Tag: Arab World Records

SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Swimmer Mariam Saleh Binladen Sets New Women’s World Record for Red Sea Crossing

Mariam Saleh Binladen took just four hours to make the crossing from the Saudi island of Tiran to the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

A Saudi dentist and endurance swimmer has set a new women’s world record time for swimming across the Red Sea.

Mariam Saleh Binladen took just four hours to make the crossing from the Saudi island of Tiran to the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh.

She was accompanied in the water on her 9-kilometer swim by Lewis Pugh, a British South African endurance swimmer and UN patron of the oceans.

Pugh was on the first leg of his campaign to raise awareness about the destruction of oceans and coral reefs in the run up to the 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) due to take place in Sharm El-Sheikh next month.

Binladen told Arab News: “During the final moments of the swim, I felt elated, a sense of jubilation, and blessed to have achieved my goal with my body intact.

“I had concerns before embarking on the swim, namely the weather conditions and sharks. As the last moments approached, I thanked Allah that the team had made it safe and sound through what were quite hazardous conditions.”

Due to high winds and rough seas the swim had to be staggered over two days.

She said: “We completed the swim in two segments and fed less often to minimize the risk of shark attacks. I would say that the most challenging aspect was at the midway point when the sea became very turbulent.

“We had also agreed to swim without protective cages, so those sharks were always at the back of our minds.”

Binladen has been involved in open water endurance swimming professionally since 2012.

“I train hard at least three times a week. Over my weekends, I alternate between four to six hours of swims to maintain momentum. I maintain a dedicated fitness regime, and I keep to a physically gruelling schedule when I am preparing for a challenge,” she added.

Her first major world record-breaking swim was in London’s River Thames in 2016, but she pointed out that the Red Sea attempt was for a greater cause.

“I agreed to join this challenge as the cause is near to my heart. These challenges are not for the faint of heart; you really need to be disciplined with your training and build up your physical and mental strength. Those two things are what will keep you going and be the key to success,” she said.

Long-distance swimming, she noted, was physically and mentally challenging and it was only with the support of a sports counsellor and her family that she was able to prepare herself.

“We sift through any fears and concerns together. I cannot stress enough how important it is to always work with professionals and to surround yourself with the right people.

“I’m blessed to also have the support and reassurance of a loving family without whom I could never have embarked on this journey,” she added.

Binladen’s charitable work has included offering support to refugees.

She said: “I am primed and physically and mentally prepared to take on my next challenge.

“In terms of the future, I will continue to use my challenges to raise awareness of issues that concern me, my philanthropic work is ongoing, and I have my career, and I am very busy.”

She now has five world records to her name, including being the first Arab to complete the Dardanelles Strait open water race in Turkey from Asia to Europe, in August 2015, completing the 6.5-km distance in one hour, 27 minutes, and 26 seconds.

In September 2016, she became the first Saudi to complete an assisted swim across the English Channel of 39.7 km, a feat she did in 11 hours and 41 minutes.

And she was also the first swimmer to cross the Dubai Creek and Dubai Water Canal, clocking up a total distance of 24 km in nine hours and 10 minutes.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Saudi dentist and endurance swimmer Maryam Saleh Binladen. (Supplied)

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SAUDI ARABIA

LIBYA: 03rd ‘Libya Couscous Day 2023’ Succeeds in Breaking World Record for the Largest Dish

The organisers and sponsors of the Third Libyan Couscous Day 2023 reported that the event succeeded in breaking the world record for the largest couscous dish. They reported that a dish was prepared weighting over 2,500 kgs.

The event was held on Friday in the historic city of Sabrata and is organised by the Libyan Intangible Heritage and Cultural Organization (NGO). It aims to inform the world that couscous is a national Libyan dish and is part of its heritage – along with Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.

The event was sponsored by a leading Libyan couscous manufacturer.

source/content: libyaherald.com (headline edited)

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pix: Libyan Industrial Union

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LIBYA

PALESTINE : Arab-American Artists: Saj Issa — ‘I’m interested in the consequences of globalization’

The first in the ‘Arab News’ series focusing on contemporary Arab-American artists in honor of Arab-American Heritage Month .

Los Angeles-based artist Saj Issa was raised between two different worlds. As the child of Palestinian parents who fled the First Intifada in the Eighties, she grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and spent her summers in Palestine. “Each setting brought out a different part me,” she tells Arab News.  

“At first, it took a minute for me to come to terms with that. I thought I wasn’t being authentic: The person that I was portraying myself as at school around my friends was different than the person I was portraying at home. But I realize that those are all parts of me. I don’t really see it as an issue so much now as I did when I was younger.” 

Issa is an emerging visual artist, who obtained a Master’s in Fine Arts from the University of California and has had her work displayed in LA’s museums and art fairs. Her drive to create art began in childhood, marked by a tactile tendency to paint and make crafts.  

“I grew up watching (creator of the US TV show “The Joy of Painting”) Bob Ross — America’s savior — and I was mimicking that action of holding a painting palette,” Issa recalls.   

Her ceramic tile pieces juxtapose design elements that are omnipresent in both Eastern and Western cultures. She merges major Western company logos — such as Nike, Coca Cola, and Shell — with Middle Eastern geometrical and vegetal patterns.  

“I’m interested in the consequences of globalization,” says Issa. “My choice of which brands make an appearance are based on which ones made a critical impact in the East. I utilize traditional tile work combined with corporate logos as a way to draw connections between the way that colonization seeps into the indigenous ways of life. Repetition is also a means to communicate habits of consumption, mass production and advertising.” 

That geometrical ornamentation continues throughout her other series, such as “Convenience Store,” which was partly inspired by her immigrant father’s former job in a corner store. The series’ portraits of workers evoke a feeling of nostalgia and loss of identity in a quick-transaction environment; standing behind the counter, surrounded by daily items, the workers’ faces — or entire bodies — are obscured by receipts.  

“I just want to build my own visual language through these mediums,” Issa says.  

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Issa is an emerging visual artist. (Supplied)

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AMERICAN / PALESTINIAN / ARAB AMERICAN

LEBANON: L’Oréal Paris Honors 10 Pioneer Lebanese Women during a ceremony titled “Walk your Worth”

Since 1973, L’Oréal Paris supports each and every woman on her journey to success and self-worth. Through the “Women Of Worth” program, L’Oréal Paris honored 10 leading Lebanese women, who have overcome challenges and achieved greatness in their respective fields, in Lebanon and in the whole world. The awards were delivered during a gala dinner ceremony titled “Walk your Worth”, held on March 28, 2023 at the Middle East Airlines (MEA) Training Center in Beirut.

During the event, Mrs. Emilie Wahab Harb, Managing Director of L’Oréal Liban, said: “As a brand that has always taken on the cause of women’s worth, L’Oréal Paris is proud to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements of 10 exceptional Lebanese women who have overcome challenges and achieved greatness in their fields. Their accomplishments inspire future generations and contribute to the development of the Lebanese society, thanks to their passion, dedication, and commitment to excellence.” Moreover, she asserted that “L’Oréal Paris firmly believes that all women are worth it, whereas it’s evident to support their journeys and recognize their successes”, asking all women and those present at the ceremony, to “recognize the power of beauty as a catalyst of self-worth”. She further added: “We are entirely convinced that women’s causes should be celebrated and highlighted. That is the reason why we founded “Women Of Worth” which gathers us tonight, as we follow a journey we started 50 years ago, and which we will firmly continue because women are worth it.”  

The honored Lebanese women were chosen by L’Oréal Paris not only for their accomplishments, but also for the values they embody, namely self-confidence, perseverance, resilience:  

–Mrs. Nayla Tueni – CEO of An Nahar Newscorp and Editor in Chief of Annahar newspaper. Awarded under the Media category, Mrs. Tueni is a prominent Lebanese journalist.  

–Dr. Hiba Al Kawas – President of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music. Awarded under the arts category. Dr. Kawas is a Lebanese composer, opera singer, scholar, and pioneer of Arab Opera.  

–Mrs. Ghida Anani – Founder & Director of ABAAD – Resource Centre for Gender Equality. Awarded under the Social Responsibility category, Ms. Anani led a number of public opinion campaigns, notably the #Undress522 which resulted in the abortion of the article 522 of the Lebanese penal code.

–Captain Rola Hoteit – Airline Pilot at MEA. Awarded under the bravery category, Mrs. Hoteit is an Airbus A320 and A330 Captain, and the first Lebanese female airline captain.  

–Mrs. Mireille Hayek – Founder & Owner of Em Sherif: Awarded under the Culinary Category, Mrs. Hayek is well known among the Lebanese and Arab society for her passion for cooking, her dedication and leadership in her restaurant that revives the Lebanese tradition, and which has been a success in Lebanon and abroad such as in London and Monaco.  

–Mrs. Yola Zard Noujaim – Architect, Founder of Jabalna Festival & Owner of Al Fundok Hotel. Awarded under the sustainability category, she restored the old school of Maasser el chouf in an understated rural style to become Al Fundok boutique Hotel. This eco hotel is a non-profit community project, which encourages local tourism, creates a sustainable income for the community and promotes environmental, cultural, and culinary estate preservations.  

–Mrs. Fadia ElMendelek – Hair Consultant. Awarded under the beauty category, Mrs. ElMendelek is a hair stylist whose talent and creativity earned her many European awards. With an online service and her own line “K by Fadia El Mendelek” of premium all-natural hair care products and extensions, she became the stylist to many celebrities and Arab Royalties.  

–Mrs. Danielle Hatem – Founder & CEO of D Does Business. Awarded under the Digital Business category, Mrs. Hatem is an influential blogger who highlights strategic economical facts and figures, with the aim to create awareness about latest business headlines, while influencing and motivating the youth into entrepreneurship and business growth.  

–Miss Rana Hayek, Electro-Mechanical Engineer & Car Mechanic. Awarded under the outstanding category, she’s Lebanon’s first female car mechanic. She is a diagnosis engineer at Sigma, the exclusive agent for Seat, Mitsubishi, and Ducati.

–Miss Aleen Sabbagh – Founder & Owner of The Concept. Awarded under the fashion category. What started as a personal devotion to fashion turned into a full-fledged clothing brand. Aleen Sabbagh, the young Lebanese face behind it all, goes from one factory to the other looking to constantly design drop trendy collections that always manage to sell out quickly.  

The event was presented and moderated by Ms. Nadine W. Njeim, who discussed with each awardee her journey to success. It was attended by an audience of more than 150 invitees including public figures, the awardees’ families, journalists and representatives of various Lebanese media outlets, bloggers and social media influencers, as well as L’Oréal’s team and partners of L’Oréal Paris in Lebanon.

source/content: libnanews.com (headline edited)

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LEBANON

EGYPT: Mo Salah Breaks 02 long-standing Liverpool Records

A record-setting night sees the Egyptian striker secure his place in history.

Mohamed Salah secured his place in Liverpool (and Premier League) history with a remarkable performance on a very special night as his side beat rivals Manchester United 7-0.

With two second half goals the talismanic Egyptian striker became Liverpool’s all-time top goalscorer English Premier League, with his 129th and 130th goals putting him on top of the list above club legends Robbie Fowler (128), Steven Gerrard (120) and Michael Owen (118).

“This record was in my mind since I came here, I think after my first year I was always chasing that record, so to break it today, against United, with that result, was unbelievable,” Mo Salah told Sky Sports after the game. “I’m going home to celebrate with the family, have a chamomile tea and sleep!”

However, the record was not the only one that Salah secured in the game, as his double also made him Liverpool’s leading scorer against United in the Premier League era, with 10 goals.

Manchester United is one of Liverpool’s biggest rivals – if not the biggest – and the scoreline was its largest ever victory against United in any competition.

“I have some good records at Liverpool. To be fair, as long as we achieve something with the team that’s the most important thing for me,” Mo Salah said to the Liverpool Echo.

“I’m so happy and proud to break records and win trophies in a team like Liverpool. I don’t want to be in a smaller team and I’m the only one breaking records and that’s it.”

source/content: esquireme.com / Matthew Priest (headline edited)

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EGYPT

EGYPT: Sweden’s ‘ 13th Malmö Arab Film Festival’ (MAFF) to grant the Egyptian Star Hussein Fahmy Life Achievement Award

Malmö Arab Film Festival (MAFF) announced that the Egyptian star Hussein Fahmy will be tributed with a life achievement award, which he will receive during the opening ceremony of the 13th edition of the festival, which will be held from April 28 to May 4, 2023.

The ceremony will be held in the Royal Hall (Rådhus) under the auspices of the City of Malmö and in the presence of the mayor.

Fahmy will also give a masterclass during the festival, which will be held in Malmö’s city library.

Hussein Fahmy has a tremendous artistic career that extends for more than half a century, from the time he played his first role in the movie “Dalal Al-Masria” directed by Hassan El-Imam in 1970 until his most recent role in the series “Sero El Batie” directed by Khaled Youssef, shown during the current month of Ramadan.

Through his career, Fahmy acted in more than two hundred films, series, plays, and radio works, and worked with the top-notch directors of Egyptian cinema, such as Youssef Chahine, Kamal Al-Sheikh, Henry Barakat, Mohamed Khan, and others, in addition to holding various cultural positions, including the presidency of the Cairo International Film Festival for two terms, the first between 1998 and 2001, and the second started in 2022 and continues to this day.

The founder and director of the Malmö Festival, Muhammad Keblawi, commented on the tribute, saying: “Tributes are not a compulsory annual tradition at MAFF. It is not only related to the presence of a great star or director in the city, but the festival is offering tributes only when those who deserve it attend. This year we are pleased with the presence of a living cinematic legend: Hussein Fahmy, who created a place in the memory of every viewer of Arab cinema and TV”.

For his part, Hussein Fahmy expressed his happiness with the award, stressing his appreciation for the contributions of MAFF to the Arab cinema during the last few years, and his aspiration to meet the audience of the Malmö and talk to them about his career.

The masterclass will be held in the Malmö City Library at 3pm, Sunday, April 30th, and the discussion will be moderated by critic Ahmed Shawky, who in 2022 published a book entitled “Hussein Fahmy: The Biography of Egyptian Cinema in Half a Century.”

source/content: egypttoday.com (headline edited)

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Hussein Fahmy

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EGYPT

IRAQI Writer Abdul Rahman Majeed Al-Rubaie

Iraqi writer Abdul Rahman Majeed Al-Rubaie passes away at 83.

The news was confirmed by his friend and fellow writer, Waheed Al-Taweelah, who shared his condolences on Facebook.

Born in Nasiriyah, Iraq, in 1939, Al-Rubaie was considered one of Iraq’s most important contemporary writers.

He was known for his honest and emotionally rich depictions of the human condition in Iraq.

He authored several novels, short stories, plays, and poems that focused on themes of social justice, political commentary, and everyday struggles in Iraq.

Al-Rubaie was a versatile artist who practiced teaching, journalism, and diplomatic work in Lebanon and Tunisia.

He was also a member of the Iraqi Writers Union, the Journalists Syndicate in Iraq, and the Fine Artists Association in Iraq.

His acclaimed novel Al-Washm [The Tattoo], excerpted in Banipal No 17, has been reprinted six times in Morocco but was never published in Saddam’s Iraq.

Al-Rubaie’s contributions to Iraqi literature were widely acclaimed, and he received numerous awards and accolades throughout his life.

In addition to his acclaimed novels, such as “Tattoos” and “Rivers,” Al-Rubaie also wrote plays that were staged in Iraq and abroad.

His play “The City of Strangers” was performed in Baghdad in the 1970s and was later staged in Tunisia and Lebanon.

Another play, “The Game of Assassination,” was performed in Baghdad in 1985 and explored the dark side of Iraqi politics.

Al-Rubaie’s poetry was equally celebrated.

His collections such as “For Love and the Impossible” and “Shahryar Sailing” showcase his lyrical and reflective style.

His poetry often delved into themes of love, loss, and the beauty of the natural world.

Throughout his career, Al-Rubaie was a strong advocate for freedom of expression and the power of literature to promote social change.

He was vocal about the importance of writers and intellectuals in shaping public discourse, and he often used his writing to challenge prevailing attitudes and norms.

Al-Rubaie’s work has been translated into several languages and has received critical acclaim both in Iraq and abroad.

His contributions to Iraqi literature have left an indelible mark on the country’s cultural landscape.

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

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Iraqi writer Abdul Rahman Majeed Al-Rubaie

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IRAQ

TUNISIA: Trailblazers: Safia Farhat — Tunisian Artist, Educator and Activist now gaining global renown 

Tunisian artist Safia Farhat was not only a dynamic tapestry creator, but had an impressive resumé including ceramicist, educator, women’s rights activist, and publishing pioneer. She was a woman who accumulated a list of historic firsts in her lifetime. 

She contributed to the growth of visual culture in independent Tunisia under the progressive leadership of President Habib Bourguiba. Farhat designed national stamps, had her fiber art displayed in the country’s banks, hotels, and schools, and worked with expert weavers and artisans in her studio.  

Farhat was born in the harbor city of Rades in 1924 and raised in a well-to-do family. It was her maternal aunt, who was skilled in knitting and crochet, who cultivated Farhat’s love of art. She went on to study at the Tunis Institute of Fine Arts and was reportedly just the third Tunisian woman to enroll there.  

She later became the institute’s first female director in 1966 — remaining in the role for more than a decade. She encouraged female students to take part in the institute’s programming. Farhat also founded Tunisia’s first magazine for women, “Faiza,” delving into feminism and decolonization, among other social issues.  

Her colorful, thickly lined tapestries depict animals, plants, and men and women wearing traditional clothing. “When I saw her work, I was really fascinated by its sculptural elements, the color, the various techniques that were embedded in it — and by their stories,” Jessica Gerschultz, a professor of African studies at the University of Kansas, told Arab News.  

“She seems to really play on self-referentiality,” she continued. “Her works are referring to her other works, so there are many symbols — lots of triangles and zigzags — integrated into her weavings and other works that she did in ceramics and iron.”     

Farhat, who died in 2004, is a name still recognized by some older people in her homeland, but she has been generally overlooked, ironically, by young art students in Tunisia. “At the institute, maybe students know her name, but they’re not very familiar with her,” noted Gerschultz. “Maybe they don’t know her at all.” 

International interest in Farhat, however, was boosted last year as a result of her works being showcased at the Venice Biennale. “It’s wonderful to see her contributions now being viewed more widely,” said Gerschultz.  

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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TUNISIA

UAE holds the Highest Number of Guinness World Records followed by Saudi Arabia and Egypt across Mena

Dubai – Dubai is the also the most record-breaking city not just within the country but also across the Mena region.

The UAE is far ahead in achieving the Guinness World Records regionally as the country boasts 425 GWRs with 34 of them were achieved in 2020 alone.

Dubai is the also the most record-breaking city not just within the country but also across the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.

“The UAE is currently home to 425 Guinness World Records titles, making it the biggest record-breaking country in the Mena region… Dubai has the lion share of titles in the country with around 60 per cent of the overall number,” said Danny Hickson, senior events production manager at Guinness World Records Ltd in Dubai.

Global Village, a multicultural family entertainment destination, achieved two records in November alone. The first record was set by having the most LED lights ever on a car. The vehicle had 36,676 LED lights. The feat began two weeks ago as the park achieved the record for the most videos in a music medley video following the Rockin’1000 Season 25 opening concert.

Global Village aims to break 25 records this season as part of its Silver Jubilee anniversary celebrations.

Emirati shipbuilder Obaid Jumaa bin Majid Al Falasi also made it into the history by building the world’s largest dhow, a wooden Arabic boat, measuring 91.47-metre long and 20.41-metre wide. That is equal to the length and almost half the width of a standard American football field floating over the Indian Ocean.

Dubai’s Nakheel Mall, too, recently broke the record for the world’s largest fountain, measuring a whole 7,327 m2. The record breaking fountain named The Palm Fountain was designed a with tricks including colour and brightness controls.

The emirate is also home to the world’s tallest hotel – 75-storey Gevora Hotel, measuring 356.33 metres tall from the group level to the top.

Danny Hickson said Saudi Arabia comes second with 96 Guinness World Records titles, while Egypt is not far in the third place with 93 titles.

On September 23, Saudi Arabia achieved the Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display in multiple cities as the display consisted of 962,168 fireworks.

“What’s brilliant about breaking world records with brands in the UAE is that there is almost a chance to do something different with the heritage. Brands and individuals think it is impossible to be break world records, but we believe everyone is amazing in his own way, and we are here to make their achievement Officially Amazing!,” said Hickson.

“We have seen the tallest house of cards build in 12 hours, sat on top of a washing machine, to demonstrate its reduced vibrations and noise levels; and an iconic car brand celebrated its 80th anniversary by breaking the record for the largest loop the loop in a car! Would we find amazing talents among Khaleej Times readers?,” concluded Hickson.

source/content: khaleejtimes.com (headline edited)

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)