Category: RECORDS IN ME & AFRICA*

Robert Purvis, Moroccan-American Who Helped 9,000 Slaves Gain Freedom

Robert Purvis.

Born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1810, Robert Purvis was the grandchild of a woman known as Dido Badaracka. She was captured in Morocco at the age of 12 and transported to the US to serve as a slave.

According to American historian Margaret Hope Bacon, Purvis described his Moroccan grandmother as a “full-blooded Moor of magnificent features and great beauty. She had crisp hair and a stately manner.”

Purvis received his early education in Philadelphia at the Clarkson Hall, a school for black children, run by the Pennsylvania Abolition Society — one of the first organizations ever to advocate for ending slavery in the US. He also studied at Amherst Academy in Massachusetts.

Robert Purvis became a prominent officer of the American Anti-Slavery Society. He also served as president of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society between 1845 and 1850.

Robert Purvis, as the main organizer of the network, earned the nickname “The President of the Underground Railroad.”

The US Embassy in Morocco has paid tribute to Robert Purvis, an American man of Moroccan descent who dedicated his life to the abolition of slavery.

source: www.moroccoworldnews.com/yahya hatim

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pix: moroccoworldnews.com

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U.S.A / MOROCCAN-AMERICAN

Egyptian Ballet Dancer Luca Abdel Nour Wins 2nd Rank at International Ballet Competition Prix de Lausanne, Switzerland : February 2021

Luca Abdel Nour – Ballet Dancer claimed the second rank for classical ballet at the international ballet competition Prix de Lausanne in Switzerland which was held from January 31 to February 6.

Abdel Nour also won the “Best Swiss Candidate” award and the “Audience Favorite” Award.

78 dancers participated in this year’s competition. They were selected based on audition videos. 

source: egypttoday.com

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pix: egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

Etihad Airways – First Airline in World with 100% of Flight Crew Vaccinated : February 2021

 Etihad Airways, the UAE national airline, has become the first airline in the world with all its operating pilots and cabin crew vaccinated to help curb the spread of COVID-19.


In January 2021, Etihad was awarded Diamond status for ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitisation in the inaugural ‘APEX Health Safety, powered by SimpliFlying’ audit.

This achievement was made possible through Etihad’s ‘Protected Together’ employee vaccination initiative which was formally launched in January this year.

Building on the UAE’s “Choose to Vaccinate” campaign, Protected Together is about helping staff take proactive, personal steps towards protecting themselves against COVID-19.

source: www.wam.ae

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pix: wam.ae

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

UAE Makes History, Becomes 5th Nation in the World to Reach Mars. First Arab Nation : February 09th, 2021

“If you ventured in pursuit of glory, don’t be satisfied with less than the stars.”

The Iraqi poet – Al Mutanabbi’s writings were chosen by Nasa to congratulate the Hope probe project team.

Those words were chosen by US space agency Nasa in a congratulatory tweet to the UAE Mars Mission team after its Hope probe successfully entered the Red Planet’s orbit on Tuesday, February 09th, 2021.

Nasa told the UAE: “Congratulations on arriving at Mars!” before using the words quoted above.

Who is the Arab poet Al Mutanabbi ?

The man behind the words is the 10th century Iraqi poet Al Mutanabbi, considered to be the greatest in the Arabic language.

Born into a distinguished family in Kufa in 915 AD, Abu Al Tayyib Ahmad ibn Al Husayn Al Mutanabbi received an education because of his poetic talents. He is remembered in the country of his birth. A street is named after him, which is a historic bookselling centre of Baghdad. A statue of him still stands in the Iraqi capital today

source: thenationalnews.com

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Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid personally thank staff from mission control in Dubai. / The National / pix: thenationalnews.com

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Lbachir BenMohamed – Scientist, Immunologist. Cutting Edge Work on New Covid-19 Vaccine in the US

Moroccan scientist Lbachir BenMohamed is making headlines in the US for working on a universal COVID-19 vaccine — a vaccine that would work on all variants of the coronavirus, even those that have not appeared yet.

At the Institute for Immunology affiliated to the University of California, Irvine, BenMohamed is leading a nine-member research team tasked with developing a universal COVID -19 vaccine .

Vaccine on a patch

Another original concept that BenMohamed and his team are working on is the injection method of the vaccine.

While all currently-available COVID-19 vaccines are injected through a syringe, the in-development universal vaccine would be administered through a patch, similarly to the widely-available nicotine patches.

Currently:

  • Professor, of Immunology,University of California, Irvine (2014). Founder and Head of Cellular and and Molecular Immunolgy
  • Assistant Researcher, University of California, Irvine (2002)

Education:

  • Diploma – Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Alghadir, Morocco
  • Licence (Bachelor’s equivalent) – Biochemistry
  • Diploma of Advanced Studies in Immunology – University of Paris VII (aka) Paris Diderot University
  • M.S. in Immunolgy and Parasitolgy – Pasteur Institute, Paris
  • Ph.D. in Immunology – Pasteur Institute, Paris (1997)

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The immunologist and his team are developing a universal vaccine against COVID-19.The immunologist and his team are developing a universal vaccine against COVID-19. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG) / pix: moroccoworldnews.com

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U.S.A. / MOROCCAN AMERICAN

A New Museum Dedicated to the Life of the Prophet (pbuh) inaugrated : February 02nd, 2021

The opening ceremony of the International Exhibition and Museum of the Life of the Prophet and Islamic Civilization took place in Madinah on February 02nd.

The International Exhibition and Museum of the Life of the Prophet and Islamic Civilization was launched under the supervision of the Muslim World League (MWL) and is the first in a series of Islamic museums scheduled to be constructed around the world under the organization’s umbrella.

Located next to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, the museum is open 24 hours a day, and is dedicated to the history of the Islamic world and the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The exhibition features dozens of paintings and interactive displays. At the moment, there are seven languages available to visitors — Arabic, English, Spanish, Urdu, French, Turkish and Indonesian. It also includes a 4DX theater, which screens a series of films about the Prophet’s life.

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FASTFACTS

The International Exhibition and Museum of the Life of the Prophet and Islamic Civilization

• Size: 5,000 square meters

• Location: Next to the Prophet’s Mosque, Madinah

• Number of floors: Two

• Exhibit and pavilion displays: 25 main pavilions

• 500 antique items from the Prophet’s era

• A main screen to feature the masterpieces found in the Qur’an and the Sunnah

• A movie theater showing a film about the Prophet’s life

• Virtual reality shows

• A special presentation of the Constitution of Madinah and the Makkah Document

• A presentation of the efforts of Saudi Arabia in serving the Qur’an and the Sunnah

• Languages: French, English, Urdu, Spanish, Turkish, Indonesian, Arabic

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source: arabnews.com

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pix: arabnews.com

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Madinah , SAUDI ARABIA

Mohammed Dewji. Businessman. Philanthropist.

Mohammed Dewji (aka) Mohammed ‘Mo’ Gulamabbas Dewji – Businessman. Entrepreneur. Philanthropist. President of the MeTL Group.

The MeTL group has investments in textiles, energy, petroleum, agriculture, insurance, mobile telephony, transport and logistics, trading, real estate, and food and beverages (edible oils, milling, carbonated soft drinks, water).

The group is conducting business in 8 countries and employs over 28,000 people. MeTL’s operations contribute ~3.5% of Tanzania’s GDP.

Member of Parliament for Singida Urban – Tanzania.

Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree – International Business and Finance, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA

Awards / Honours

  • 2012: Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum
  • 2014: 10 Most Powerful Men In Africa, Forbes Magazine
  • 2014: African Philanthropist of the Year Award by the African Leadership magazine
  • 2014: Top 100 of young economic leaders
  • 2015: Philanthropist of the Year Award for the East African region by All Africa Business Leaders Awards (AABLA)
  • 2015: Business Leader of the Year Award by African Business Magazine
  • 2015: Forbes Africa’s Person Of The Year 2015
  • 2016: Choiseul 100 Africa 2016: Economic Leaders for Tomorrow

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pix: weforum.org

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TANZANIA

Reema Dodin – First Palestinian-American to Serve as White House Staffer : January 2021

Biden appoints Jordanian-American Reema Dodin as White House Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs

Serves as Co-Deputy Director, White House Office of Legislative Affairs.

Education:

  • BA – University of California, Berkeley – Economics and Political Science (2002)
  • JD – Law Degree – University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign(JD) – (2006)

Book:

  • Book – Co-Author : ‘Inside Congress: A Guide for Navigating the Politics of the House and Senate Floor (2017)

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Senate staffer Reema Dodin speaks at the Gibran Gala in 2018. (Screen capture/YouTube)

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U.S.A / ARAB-AMERICAN /PALESTINIAN- JORDANIAN -AMERICAN

Tunisian Filmmaker Kauther Ben Hamaad and Tunisian-French Actor Samir Bouajila Win Awards at France’s Lumiere Awards : January 2021

Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Man Who Sold his Skin” was awarded the International Coproduction Lumiere Award, while Tunisian-French actor Sami Bouajila took home the Best Actor Lumiere Award for his performance in Mehdi Barsaoui’s “A Son.”

The Lumieres — the French equivalent of the American Golden Globes — was held in January 2021 and broadcast on French TV channel Canal+. France-based foreign reporters vote on the film awards.

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pix: arabweekly.com / Tunisian film director Kaouther Ben Hania (L) and producer Nadim Cheikhrouha (R) pose during a photo session in Paris on January 15, 2021 following the 26th “Ceremonie des lumieres” cinema award ceremony. (AFP)

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TUNISIAN / TUNISIAN-FRENCH

Trump Grants Bahrain’s King Hamad Top Honor on last Day in Office

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was awarded a rare medal by US President Donald Trump in recognition of his “remarkable efforts” to consolidate relations and the close partnership between the two countries, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported on Tuesday.

Trump decorated the monarch with the Legion of Merit, Degree Chief Commander, “a rarely-awarded, prestigious decoration that can only be bestowed by the president, typically to chiefs of state or heads of government of other countries,” the White House said.


The king was also recognized for his “prominent role in pushing bilateral cooperation to broader and more comprehensive horizons, which promoted the common interests of the two countries and its peoples,” BNA said.

source: arabnews.com

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pix: arabnews.com / Creator: Mandel Ngan | Credit: AFP/Getty Images

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BAHRAIN