sciences; Islamic World Academy of Sciences; Academia Colombiana deCiencias Exactas, ísicas y Naturales; AcadémieRoyale des Sciences d’Outre-Mer, Belgium; Pakistan Academy of Sciences; Academy of Sciences of Lebanon; Cuban Academy of Sciences; and Academy of Sciences of South Africa.

Mohamed Osman Baloola

Engineer Mohammed Osman Baloola is a Sudanese scientist and inventor who was named among The World’s 500 Most influential Arabs in 2012 and 2013 for his work on diabetes ‘remote monitoring and control system for diabetes symptoms’. He has been a Teaching Assistant of Biomedical Engineering at the Ajman University of Science and Technology since 2010. Baloola won a science and innovation award at the Arabian Business Awards 2011 in Dubai. In addition, he won AED40,000 (USD11,000) during a Sharjah Television competition for his invention of a remote monitoring and control system for diabetes patients via mobile phone.

Baloola received a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Ajman University of Science and Technology in 2009. He later joined Ajman University as a Teaching Assistant in the faculty of Engineering.

Dr Muntaser Ibrahim

Dr Muntaseer Ibrahim is a Sudanese geneticist and professor of molecular biology at the University of Khartoum, where he leads its Institute of Endemic Diseases, a research and training centre on endemic diseases in the university. His research focuses on human genetic diversity in Africa. Dr Ibrahim is a founding member of the African Society of Human Genetics and co-founded the Sudanese National Academy of Science (SNAS). He is also a member of The World Academy of Sciences. He has co-authored more than 180 original peer-reviewed research publications, including work published in Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature, Nature Genetics, and other major journals.

Dr Nashwa Abo Alhassan Eassa

Dr Nashwa Abo Alhassan Eassa is an assistant professor of physics at Al-Neelain University in Khartoum. She received a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Khartoum, a Master of Science in nanotechnology and materials physics from Sweden’s Linköping University, followed by a PhD from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) in South Africa.

Dr Eassa founded the non-governmental organisation ‘Sudanese Women in Sciences’ and is a member of Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World’s South African Institute of Physics. In 2015, Dr Eassa won the Elsevier Foundation Award for Early Career Women Scientists in the Developing World. She has been a candidate as Arab Countries Vice-President for Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World.

Professor Widad Ibrahim Elmahboub

Professor Widad Ibrahim Elmahboub is a great scientist and astrophysicist. She has proved herself as a distinguished and competent scholar and scientist in her field. Having finished her college studies in applied mathematics and astrophysics in Sudan and Egypt, she was received a master’s degree in Engineering Physics by Wisconsin-Madison University, followed by a doctorate degree in astrophysical engineering.

Prof Elmahboub started her scientific career as a professor of astrophysics and remote sensing systems at Hampton University. Then she moved on to the research and analysis of planetary components at NASA with the main focus on enhancing the accuracy of satellite-based remote sensing imaging and data. Prof. Elmahboub has introduced a highly accurate computer-simulated mathematical model followed by the implementation of the algorithm and atmospheric correction method which enabled scientists and astrophysicists to obtain much more accurate and refined satellite images of Mars surface. Additionally, Prof Elmahboub has authored, co-authored and edited many articles in scientific journals and periodicals on remote sensing imaging technology, spectroscopy and simulated mathematical modelling.

Professor Sharief Babiker

Professor Sharief Babiker is a professor in the Electronics Department at the University of Khartoum and a Chairman of the world’s largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanities ‘IEEE_sudan’ Subsection.

Prof Babiker received his bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering at the University of Khartoum, a master’s degree in telecommunications and information systems obtained in Essex University, the UK, followed by a nanoelectronics PhD degree at Glasgow University, Scotland. By the end of 2000, Prof Babiker was working on submicron semiconductor devices research at the Nanoelectronics Research Centre, University of Glasgow as well as on aerospace projects at Thales Avionics, the UK.

source/content: 500wordsmag.com (Zeinab Mohammed) / (headline edited)

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SUDAN

JORDAN : Irbid Revels in Limelight, Selected by ALESCO as ‘Arab Capital of Culture for 2022″

Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Prime Minister Bisher Khasawneh on Sunday attended the ceremony of Irbid: the Arab Capital of Culture for 2022.

During the event, held at Al Yarmouk University, Khasawneh conveyed His Majesty’s greetings and thanks to those who put efforts towards making this national event — the launching of Irbid as the Arab Capital of Culture for 2022 — successful, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The premier, who is also head of the higher national committee for celebrating Irbid: The Arab Capital of Culture for 2022, highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts to “embrace the culture and intellectual elite”, as well as “supporting innovators towards instilling a serious national culture”.

The selection of Irbid as the Arab Capital of Culture is a national event that is being celebrated by the whole Kingdom, he added.

He noted that nominating Irbid as the Arab Capital of Culture for 2022 and Madaba as the Arab Tourism Capital for 2022 coincides with the bicentennial to celebrate the Kingdom, as well as is accompanied by Jordan’s efforts towards a new start titled as “moving towards future” through three paths: Political modernisation, economic modernisation vision and upgrading the public sector.

The selection of Irbid is in line with the Kingdom’s modernisation and reform trends, which consider the cultural scene among its key pillars, he said, noting that the selection of Irbid is a source of pride for Jordanians and is aligned with the northern city’s nature as well as its historical and cultural status.

He also expressed hope that the event would contribute to uncovering the innovative capabilities in Irbid and across the Kingdom, as well as offer an opportunity to feature the qualitative value of the local and Arab cultural and intellectual scene.

The event was attended by a number of ministers, Arab culture ministers, guest delegations, and senators and deputies, among other officials.

Culture Minister Haifa Najjar said that proclaiming Irbid as the Arab Capital of Culture for 2022 by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO) illustrates confidence in Jordan and the country’s intellectuals, noting that the selection requires scaling up efforts to bring further innovation through joint action.

Mohamed Ould Amar, director general of ALECSO, said that Jordan’s comprehensive cultural renaissance under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah has contributed to Irbid’s well-deserved status, noting that the organisation is following up the activities of Irbid: The capital of Arab Culture for 2022, Petra added.

He also commended the participation of figures from Jerusalem, describing the holy city as the eternal capital of Arab culture at the 2022 Irbid event, highlighting that their participation is of special character, as Jordan has shown historical stances in defending Jerusalem and its cultural components.

At the end of the ceremony, Palestinian Culture Minister Atef Abu Saif handed over the banner of the Arab Capital of Culture to Najjar, marking the selection of Irbid as the Capital of Arab Culture for 2022 following Bethlehem, the Capital of Arab Culture for 2021.

source/content: jordantimes.com (headline edited)

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Deputising for His Majesty King Abdullah, Prime Minister Bisher Al Khasawneh attends the ceremony of Irbid: The Arab Capital of Culture for 2022 at Yarmouk University on Sunday (Petra photo)

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JORDAN

UAE / EMIRATES : Emirati Director-General Dr. Tarifa Ajeif Al Zaabi Appointed as the New Director-General of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA)

Tarifa Ajeif Al Zaabi Ph.D, has been appointed as the new Director-General of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), becoming the first Emirati to hold the position since ICBA’s foundation in 1999.

Dr. Tarifa Ajeif Al Zaabi joined the Centre in August 2019 as Deputy Director-General and has served as Acting Director-General since November 2020.

A graduate of the UAE Government Leaders Programme (Executive Leadership), she has delivered executive training and development programs for government officials in various countries as part of the UAE Government’s initiatives to transfer knowledge and develop executive government capacities.

She holds a Ph.D. in Education from the British University in Dubai and an Executive MBA from the University of Sharjah. She has 25 years of experience in executive leadership and management, strategy development, innovation support, research, and national and international capacity development.

ICBA has become a global center of excellence focusing on developing tailored solutions for marginal environments facing the problems of salinity, water scarcity and drought. The Centre has partners in more than 50 countries, which has allowed it to draw on a wide variety of expertise to achieve a greater impact on the ground. The Centre has also conducted research and development activities and projects in about 40 countries in Central Asia, the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, the South Caucasus and sub-Saharan Africa.

source/contents: wam.ae (headline edited)

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International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA),

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)