Category: TOP 10 in GCC

Shamal Steel Arch Bridge, Ras Al Khaimah – World’s Longest Steel Bridge : March 2019

Shamal Steel Arch Bridge , Ras Al Khaimah, UAE is now the World’s longest steel bridge , certified by Guinness World Records.

It is planned to handle 2,000 vehicles per hour and includes a life expectancy of 104 years without any maintenance.

The bridge is a part of the second phase of Emirates Road as envisaged by the Ministry of Infrastructure, UAE

The former record was held by Poland’s 26m long bridge

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Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber – Billionaire Businessman and Philanthropist

Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber – Businessman – Founder, Chairman and CEO – MBI Group

Companies include:

  • Jadawel International Construction & Development – residential compounds in Saudi Arabia
  • Continentoil – oilfield services and petroleum company
  • AJWA Group for Food Industries – shareholder
  • JJW Hotels & Resorts
  • Amarante , 4 star hotels in France, Portugal and Egypt
  • Median , 3 star hotels in France
  • Grand Hotel, Vienna, Austria
  • Palais Corso, Vienna’s shopping & office complex
  • The Elton Collection, London
  • list not complete

Philanthropy :

  • MBI Al Jaber Foundation, UK registered charity – focus in the fields of education, cultural dialogue and good governance

Other/s :

  • Founding Patron and Donor of the ‘London Middle East Institute’ at SOAS
  • Endowed Chair – MBI Al Jaber Chair in Middle East Studies, at SOAS, University of London
  • MBI Al Jaber Building, Corpus Christi College, University of Oxford
  • The MBI Al Jaber Grand Hall, University of Westminister

Board/s:

  • Advisor Board, Middle East Centre, London School of Economics (LSE)
  • Nominated as UNESCO’s Special Envoy – Personal Representative for ‘education, human rights, tolerance and culture to build peace and democracy

Book:

Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber. Yes, Arabs can too

Honours & Awards :

2002.  Awarded Honorary Fellowship at the School of Oriental and African Studies

2004.  Awarded Doctorate of Letters from University of Westminster

2004.  Awarded Honorary Degree, Doctor of Science, from City University, London

2005.  Appointed UNESCO Special Envoy for Education, Tolerance and Cultures

2005.  Awarded UNESCO Medal on the occasion of the organisation’s 60th anniversary

2005.  Awarded a Gold Medal by the French Government for services to Tourism and Culture.

2007.  Awarded Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation Gold Medal

2007.  Appointed UN Spokesperson for Global Forums on Reinventing Government

2008.  Nominated as Trialog Institut “Person of the Year”

2008.  Appointed Chairman of Mediterranean Peace Forum

2010.  Awarded Honorary Fellowship at University College London

2012.  Awarded ISESCO (Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Gold Medal

2013.  Awarded a Senatorship by MODUL University

2017.  Received Dialogue of Cultures Award

Others:

  • Listed in Bloomberg Billionaire Index – n.194 – 2018
  • Listed in Sunday Times Rich List – n. 18 – May 13th, 2018

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Saudi Arabia

IM’Hungry : World’s Largest Burger Restaurant – Saudi Arabia : December 2019

IM’ Hungry, Jeddah , Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest burger restaurant.

It has an area of 2,860 sq.m (30,784 feet) almost the size of 11 tennis courts.

Burgers are served with only fresh, non-frozen meat daily. The menu ranges a variety of dishes.

The record attempt took place in Jeddah on December 12th, 2019 and was certified by Guinness World Records.

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Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

First & Only Player from Oman to Win a FA Cup Medal. Ali Al Habsi

Ali Al Habsi . Professional Footballer. Omani International Goal Keeper. Captain of Oman International Football Team.

First and only Player from Oman to Win a FA Cup Medal. Only player from the Gulf to have a successful career in Europe.

Played for Oman. Clubs overseas in Norway, United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

Awards/ Recognitions: A few

-Norway’s Best Goal Keeper (2003-2004) / – Best Goal Keeper Award at Gulf Cup, 5 consecutive years – 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2011 / -Oman won their 1st ever Gulf Cup (2009) with his leadership as Captain / Winners – Saudi Professional League (2017) / Winners – Saudi Super Cup (2018)

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pix : twitter @AliAlhabsi

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OMAN

Ahdeya Ahmed First Female President of Bahrain Journalist Association (BJA) : November 2019

Ahdeya Ahmed Al-Sayed , Bahrain – TV personality and Journalist, has many firsts to her credit.

Deputy Editor-in-Chief , for the english language ‘Daily Tribune’

First/s :

  • First female President of Bahrain Journalist Association (BJA)
  • First Arabian Gulf Woman to be elected member of ‘The International Federation of Journalist (IFJ) Gender Council’.

Other/s :

  • Winner – Arab Woman of the Year Award for the category ‘Achievement in Journalism’ 5th edition – by The London Arabia organisation
  • Member – Bahrain’s International Federation of Journalists Gender Council

Assignments :

  • Spokesperson of the Government of Bahrain
  • Spokesperson- Bahrain Human Rights Watch
  • Official Spokesperson for the ‘ Bahrain Parliamentary Election’ (2006)

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Bahrain

The Dubai Mall , the second Largest Shopping Centre in the World : November 2018

The second largest shopping centre in the world by total land area and is situated in Downtown Dubai, UAE

Dubai Mall has 4 levels, an internal floor area 548,127 square metres. 1,200 retail outlets and over 160 food and beverage outlets.

The Mall includes an acquariam, Olympic size ice rink, 22 screen cineplex.

Developed by Emaar Properties

Additional World Records:

Within the Mall there are several world records to be listed individually

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Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Sultan Qaboos of Oman , Arab World’s Longest Serving Ruler – January 2020

Sultan Qaboos Bin Said Al Said of the Sultanate of Oman, the longest-serving ruler in the Middle East and Arab World at the time of his demise, January 10th, 2020.

A 15th generation descendant of the founder of the House of Al Said. Aceded the throne on July 23rd, 1970.

More details can be googled about his 50 years as the absolute Monarch of the Sultanate of Oman.

Awards/ Honours:

  • Grand Star of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria  (Austria, 31 March 2001)
  •  Member 1st Class of the Order of Al Khalifa (Bahrain)
  •  Member of the Royal Family Order of the Crown of Brunei (Brunei, 15 December 1984)
  •  Grand Collar of the Order of the Nile (Egypt, 1976)
  •  Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (France, 31 May 1989)
  •  Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Germany)
  • Jawarhlal Nehru Award for International Understanding (India, 2004 – award yet to be presented)
  •  Recipient of the Star of the Republic of Indonesia , 1st Class or Adipurna (Indonesia)
  •  Grand Collar of the Order of Pahlavi (3 March 1974) (Iran)
  •  Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire (Iran, 14 October 1971)
  •  Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Italy, 22 April 1974)
  •  Grand Cordon of the Order of the Chrysanthemum (Japan)
  •  Collar of the Order of al-Hussein bin Ali (Jordan)
  •  Collar of the Order of Mubarak the Great (Kuwait, 28 December 2009)
  •  Collar of the Order of Merit (Lebanon)
  •  Honorary Recipient of the Order of the Crown of the Realm  (DMN) (Malaysia, 1991)
  •  Collar of the Order of the Throne (Morocco)
  •  Grand Cross of the Orde of Ouissam Alaouite (Morocco)
  •  Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion (Netherlands, 2012)
  •  Recipient of the Nishan-e-Pakistan, 1st Class (Pakistan)
  •  Collar of the Order of the Independence (Qatar)
  •  Recipient of the Badr Chain (Saudi Arabia)
  •  Decoration 1st class (December 1971) and Collar (23 December 2006) of the Order of Abdulaziz al Saud (Saudi Arabia)
  •  Member 1st Class of the Order of Temasek (Singapore , 12 March 2009)
  •  Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope (South Africa), 1999)
  •  Knight of the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (Spain, 13 December 1985)
  •  Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit (Spain)
  •  Collar of the Order of Umayyad (Syria)
  •  Collar of the Order of Independence (Tunisia)
  •  Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic (Tunisia)
  •  Collar of the Order of Etihad (Order of the Federation) (UAE)
  •  Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) (United Kingdom, 8 July 1976)
  •  Knight of Justice (KStJ, 8 November 1976) and Bailiff Grand Cross (GCStJ, 19 March 1984) of the Venerable Order of Saint John (United Kingdom)
  •  Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) (United Kingdom, 28 February 1979)
  •  Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) (United Kingdom, 18 March 1982)
  •  Recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain (United Kingdom, 27 November 2010)

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The Sultanate of Oman

Amani Al-Salim – First Middle East Researcher from Saudi in ‘Organ Donation’ : April 2020

Dr. Amani Bint Abdulaziz Bin Ibrahim (aka) Amani Al-Salim, Saudi researcher notches up several firsts

Education:

Ph.D – Health Marketing, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia

Award:

  • Best paper in social marketing – by Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy Conference 2018 (ANZMAC)

Firsts :

  • First Middle East Researcher in the field of Organ Donation
  • First Saudi Woman to participate in a Referee Committee
  • First Saudi Woman member and Assistant Researcher in the Research Centre of Griffith University, Australia

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Saudi Arabia

Nawal El Moutawakel – Olympian – Gold Medallist .

Nawal El Moutawakel , Morocco. Olympic Gold Medallist. 400 metres hurdles, women. Summer Olympics – 1984

Positions :

  • Minister for Youth and Sports, Morocco – 2007
  • Council Member – International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) – 1995
  • Council Member – International Olympic Committee (IOC) – 1998
  • President – Assocation Marocaine des Sports ets Development (AMSD)
  • Vice-President – Moroccan Royal Federation of Athletics

Firsts :

  • First Woman from a Muslim majority country to win an Olympic Gold Medal
  • First Moroccan to win an Olympic Gold Medal

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Morocco

Sofia Saidi Crowned ‘Miss Arab Next Top Model’ – June 2019

Sofia Saidi was crowned winner from an international competition with contestants from 53 countries at a glittering ceremony in Beirut, Lebanon on June 29th, 2019

Education:

-Bachelor’s Degree: International Management

-2 Master’s Degrees : (1) Strategic Organizational an Technological Evolutionism – Pantheon-Assas University Paris II / (2) Master’s Degree : Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship

pix: worldfashionmedianews.com

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Morocco / Paris, France