Category: RECORDS IN MIDDLE EAST

PALESTINE: A new Book Authored by Academic & Historian Nur Masalha ‘ Palestine : A Four Thousand Year History’ becomes a Best-Seller

With Israel and Hamas at war in Gaza, books about the Palestinian issue and its history are in demand. One best-seller, the Palestinian academic and historian Nur Masalha’s “Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History”, argues that there is an urgent need to teach a history of the land and its people based on facts, not myths.

Masalha’s book was published in English in 2018 and was made available in Arabic in 2019 by the nonprofit Centre for Arab Unity Studies, based in Beirut. The author notes on Facebook that the book has topped Amazon best-seller lists in four categories: prehistory, prehistoric archaeology, Bible hermeneutics, and antiquities.

A Hijacked History

Masalha is currently a member of the Centre for Palestine Studies at SOAS, University of London, and is a former director of the Centre for Religion and History at St. Mary’s University, Twickenham.

His book examines Palestine’s distant history and the attempts of Israel’s founders to hijack that history with non-scientific interpretations, changing the names of Palestinian cities and villages to Hebrew ones, and even changing the names of Israel’s founders and leaders from the names they were born with in Russia, Poland, Ukraine, and elsewhere, to Hebrew names.

In his introduction to the Arabic edition, Masalha expresses the hope that his book will “draw attention to the history, heritage, and deep roots of the Palestinians, the indigenous Arab population of Palestine”.

Nur Masalha’s book explores Palestine’s history, identity, and cultures from the Late Bronze Age until the modern era. The author hopes it “challenges the colonial approach to Palestine and the malicious myth of a land without a people.”

The book tells us that “Palestine” was the land’s name throughout ancient history. The name was first documented in the Late Bronze Age, about 3,200 years ago, and later in Greek sources. The name was used between 450 B.C. and 1948 A.D. to describe “a geographical area between the Mediterranean Sea, the Jordan River and various neighbouring lands.”

The book explores Palestine’s evolution, history, identity, languages, and cultures from the Late Bronze Age until the modern era. The author points out that “the history of Palestine is often taught in the West as the history of a land, not as Palestinian history, or the history of a people.” He thus hopes his book “challenges the colonial approach to Palestine and the malicious myth of a land without a people.”

Masalha uses a wide range of evidence and contemporary sources to examine the history of Palestine.

It also seeks to trace the beginnings of the concept of Palestine in geographical, cultural, political, and administrative policies. He argues that the Israelites’ conquest of the land of Canaan, and other basic stories in the Old Testament, are “mythical narratives” that try to establish a false awareness, not an evidence-based history following facts.

Updating History Textbooks

Masalha believes that history textbooks and curricula “must be based on historical facts placed in their context, concrete evidence, and archaeological and scientific discoveries, rather than on traditional opinions, imaginary narratives from the Old Testament, and repeated religious-political doctrines that are narrated for the benefit of influential elites.”

According to the book, some historians have argued that Palestine did not exist as a formal administrative entity until the British Mandate for Palestine was created after World War I. In reality, Masalha says, Palestine has existed as an administrative entity and an official state “for more than a thousand years.”

Masalha believes that history textbooks and curricula “must be based on historical facts placed in their context, concrete evidence, and archaeological and scientific discoveries, rather than on traditional opinions [and] imaginary narratives.”

The book charts the ancient origins of the name “Palestine” among the country’s multiple religious beliefs. Masalha says that, after more than 150 years of excavations in and around Jerusalem, there is still no historical, archaeological, or practical evidence of the “Kingdom of David” around 1000 B.C. The reason there is no material or practical evidence for the “United Kingdom of David and Solomon” and for other comprehensive narratives from the Old Testament, he argues, is simple: “They are invented traditions.”

Hebraised Names

Masalha gives a list of Israeli leaders who were born with Russian and Eastern European names but later adopted names with a Hebrew ring. They include:

  • David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), Israel’s first prime minister and minister of defence, who used the Israeli army after 1948 to impose general Hebraisation and “purification” of surnames and personal names. Ben-Gurion was born as David Grün in an area of Poland then part of the Russia Empire. His mother’s name was Scheindel. 
  • Moshe Sharett, who became Israel’s foreign minister in 1948 and served as prime minister from 1954 to 1955, was born as Moshe Chertok in 1894 in Kherson, then part of the Russian Empire and now in Ukraine. He chose to Hebraise his surname in 1949, after the establishment of the State of Israel.
  • Golda Meir, who was prime minister of Israel between 1969 and 1974, was born Golda Mabovitch in Kiev in 1898, and became Golda Meyerson by marriage in 1917. It is worth noting that she did not change her surname until she became minister of foreign affairs in 1956.
  • Menachem Begin, founder of the Likud Party and prime minister of Israel from 1977 to 1983, was born Mieczyslaw Begin in 1913 in Brest-Litovsk, then part of the Russian Empire and now Brest, Belarus.
  • Yitzhak Shamir, who served as Israel’s prime minister twice between 1983 and 1992, was born Itzhak Yezernitsky in 1915 in an area that is now part of Belarus.
  • Ariel Sharon, who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, was born Ariel Scheinerman in colonial Palestine in 1928. His parents, Shmuel and Vera, whose name later became Dvora, emigrated to Palestine from Russia.

Masalha says that until the advent of European Zionism, members of Palestine’s Arabic-speaking Jewish minority were fondly known as “the Jews, children of the Arabs,” and were an integral part of the Palestinian people, Arabic being their language, culture and heritage.

Settler Colonialism

The book also addresses the settler colonialism at the heart of the Palestine conflict. Settler colonialism is a “structure, not an event”, according to Masalha, and is “deeply embedded in European colonialism.” 

He argues that British colonialists, by denying the existence and rights of indigenous peoples, often viewed vast areas of the globe as “terra nullius”, land that belonged to “nobody.”

The author finishes by stressing that “decolonising history and restoring and preserving the ancient heritage and material culture of the Palestinians and in Palestine, are two vital matters.” 

He adds: “There is an urgent need to teach the ancient history of Palestine, and the history of the local Palestinians (Muslims, Christians, Samaritans, and Jews), including the production of new and critical Palestinian textbooks, for schools, institutes, and universities, as well as for millions of exiled Palestinian refugees.” 

He also believes that “this understanding and education must include the new critical archaeology of Palestine, the new critical understanding of antiquities, and the memories of this country.”

source/content: al-fanarmedia.org (headline edited)

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Nur Masalha’s “Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History” challenges the “colonial” approach to Palestine as “a land without a people.”

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PALESTINE

DUBAI, U.A.E: Dubai Holding’s iconic 19.28-metre Hatta Sign breaks Guinness World Records title for ‘The Tallest Landmark Sign’

Dubai Holding’s iconic Hatta Sign has garnered international acclaim by breaking the Guinness World Records title for ‘The Tallest Landmark Sign’. Situated atop the Hajar Mountains, the commanding 19.28-metre-tall structure stands as a striking symbol of Hatta’s identity and its status as one of the UAE’s most scenic regions.


The Guinness World Records title will shine a global spotlight on the Hatta region. What was once a local gem is now set to attract international interest, enticing travellers from around the world to experience the enchantment of Hatta firsthand. The heightened attention will help stimulate economic growth, create employment opportunities, and foster local business development, contributing to Hatta’s sustainable growth.


As Dubai Holding’s Hatta Resorts readies itself for opening its upcoming sixth season, the record-breaking Hatta Sign will be a globally recognised attraction that provides visitors a unique backdrop for capturing memorable pictures. Hikers are encouraged to make the ascent to the sign and take in the area’s breathtaking panoramic scenery from a higher altitude.


Hatta’s visitors are welcome to indulge in further adventures at the Hatta Resorts Wadi Hub, the main centre for outdoor activities in the region, including ziplining, mountain biking, rock climbing, zorbing, archery and axe-throwing, with new thrilling activities soon to be introduced in Season 6.


Visitors may also extend their journey with a stay at Hatta Resorts by Dubai Holding and enjoy an array of unique glamping experiences that seamlessly blend nature and culture with its array of outstanding trailers, lodges, domes and caravans.
Already impressing visitors with its physical presence, the Hatta Sign now acquires global cultural significance. The landmark serves as a reminder of Hatta’s rich history as well as its newly attained international recognition.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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

EGYPTIAN-BRITISH: Coronation pride for Royal Architect Dr. Khaled Azzam

After years lost in an educational wilderness, the Egyptian-British designer found his niche as a world authority on Islamic art and architecture with noble patrons such as King Charles III.

The Chelsea Flower Show was just some annual event that happened in London as far as Khaled Azzam was concerned, until the day he answered a call from the heir to the throne.

Prince Charles , inspired by two antique Turkish rugs at his residence in Gloucestershire, was on the phone with an unusual brief: “I want you to work with me to design a garden.”

“I thought it was fabulous,” Azzam tells The National. “I’d never designed a garden before in my life so I went to see him at Highgrove House. He’s long been fascinated with Islamic art and architecture, and, because that’s what I practise, we always spoke about such things.

“He said, ‘All these carpets that I live with and love are interpretations of gardens, but I would like to design and build a garden that is an interpretation of carpets. I want to flip it around’.”

So it was that in 2001, among the usual avant-garde displays and emerging trends at the horticultural showcase, the first entry ever submitted by a member of the British royal family instead dug deep into the past.

The classic Islamic charbagh representing the four gardens of Paradise in the Quran was a crowd-drawing triumph yet, when it won a coveted silver-gilt medal, Azzam remembers thinking: “Whoa, that’s crazy.”

In situ ever since at the Highgrove estate, The Carpet Garden is the living incarnation of the two men’s long combined efforts to bring forth new shoots from ancient artistic roots.

Now, more than 20 years on, Azzam presides as director of the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts that is regarded as a centre for excellence in teaching the geometries held to be the common thread between age-old skills all but abandoned in much of the modern world.

The aim is to nurture patterning techniques such as the kind of inlaid stone workmanship used to create the Cosmati Pavement, the 13th-century mosaic floor on which, fittingly, the throne will be placed during the coronation ceremony for King Charles III inside Westminster Abbey on Saturday.

An extensive network of PSTA outreach programmes has spread across the globe from the core educational base in London to regenerate the cultural heritage of different regions and communities, from Jamaica to the UAE to China.

But, from the outset, the school’s ethos often evoked incomprehension, ridicule and, at times, undisguised animosity from some within the art establishment.

“There were moments that I was very, very worried, saying, ‘if this dies, it dies with us’,” Azzam recalls. “What His Majesty was saying that architecture, cities and education should be about, and how we should deal with the environment, was not commonplace. All those things were seen to be interesting and quaint. We never saw ourselves as being alternative. We were part of what we used to call ‘essential thinking’.

“Very early on, we had this strong bond; we understood exactly what we had to do. Then, I had to understand something. He was a prince, now he’s a king. We’ve had visionaries, we’ve had patrons all throughout history, that is the role of a prince. But my role is to make it happen.”

If the mission was to accumulate centuries of precious creative knowledge for alumni to reinvigorate and, in turn, hand to the next generation then there was one significant impediment.

“There weren’t any masters to teach us,” Azzam says.

The disconcerting discovery came when he went to set up a regional centre in his birthplace in 2005 with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, Art Jameel and local artisans from whom he had hoped to gain a deeper understanding of tradition.

Instead, Azzam had a moment of transformational thinking that “not everything old is beautiful” — the craftsmen and women, in spite of their evident skills, had for generations been learning by rote.

“I really respect them and their role in the community but some of it was quite shoddy workmanship. They would start telling me, ‘Ah, but you don’t know, I am an eighth-generation carpenter and I learnt this from my grandfather’.

“But, because we came from an academic background and could analyse this stuff, I said, ‘your grandfather made a mistake three generations ago and you’re just repeating that mistake’.”

Most saddening for Azzam, however, was that the artists were stuck perpetually reproducing the same designs over and over again. Without much grasp of the underlying mathematical principles, they were incapable of extending the lineage of their traditional arts and crafts by creating anything new.

“It opened my eyes to the limitations of simply teaching young people through copying the forms of the past. We had to go back to the origin, to deconstruct buildings and understand how they were built. We had to look at certain principles to see what they were about. In a way, it was a voyage backwards.

“Then there was a moment where we started turning around, and now we feel that there is enough of a contemporary heritage to call it a living tradition and move into the future.

“If we’ve been successful in one thing, it’s in really delivering the philosophy into practice. It’s not just talk, it’s about making things, creating this process from the origin to the manifestation.”

That their son would end up running any school, let alone a prestigious art institution for the Prince’s Foundation, would once have been inconceivable for Azzam’s parents, Laila and Omar, who long kept quiet their fears over his prospects.

Young Khaled, despite being widely read and full of curiosity about what was happening in the world, was nonetheless lost within the four walls of a classroom.

“I was always last in the class because I just didn’t understand what was going on at all.

“Although my parents never let on, they admitted it much later, saying, ‘You know, we didn’t think you’d even make it into university’.

“And the fact that I not just got into university but then got a PhD and became involved in education … my brother says it’s a sign of the end of the world,” he says, smiling affectionately at the long-running joke.

It pops up again when we’re discussing Azzam’s receipt of the Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order, a knighthood granted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2009, and his speech before Pope Benedict XVI as representative of Muslims at an interfaith forum the following year.

“I don’t know why until this day that I was chosen,” he says. “It’s another sign of the end of the world, according to my brother.”

Azzam puts being such “a terrible student” down to a childhood disrupted by frequent geographical moves but doesn’t rule out an undiagnosed learning difficulty. “In our day, you were just stupid if you didn’t get it,” he says.

Education eventually took its place as the most important part of his working life once he began to understand that the Latin root, educere, means “to draw out of” not “to put into”.

As a consequence of his own difficulties, he feels an enormous responsibility towards those unable to cope with school systems intent on treating students like empty vessels that need filling with facts and figures.

“I became very, very interested in the journey you take a student through to bring what’s in them out to the surface,” he says.

Though born in Egypt, where his mother “always returned to have her babies”, the family lived abroad because of his father’s job as a senior urban planner for the UN.

After a stint in Saudi Arabia, there was a relatively settled period of 10 years in Lebanon until civil war broke out. They struggled on for almost a year until Omar, working in Paris at the time, suggested that the rest of the family join him temporarily: “Just come over for Christmas,” was the gist, “things will die down.”

“We managed to get on a flight one day very, very quickly — just packed a hand bag each and ran off to the airport. We left everything behind, all our books, our toys, our belongings, our clothes and just never went back because the war never ended. We had to rebuild our life. Then England became my home and I’m very grateful.”

This is not quite how his younger self felt when first pitching up late one Autumn afternoon in what was then the “very, very small town” of Cambridge.

“There was nothing to do. In those days, everything shut at five o’clock. It was foggy, cold and damp, and I’d just spent two years in the South of France. I was trying to figure out what I had done wrong.”

The posse of four siblings received a hospitable welcome from the locals and quickly grew to love their adopted home and the architecture lining the cobbled streets.

There was a particularly memorable encounter, surrounded by fluted limestone columns, medieval stained-glass windows and Tudor symbols in King’s College Chapel that would later inform much of Azzam’s work.

Beneath the celebrated fan-vaulted ceiling of the 500-year-old Gothic landmark built by a succession of English monarchs, the teenager made an unexpected discovery: he found himself.

“Physically, I had nothing to do with that place. Culturally, I was an Egyptian who came to England. I wasn’t even an architect yet. I was doing my O-Levels and A-Levels.

“But there was something in me that completely understood that building; the message, the beauty of it.

“I felt I belonged there, that it was part of me. It was a very profound experience that changed my life somehow.”

Arriving at what he says all the great civilisations of the world had known, however, came only with time and experience.

It has been a constant journey of learning with two particular guiding lights along the way. The first was Abdel Wahed El Wakil, the foremost authority in Islamic architecture with whom Azzam subjected himself completely for eight intense years at a “hothouse” of an office in London.

“We had a difficult relationship because he was very demanding but he was my master who taught me everything I know about architecture,” he says. “I just totally understood that this idea of apprenticeship is to give yourself to somebody, and if you find that person, you’re very, very lucky.”

Through El Wakil, he met Keith Critchlow, the renowned geometer and founder of the Visual and Traditional Arts Department at the Prince’s Institute of Architecture, and developed a deep fascination with the properties underpinning the order of nature.

He talks of the intricate chambers of the nautilus shell and the honeycomb built in hives by bees or the movement of planets over time across the night sky, but perhaps his favourite example is the delicate, six-fold symmetry of a single ice crystal.

“All snowflakes are hexagonal because the molecular structure of water is hexagonal yet — and this blows my mind every time I say it — no two snowflakes that fall on the ground are the same.

“There is a principle of unity manifesting variety. All snowflakes start from the same origin but their final form is the record of their journey down to Earth. In a way, that’s us as human beings as well.

“If you look at a DNA structure, the very basic thing that binds us all together, it’s a beautiful spiral that has a certain proportional system and yet we’re all different.”

The firm belief that we all have the same origin is fundamental not only to his work at the school but also as principal of Khaled Azzam Associates, the “little practice” he started in 1991.

It is hard, he agrees, not to lose count of the many architectural projects he has been involved in over the years: mosques like that commissioned by King Abdallah II to commemorate his father, the late King Hussein, in Amman; royal residences, commercial buildings, offices and schools across the Middle East; and, most recently, the master plan launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to sustainably develop the historic Al Ula site in Saudi Arabia where he is headed a few days after our interview.

“I’ve been running two careers, that’s why the number of projects looks bigger than it is,” Azzam, now 62, says modestly.

When it’s pointed out that there doesn’t seem to be much spare time weighing on his hands, Azzam concedes that he wouldn’t know what to do with it if he had any. He works all day, never tiring because, well, he doesn’t see it as work.

“I am blessed in my life because I do things I love. I think very, very early on in my career, I just said: I want work to be part of my identity, part of my character — it all has to be one.

“The school has always been somewhere that I found a great sense of nourishment and fulfilment. And it’s very much part of my life. My wife, Mona, complains that they’re my family more than my family at home.”

Home proper is Clapham in south London, where Mona has laid the unshakeable foundation that has made “all this possible”, Azzam acknowledges. Everything is taken care of so that he never has to worry: the house, the well-being of their children, Issam, 24, and Nadia, 19, and the bills “that she knows I won’t pay”.

A few hours before the rest of the family wakes each day, he is already at his desk with a cup of coffee, drawing while looking out across one of London’s largest parks.

“It’s very quiet,” he says. “There’s nobody there, and then you see one person, then two people, and then you see life coming through, and you start having a funny relationship with it. It’s beautiful.”

From his perch, Azzam envies the super fit elderly man who runs around Clapham Common each day, and often wonders with a glint of amusement what the dogs make of their owners diligently picking up after them.

He watches the latest exercise trends come and go with the seasons — the boxing or tai chi or, as with a few years back, “everybody standing on their heads”.

No surprises, though, that after a lifetime eschewing fleeting fashions, he isn’t inclined to join them.

source/content; thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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Khaled Azzam concedes that he wouldn’t know what to do with spare time if he had any away from work. ‘I am blessed in my life because I do things I love,’ he says. Photo: Mark Chilvers

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BRITISH / EGYPTIAN

SAUDI ARABIAN Woman Athlete Kariman Abuljadayel sets New Open-Water Rowing Record

When a Saudi Arabian athlete rowed her boat over 6.2 miles of open water in 57 minutes and 24 seconds, she smashed the Guinness World Record.

Kariman Abuljadayel tried to break the record in the Red Sea off the coast of Jeddah after being the first Saudi woman to compete in the 100-meter event at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

She claimed that the endeavour was hampered by the intense heat and other issues.

Abuljadayel told Guinness World Records, “That day had a strong current that slowed the boat down. I was forced to put in more effort to just maintain the movement let alone move fast for the sake of breaking the record.” She said, “I will be honest, I wanted to quit, it was too much, but a strong voice of determination within me that drove me to continue rowing and break through the imaginary barriers.”

According to GWR, the athlete broke the record for the quickest time to row 10 kilometers (open water) in rowing.

“I want express my appreciation to my mother, Suraya Alshehry,” Kariman said. “Who nurtured this early passion and guided it before it faded. She is my role model and hero.”

source/content: bolnews.com (headline edited)

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source: Fastest time to row 10km (open water) – Guinness World Records / youtube.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

UAE / QATAR : Mohammed bin Rashid Honours UAE’s Amnah Al Mansoori and Qatar’s Abdullah Al Berri as the joint ‘7th Arab Reading Champions 2023’

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, honoured winners of the Arab Reading Challenge 2023 at the concluding event of the 7th edition, which also saw awards granted to Community Champion, Outstanding Supervisor and Best School, as well as the People of Determination Champion.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid honoured Abdullah Mohammad Abdullah Al Berri from Qatar, and Amnah Mohammad Al Mansoori from the UAE, who tied for the first place as the Arab Reading Champions 2023.

The challenge in its 7th edition saw a record participation of 24.8 million students from 46 countries, representing over 188,000 schools under the mentorship of around 150,000 supervisors.

Speaking to an audience of over 1,500 people attending the event at the Dubai Opera, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stressed that the “Future welcomes those armed with knowledge. It resides inside of books. Those who read today will get to write chapters in the book of tomorrow.”

His Highness said, “We are thrilled to witness the competitive spirit among Arab students, and to have met a generation of young minds who believe books are the best way to build the future.

“Reading is the key to understanding ourselves and the world around us. It is the compass that has outlined the path of human civilization and will continue to be the driver to better human life. The Arab Reading Challenge continues to reveal bright Arab minds, capable of miraculous feats,” he added.

“We are proud of our Arab students and their commitment to the Arabic language. We deeply believe in their ability to preserve it and unlock endless horizons of knowledge. The UAE will always stand behind the Arab youth and help spread our Arab culture. This is a responsibility we all share.

“This year, we have 24.8 million champions, I congratulate you all, and thank all participating ministries of education and educators, as well as everyone who has contributed to this success. The Arab Reading Challenge is for everyone, because acquiring knowledge requires no permission,” His Highness Sheikh Mohammed concluded.

The event was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, First Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence.

Investing in People
Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and Secretary-General of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said that since its launch by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 2015, the Arab Reading Challenge continues to evolve and break records, reflecting the visions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed for investing in people, enabling the new generation to gain knowledge and encouraging them to read and enrich the Arab cultural scene. The initiative fosters a strong connection to the Arabic language and highlights its role as a key component of the Arab identity.

“Honouring the 7th Arab Reading Challenge Champions is an acknowledgment of excellence, perseverance and willpower of students, and of the dedication of tens of thousands of schools and educators.

“The Arab Reading Challenge will continue to grow in quality and quantity, further inspiring and impacting the lives of students who have grown more knowledgeable and more attached to their mother tongue. Just as addition of the People of Determination category this year represented a milestone, the Challenge will continue to introduce new ideas and updates that reflect its ambition and its mission,” Al Gergawi added.

Fierce Competition
The final round of qualification for 1st place winners at witnessed fierce competition among the students who already passed several qualifiers, with Abdullah Mohammad Al Berri from Qatar and Amnah Mohammad Al Mansoori from the UAE emerging as joint Champions receiving the 1st place award of AED 500,000 each.

Naema Jehad Rajoub from Syria and Mohammad Walid Abdullatif from Egypt (Ministry of Education) tied for second place and received an award of AED 100,000 each.

People of Determination
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum honoured winners of the newly added People of Determination Champion category, which saw the participation of 22,506 students. Yousuf bin Dawoud from Tunisia won 1st place and an award of AED 200,000, followed by Abdullah Ammar Mohammad Al Sayyed from Egypt (Ministry of Education) in second place, earning an award of AED 100,000, while Zaid bin Tariq Al Adi from Oman won 3rd place and an award of AED 50,000.

Community Champion
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed also honoured winners of the Community Champion category for students participating in the Arab Reading Challenge from non-Arab countries as well non-Arabs. The 1st place title was awarded to Mohammed Abdulraqib Ali Ahmed Al Kawkabani from Malaysia, who received an award of AED 100,000.

Maram Saddouqi from France came in 2nd place and received AED 70,000, while Hussain Mustafa Ihsan from Türkiye came in third and received AED 30,000.

Outstanding Supervisor
The Outstanding Supervisor Award, presented by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, went to Samaher Al Sawaei from Jordan, who outshined 149,826 reading supervisors taking part in the 7th edition of the challenge and received a AED 300,000 award. Winners of the 2nd and 3rd places for this category are Fuad bin Medyef Al Talhi from KSA (winning an award of AED 100,000) and Noorah Al Shehhi from the UAE (winning an award of AED 50,000), respectively.

Best School
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum presented the King Abdullah II School for Excellence in Jordan with the Best School Award and an AED 1 million prize. It was followed by Saudi Arabia’s Mawaheb Al Watan School, which received an AED 500,000 award, while the Martyr Pilot Ali Mohammed Ali School from Egypt came in third place and received an award of AED 300,000.

With 100 percent student participation, the King Abdullah II School for Excellence has launched several initiatives to highlight the challenge and nurture the love of reading among its students, organised several meetings with authors, poets and intellectuals, and signed partnerships with Yarmouk University and other institutions to support its initiatives.

Tours for Knowledge
The Arab Reading Challenge delegations visiting the UAE to attend the event had an extensive and enriching program that toured the emirate. The delegations visited the Mohammed bin Rashid Library and toured its various sections, learning about the millions of research works offered by the smart library to students and academics via the UAE’s largest database.

Another visit to the Global Village, a major family entertainment destination in Dubai, introduced the students to the myriad of cultures of the world through entertainment shows, craft displays and food. The delegations also visited Motion Gate, the Hollywood-inspired theme park and part of the Dubai Parks and Resorts.

Record Achievements
The 7th Arab Reading Challenge builds on its success story since 2015, further contributing to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for preparing a future generation who loves reading and knowledge, capable of expressing their identity in Arabic and are keen on learning and using this rich language in their day-to-day interactions.

The Arab Reading Challenge also helps build a value system that encourages youth to learn about other cultures, which instils the principles of tolerance and coexistence, and opens the door for a global open dialogue.

source/content: emirates247.com (headline edited)

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By E247

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U.A.E / QATAR

SAUDI ARABIA sets Guinness World Record for ‘Longest Phrase Written with Coffee Beans’ – the Phrase ‘Heritage Commission’ written with 6088 Saudi Khawlani Coffee Beans

The phrase, “Heritage Commission,” was written on a board with 6088 Saudi Khawlani coffee beans.

In a new achievement added to the achievements of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Heritage Authority announced that it had set a Guinness Book of World Records for the longest phrase written with coffee beans.

The phrase, “Heritage Commission,” was written on a board with 6088 Saudi Khawlani coffee beans.

This comes as part of the World Heritage Day activities that the Commission recently held at the King Abdulaziz Historical Center in Riyadh.

The Heritage Authority received the registration certificate in the presence of a representative of the Guinness Book of Records and representatives of the Heritage Authority.

This record in Guinness World Records comes in the context of the Heritage Authority’s keenness to enhance the Authority’s presence in organizations and encyclopedias worldwide to inform the international community of the importance of the cultural heritage sector in the Kingdom and the attention and care it receives.

Saudi Khawlani coffee

It is noteworthy that the Saudi Khawlani coffee is considered one of the finest types of coffee, and its cultivation was associated with the customs of the people of the region, their poetry, their songs and their economy.

In 2022, UNESCO added Saudi Arabia’s Khawlani coffee and the skills and knowledge associated with its cultivation to its list of intangible cultural heritage.

source/content: siasat.com (headline edited)

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The painting that entered the Guinness Book of Records. Photo: SPA

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SAUDI ARABIA

SAUDI ARABIA Elected as Vice President of UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport in the meeting in Paris

Saudi Arabia was elected vice president of the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sport through 2025 during a meeting at the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization headquarters in Paris on Friday.

The meeting was attended by representatives from 191 countries.

Abdulaziz Al-Massaad, undersecretary of the Saudi Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, who will fill the UNESCO post, praised the unlimited support of sports offered by the Saudi leadership, and highlighted the directives of Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal.

Al-Massaad emphasized that the Saudi leadership is keen to ensure the Kingdom’s participation in various international sporting forums and events.

Al-Massaad thanked the Kingdom’s ambassador to France, Fahd bin Mayouf Al-Ruwaili; the secretary-general of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al-Bulahid; and the staff of the Kingdom’s permanent delegation to UNESCO for their efforts.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

U.A.E: First Emirati and First Arab Doctor – Dr. Mona Tahlak Elected the new President of the International Hospital Federation (IHF) at the World Hospital Congress, Lisbon

Emirati doctor Mona Tahlak, Executive Director of Medical Affairs at Dubai Academic Health Corporation (DHC), Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs and Executive Director of Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) for Medical Affairs and Executive Director of Latifa Hospital for Women and Children, was elected President of the International Hospital Federation (IHF) during the World Hospital Congress held in Lisbon, to be the first Arab woman to hold this high international position in the International Hospital Federation since its inception, in a new achievement added to the record of achievements of Emirati women thanks to The support provided by the wise leadership in all sectors.

Dr. Mona Tahlak expressed her gratitude for the support of the wise leadership and her happiness at being chosen as the President of the International Hospital Federation and extended her sincere thanks and appreciation to the wise leadership for its firm commitment to empowering Emirati women, who have excelled in high-level roles in various fields, thanks to the great confidence and opportunities given to them to enhance their progress and excellence in various sectors, especially in the medical sector.


She said that her election in this position not only highlights the progress achieved by Emirati women, but also reflects the distinguished position of the health sector in the UAE, and I am honored to represent the UAE in this great international forum, and to continue the development of the International Hospital Federation with our global expertise.”


During her tenure with the International Hospital Federation (IHF) over the past seven years, Tahlak has highlighted the excellence and success of the UAE’s hospital sector, showcasing the experience and contributions of Emirati women in this field on a global scale.


Dr. Amer Sharif, CEO of Dubai Academic Health Corporation, congratulated Mona Tahlak on her well-deserved selection as President of the International Hospital Federation, noting her exceptional leadership, experience and valuable contributions to the healthcare system in Dubai and beyond.

He expressed his pride in her achievements in particular, and his appreciation for the exceptional talents of Emirati women on the global stage, in general.
Sharif added that this selection is a great success for all workers within the health sector at the level of the UAE, and a new evidence of the distinguished position reached by Emirati women, and their ability to excel in all fields, especially the medical field, and their responsibility side by side with men in building the renaissance of the UAE.


The IHF’s Board of Directors elects Dr. Mona Tahlak as the new President of the Federation, ending her term as President-designate and starting her two-year term as President-elect of the Federation, succeeding Deborah J. Bowen, CEO of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

source/content: wam.ae (headline edited)

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   دبي في 27 أكتوبر/وام/ تم انتخاب الطبيبة الإماراتية منى تهلك، المدير التنفيذي للشؤون الطبية في مؤسسة دبي الصحية الأكاديمية نائب مدير جامعة محمد بن راشد للطب والعلوم الصحية للشؤون الطبية المدير التنفيذي لمستشفى لطيفة للنساء والأطفال، رئيساً للاتحاد الدولي للمستشفيات خلال المؤتمر العالمي للمستشفيات الذي عقد في لشبونة، لتكون أول إمرأة عربية تتولى هذا المنصب الدولي الرفيع في الاتحاد الدولي للمستشفيات منذ تأسيسه وذلك في إنجاز جديد يضاف إلى سجل إنجازات المرأة الإماراتية بفضل الدعم الذي توفره لها القيادة الرشيدة في القطاعات كافة.         وعبرت الدكتورة منى تهلك عن امتنانها لدعم القيادة الرشيدة وسعادتها باختيارها لرئاسة للاتحاد الدولي للمستشفيات وتقدمت بجزيل الشكر والتقدير للقيادة الرشيدة على التزامها الراسخ بتمكين المرأة الإماراتية التي تفوقت في أدوار رفيعة المستوى في مختلف المجالات وذلك بفضل الثقة الكبيرة والفرص التي منحتها إياها لتعزيز تقدمها وتفوقها ضمن مختلف القطاعات، لا سيما في القطاع الطبي”.       وقالت إن انتخابها بهذا المنصب لا يسلط الضوء على التقدم الذي حققته المرأة الإماراتية فحسب، بل يعكس أيضاً المكانة المتميزة للقطاع الصحي في دولة الإمارات،  ويشرفني أنا وزميلاتي الإماراتيات أن نمثل دولة الإمارات في هذا المحفل الدولي الكبير، والعمل على مواصلة مسيرة تطوير الاتحاد الدولي للمستشفيات بما نتمتع به من خبرات عالمية “.       وخلال فترة عملها مع الاتحاد الدولي للمستشفيات على مدى السنوات السبع الماضية سلّطت تهلك الضوء على تميز ونجاح قطاع المستشفيات في دولة الإمارات، وعرض تجربة ومساهمات المرأة الإماراتية في هذا المجال على نطاق عالمي.       وهنأ الدكتورعامر شريف، المدير التنفيذي لمؤسسة دبي الصحية الأكاديمية منى تهلك باختيارها  المستحق رئيساً للاتحاد الدولي للمستشفيات، منوهاً بقيادتها الاستثنائية وخبرتها ومساهماتها القيمة في منظومة الرعاية الصحية في دبي وخارجها.        وعبر عن فخره واعتزازه بما قدمته من إنجازات بشكل خاص، وتقديره للمواهب الاستثنائية للمرأة الإماراتية على الساحة العالمية، بشكل عام.        وأضاف شريف أن هذا الاختيار يُعد نجاحاً كبيراً لجميع العاملين ضمن القطاع الصحي على مستوى دولة الإمارات، ودليلاً جديداً على المكانة المتميزة التي وصلت إليها المرأة الإماراتية، وقدرتها على التميز في جميع المجالات، لاسيما المجال الطبي، وتحملها المسؤولية جنباً إلى جنب مع الرجل في بناء نهضة الإمارات.        وبانتخاب مجلس إدارة الاتحاد الدولي للمستشفيات للدكتورة منى تهلك رئيساً جديداً للاتحاد، تنهي بذلك فترة رئاستها كرئيسة معيّنة للاتحاد وتبدأ فترة ولايتها لمدة عامين رئيسة منتخبة للاتحاد خلفًا لديبورا ج بوين، الرئيس التنفيذي للكلية الأمريكية للمديرين التنفيذيين في الرعاية الصحية.

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

ARAB: ITU-Arab Regional Cybersecurity Centre (ITU-ARCC) HQ in Oman, event sets 05 Guinness World Records at 11th Regional Cybersecurity Week, Abu Dhabi

The ITU-Arab Regional Cybersecurity Centre (ITU-ARCC), headquartered in Oman, created five Guinness World Records with events of the 11th Regional Cybersecurity Week from October 9 to 12 in Abu Dhabi.

These records are for the most expansive cybersecurity attack simulation model, featuring over 50 experts; the largest cybersecurity attack simulation contest, drawing participation from 11 global organisations; a cybersecurity competition with representation from over 30 countries, setting a record for participant diversity; the largest city-based threat simulation in cybersecurity; and the largest number of nationalities participating in a lecture to spread awareness on cybersecurity, with attendance of over 500 people.

Coinciding with Regional Cybersecurity Week, the 11th Regional Cybersecurity Conference was inaugurated on Wednesday. Themed ‘Innovation in Cybersecurity’, this flagship event is an ITU-ARCC brainchild, hosted by the UAE and backed by its Cybersecurity Council. The conference boasted an impressive line-up of international speakers and participants, representing both regional and global organisations.

The conference will spotlight pioneering strategies and innovations in cybersecurity, both in the Arab world and globally.

According to Badr bin Ali al Salhi, Chairman of ARCC and Director General of National Centre for Information Safety, the cybersecurity market could grow to a staggering US$657bn by 2030 from its valuation of US$247bn in 2023.

He projected robust growth of cybersecurity within sectoral markets, anticipating an 18% surge in health and a 29% uptick in industry by 2026. Further, with Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies gaining momentum, the field of cybersecurity is poised for exponential expansion, especially in artificial intelligence – from a valuation of US$8.6bn in 2019 to a projected US$102bn by 2030.

source/content: muscatdaily.com (headline edited)

SAUDI ARABIA re-elected to lead UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Body in 2024

Saudi Arabia will also host UNWTO General Assembly in 2025.

The Executive Council of the UN World Tourism Organization has endorsed the re-election of Saudi Arabia as its president for 2024.

The decision was taken during the council’s meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, this week.

Saudi Minister of Tourism and Chairman of the Executive Council Ahmed Al-Khateeb said: “During the period of the first presidency of the Kingdom in 2023, plenty of initiatives that comprised partnership, innovation, and progress were launched, and the achievements during that period were based on a common vision, cooperation and firm commitment among all members of the organization.

“We have all paved the way to build a vision for a resilient tourism sector, and we look forward to continuing our leadership role in 2024.

“We recall the aspirations and hopes of all member states, and we will strive to implement the goals in a way that ensures the tourism sector continues to achieve economic exchange and cultural and humanitarian rapprochement between countries,” Al-Khateeb added.

He noted the unlimited support of the tourism sector from the Kingdom’s leadership, including the provision of “important international initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable development,” such as the establishment of the Sustainable Tourism Global Center announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the Saudi Green Initiative in October 2021.

Al-Khateeb explained that the center had recently announced the launch of an international research center, intended to be a high-level reference body to help accelerate the tourism sector’s transition to climate neutrality.

The minister said that, in alignment with the Kingdom’s vision and commitment to shaping the future of global travel, it had, during its presidency of the Executive Council in 2023, taken a “pioneering role in the tourism sector,” based on a carefully implemented plan. This vision gave priority to global cooperation and formed the basis for “pioneering initiatives that aim to reimagine the tourism sector.” He cited the outline of “a clear and comprehensive roadmap aimed at supporting global cooperation and pioneering initiatives” as an example.

The UNWTO also announced that Saudi Arabia has been selected to host the 26th session of its General Assembly in 2025. It will be the first UN General Assembly to be held in the Kingdom.

That announcement came during Al-Khateeb’s participation in the 25th session in Samarkand, which ran from Oct. 16 to 20.

Saudi Arabia is “determined to reshape the global tourism scene,” Al-Khateeb said. The General Assembly’s session in Saudi Arabia will feature a variety of activities aimed at raising awareness of the role of tourism in promoting sustainable development and peace in the world, he added, and will also provide an opportunity for the Kingdom to showcase its tourism and cultural developments and “enhance international cooperation in this important sector.”

On his official X account, Al-Khateeb wrote: “It’s my upmost honor to announce that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been selected to host the 26th General Assembly of the UNWTO in 2025. We will continue to ascend and positively impact the tourism sector in order to achieve the global needs and aspirations.”

In another post, the minister said: “The election of Saudi Arabia to chair the Executive Council of the UN World Tourism Organization for a second term is an affirmation of our commitment to the world to empower the tourism sector globally, and support the ambitious development plans to create promising opportunities.”

Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s vice minister for tourism, also posted on X, saying: “As we continue to move forward with vision and purpose, the Kingdom proudly steps into the global spotlight once again. Happy to share that Riyadh will host the 26th session of the UN World Tourism Organization General Assembly in 2025.”

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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The Executive Council of the UN World Tourism Organization has endorsed the re-election of Saudi Arabia as its president for 2024. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA