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Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra) on Wednesday announced the winner of the fifth Ithra Art Prize as Iraqi Finnish artist Adel Abidin.
Abidin’s proposal was a wall installation, called “ON,” that explores connection between history, memory and identity.
The artist won $100,000 for the piece.
“As I delve into the intangible aspects of history, I am confronted with the challenge of scarce reliable archival sources,” the artist wrote on Instagram. “This challenge is especially evident in the context of Arab history, where much remains shrouded in ambiguity, allowing for a broad range of interpretations and augmentations.”
“In my meticulous study of the Zanj Rebellion of 869 AD in southern Iraq, particularly in the city of Basra, I find a captivating example that exemplifies these themes,” he added.
Mohamed Bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, rang the market-opening bell to celebrate and mark listing the domestic Dirhams Islamic Treasury Sukuk (T-Sukuk) on Nasdaq Dubai.
The United Arab Emirates, represented by the Ministry of Finance (MoF) as the issuer and in collaboration with the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) as the issuing and paying agent, has announced launching dirham-denominated Islamic Treasury Sukuk (T-Sukuk), with a benchmark auction size of AED1.1 billion.
The launching of Dirham-denominated Islamic Treasury Sukuk (T-Sukuk) includes a series of issuances, in order to attract a new category of investors and support the sustainability of economic growth.
Total issuance of AED1.1 billion
The issuance of T-Sukuk is aimed at enhancing the UAE’s economic competitiveness by providing high-quality Islamic assets at competitive prices. This will support the Central Bank of the UAE in managing liquidity within the banking sector and boosts the size of financial investments, which will reflect positively on the country’s economy, investment environment, per capita income, and gross national income.
The bell-ringing ceremony was attended by a number of senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, Central Bank of the UAE, Nasdaq Dubai, and the CEOs of the eight banks that were onboarded as primary dealers, in addition to other senior officials from various relevant authorities.
The inaugural issuance of the Dirham-denominated Islamic Treasury Sukuk programme witnessed a strong demand through the eight primary bank dealers, with bids received worth AED8.3 billion, and an oversubscription by 7.6 times.
The strong demand was across both tranches, with a final allocation of AED550 million for the two-year tranche, and AED550 million for the three-year tranche, with a total issuance of AED1.1 billion. Other tranches of Islamic Treasury Sukuk will be issued with various tenures of up to five years initially, followed by a 10-year sukuk at a later date.
Reaffirming UAE’s position in Islamic economy
Al Hussaini noted that issuing the T-Sukuk contributes to expanding the scope of Islamic banking and is one of the most important tools for managing monetary policy and liquidity to finance development programmes and projects.
The T-Sukuks are Sharia-compliant financial certificates for trading in the secondary market along with the main distributors, reflecting the current return on investment. These sukuk will also contribute to stimulating the securities market and strengthening the base of Islamic securities, providing safe and rewarding investment alternatives, and attracting new segments of local and international investors.
He emphasised that the success of the first auction is another testament to the UAE’s creditworthiness as one of the most advanced and competitive economies in the world, reaffirming its position as a leading investment hub in the field of the Islamic economy.
Al Hussaini said, “The issuance of Islamic Treasury Sukuk is a new step towards achieving the comprehensive and sustainable economic and social development objectives of the UAE. It contributes to the development of the financial market and the investment environment in the country by attracting financial investments and rejuvenating the local financial and banking sector to diversify funding sources, which cements the UAE’s position as a global hub for the Islamic economy.”
Efficiency of UAE’s financial sector
Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the Central Bank of the UAE, said, “The T-Sukuk programme’s first issuance, denominated in UAE Dirhams, reinforces the UAE’s competitive position as a developed global financial centre.
The programme has succeeded in diversifying financial markets activities, enhancing infrastructure to support Sharia-compliant investment options and alternatives, and strengthening the resilience and stability of the financial system. This milestone will also support in bolstering financial investments and promoting greater confidence among local and international investors in the UAE’s financial system, leading to further strategic growth across the sector and fortifying the UAE’s role in the global Islamic economy.”
He added, “The remarkable success of the first auction for the issuance of T-Sukuk denominated in UAE Dirhams is a testament to the soundness of the financial and economic policies, the robust creditworthiness, and the efficiency of the UAE’s financial sector. It also supports the UAE’s stimulating investment environment globally to diversify investment and financial alternatives and continue sustainable growth underpinned by future visions and plans. We are pleased to have partnered with the Ministry of Finance in enhancing the UAE’s financial markets and improving the investment environment in the country.”
Dubai as global centre for Sukuk listings
Hamed Ali, CEO of Dubai Financial Market and Nasdaq Dubai, said, “The issuance of the T-Sukuk is an important development for the UAE capital markets attracting diversified investment categories to the country and providing an important investment tool for Islamic banking. The listing today further strengthens Dubai’s position as one of the largest centres for Sukuk listings globally with US$77.67 billion total value of Sukuk listed in Dubai.
This opens the path for regional and international investors to strengthen their links with the UAE government as well as to expand their investment options in the UAE. At Nasdaq Dubai, our mission supports the UAE Central Bank’s ambitious strategy to develop a strong fixed-income market in the UAE by providing investors with investment opportunities in sovereign issuances and a more effective yield curve gauge in debt instruments.”
The Ministry of Finance onboarded eight banks, namely Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank PJSC (ADCB), Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), HSBC, Mashreq, and Standard Chartered as Primary Dealers to participate in the T-Sukuk primary market auction and to actively develop the secondary market.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke at UN meeting to commemorate the forced displacement of Palestinians when Israel was founded 75 years ago
He called for an independent Palestinian state, full membership of the UN, and for Israel authorities to be held accountable for breaches of international law
As the UN on Monday officially commemorated the Palestinian Nakba, or “Catastrophe,” for the first time, President Mahmoud Abbas told representatives of member states that his people have the right to live in freedom and dignity in their own independent nation.
He also called for Palestine to be granted full membership of the UN; it currently holds the status of non-member observer state, which was granted in November 2012.
And he urged the organization to suspend Israel’s membership of the UN if it continues to ignore UN resolutions condemning the occupation of Palestinian territories and the building of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, which are considered illegal under international law.
Abbas was speaking during a meeting of the Special Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Nakba, the word Palestinians use to describe the mass displacement from their land when the state of Israel was established in 1948. Between 1947 and 1949, about 750,000 Palestinians from a population of 1.9 million were forced out of their towns and villages, which were taken over by Jewish immigrants. Most of the displaced Palestinians fled to neighboring countries, where they settled as refugees.
The UN adopted a resolution this year to officially commemorate the Nakba for the first time, although 30 nations voted against it. Addressing the representatives of the many UN member states that attended Monday’s meeting, Abbas demanded that Israel and its main state supporters, namely the UK and US, acknowledge their responsibility for the Nakba, apologize to the Palestinian people and compensate them.
He said the Palestinian people have accepted Israel’s right to exist on the 78 percent of historically Palestinian land that makes up the state of Israel, and now demand only that they be allowed to establish their own state on the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israel occupied those and other Arab territories during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
Abbas reiterated that he is not opposed to the Jewish people or to Judaism, but rather “those who occupy my land, regardless of their beliefs.” He added that it is “the Israeli government that is responsible for the Nakba and for the killing, displacement and destruction” of Palestinians.
He called on the international community to hold Israeli authorities responsible for their actions in the occupied Palestinian territories and violations of international law.
“The international community should not accept, or stand idly by, the false claims of Israel,” said Abbas, and “Israel shouldn’t remain a state above the law.” He said Palestinians will pursue legal challenges at the International Criminal Court over Israel’s violations of international law and war crimes committed against the Palestinian people in the occupied territories.
He urged the UN to grant Palestine full membership because it is qualified to be one, and chastised the organization for not already having done so.
Senegalese diplomat, Cheikh Niang, the chairperson of the special committee, opened the meeting by reiterating its strong support for the rights of the Palestinian people, and calling for the end of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. He described the Nakba as the “epicenter” of Palestinian suffering, and condemned recent Israeli attacks on Gaza in which scores of Palestinians have been killed or wounded.
“The death of civilians, Palestinians and Israelis alike, is unacceptable and we urge all parties involved to end the hostilities,” he said.
“The Nakba, and the suffering of generations of Palestinians, is a story rarely told in history books, too often forgotten.”
Representatives of the African Union, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and a number of civil society groups expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to an independent state.
They also acknowledged that the Nakba continues, as Palestinians remain under Israeli occupation and continue to suffer under similar conditions to those to which they were first subjected 75 years ago.
source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)
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Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas speaks during a high-level event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Nakba at the United Nations headquarters in New York on May 15, 2023. (AFP)
Hedi Amara Nouira was born in Monastir in April 1911 and was trained as a lawyer. In 1934, he assisted Habib Bourguiba establish the Neo-Destour Party, a radical branch of the nationalist Destour Party. In the 1950s, the party campaigned for independence, and Nouira served as its representative in Paris.
After the country gained independence from France in March 1956, he served as Finance Minister and was the first governor of Tunisia’s central bank.
Back then, the newly independent country’s lawmakers appointed Bourguiba prime minister, and he became president after the monarchy was officially abolished the following year. He ruled as a monarch for three decades, securing a 1974 revision of the Constitution that made him president for life and confirmed Nouira as his chosen successor.
Throughout the 1970s, as Habib Bourguiba’s health and mental capacity worsened, he progressively assumed control of the country’s daily operations. Considered the architect of Tunisia’s economic renewal in the 1960s, Nouira was criticized in the 1970s by workers for the government’s harsh labor policies and attacks on labor union headquarters.
During his tenure, the economy thrived, and double-digit growth was achieved, which validated him in his roles and kept him in the prime minister’s office for ten years.
Hédi Nouira was an expert in both international history and modern economics. He had a thorough understanding of the territory and the Tunisians, the vast majority of whom desired central rule and resisted any form of excess. He wanted Tunisia to become the Singapore of Africa. He knew how to build his credibility, his authority, and his leadership. He was rationally liberal, socially-minded, pragmatic, and realistic in his perspective.
He restored confidence in the coutnry economy by his speeches, way of action, and personal commitment. State, employers, and UGTT initiate a session of social discussions every three years in order to provide greater visibility and less uncertainty for businesses and ensure social peace. Salaries and productivity go hand in hand. That was the policy.
Hédi Nouira knew where to lead the country and how to lead reform. He said what he did and did what he said, despite the danger of alienating strong supporters of social and economic progress. It revived the economy in so few years and put it on an Asian-style growth orbit, with yearly growth peaks exceeding 17%. His ten years in office will be remembered as the “ten glorious ones” in the country’s history. He rebuilt the state’s coffers and created more jobs and income than in the previous decade. He sought to bring Tunisia to the top of Africa. This ambition inspired the birth of the Tunisian dream.
After El Hedi Nouira’s stroke in February 1980, he was replaced by then-Education Minister Mohammed Mzali, who practically became the President’s heir apparent. In November 1987, however, Interior Minister Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali overthrew Bourguiba in a coup and claimed the presidency.
Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai has hailed the continuous successes achieved by Qatari champion Nasser Al Attiyah at the global stage, the latest of which was his Dakar Rally 2023 title victory for a second time in a row and the fifth overall.
Al Mannai said that Al Attiyah winning the Dakar Rally title is a great achievement for Qatar motorsports and sports in general, especially since this is his fifth victory at the tough international event following his earlier wins in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022.
Al Mannai explained that such achievements are not strange for the champion driver who has been winning titles and bringing victories to Qatari sports and motorsports in particular, noting that he is used to ascending the podiums in all forums, which makes him the most prominent Qatari sportsperson in the recent years.
Al Mannai stressed that Al Attiyah has become a key figure in the world of desert rallies whether at the global level or in the Middle East, considering that his successive achievements are a great incentive for all Qatari drivers to follow the same path and achieve titles and championships.
The QMMF president congratulated Al Attiyah on this great achievement, which serves as a motivation for him to continue victories this season in various competitions, wishing him success and continuing the same professional approach that he follows in managing his team and its participation in various international tournaments.
Al Mannai also noted that Al Attiyah’s victory this year was due to the strong strategy he followed, as he pressed in the early stages and led the rally by a comfortable margin and then fought the rest of the stages with the aim of maintaining the lead and not taking risks.
Al Mannai also stressed that Al Attiyah is a role model for all Qatari youth, not only for those in motorsports but for all sportpersons, which raises the ceiling of ambitions to achieve many achievements and raise the name of Qatar high at all international forums.
It is noteworthy that Al Attiyah first participated in the Dakar Rally in 2004, and during his presence in twenty editions he was able to win the title five times in 2011, 2015, 2019 and 2022, and occupied the runner-up position on five occassions in 2010, 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2021.
Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah celebrates with co-driver Mathieu Baumel of France, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation President Abdulrahman bin Abdullatif Al Mannai and officials after winning his fifth Dakar Rally title in Saudi Arabia, on Sunday. PIC: RED BULL
Egyptian duo Nour El Sherbini and Ali Farag retained their respective world titles in Chicago with straight-game wins over Nouran Gohar and Karim Abdel-Gawad early on Friday.
World No.1 Sherbini needed 38 minutes to beat Nouran Gohar 3-0 (11-6, 11-4, 12-10) and clinch her seventh World Championship title.
“I am over the moon to win my seventh World Championship,” El Sherbini was quoted as saying on PSA World Tour after the game.
The 27-year-old El Sherbini was in superb form in Chicago, winning her third World Championship title. She is now just one short of the current women’s record of eight, held by Malaysian legend Nicol David.
Her streak of five women’s World Championship titles in a row is matched only by David.
“It is huge and special for me and I cannot believe I did it, I am so happy,” the Egyptian squash star said.
I am happy that I am closer to Nicol’s [David] record. She is a legend and what she did was amazing and unbelievable,” El-Sherbini said, adding “I have always been looking up to her, so to put my name beside her is something special and huge for me.”
The men’s final saw World No.4 Ali Farag become the second Egyptian ever after Amr Shabana to win four men’s World Championship trophies.
The 31-year-old Farag needed 44 minutes to beat Karim Abdel Gawad 3-0 (12-10, 11-6, 11-6).
“The emotions are so raw, it is so hard to put it into words,” Farag said. “It is so special. No matter how many times you go through it, it is even more special than the time before. Especially against such a champion like Karim, I am super relieved and super happy,” he added.
“Two months ago, we played a practice match and we were limping, and the standard would not have even earned us a place in the World Championship, let alone the final. To come all the way through to reach the final is a very proud achievement for the two of us.”
Farag – like El Sherbini before him – has now won all three World Championships held in Chicago.
The PSA World Championships is the most prestigious tournament in squash, with $1,000,000 in total player compensation split equally between the male and female athletes.
Students of King Abdulaziz University won 41 medals during their participation in the 48th Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions.
The recently concluded exhibition saw 825 exhibitors from 44 countries take part with more than 1,000 inventions.
The head of innovation at the university, Dr. Iqbal Ismail, told Arab News: “Other Saudi universities are also participating. However, the participation of King Abdulaziz University at this exhibition is the largest and has been ongoing since 2016.”
Dr. Hana Al-Naim, acting president of the university, praised the achievements of the university’s male and female students, which have contributed both to the community and the Kingdom’s ranking, regionally and globally, in the field of creativity and innovation.
The students came from the university’s various colleges including departments of medicine, engineering, information technology and nursing.
Rahaf Alem and Raghad Al-Jundi won the International Federation of Inventors Association Award for the invention of a laser blood disease detector, also winning the gold medal.
A special prize from Taiwan was awarded to student Faisal Al-Subaie for inventing a cistern made from palm fronds to provide irrigation water.
Ahmed Al-Zahrani, Saleh Bakraa, Marwan Al-Jadaani, and Mohammed Al-Khamis also won the special award for their automated diagnostic platform.
The silver medal was awarded to Duaa Al-Shabani, Lama Al-Jelani, Gaitha Al-Khatami, Emtinan Yamani, and Hadeel Al-Lazori for their invention of an antimicrobial agent for dialysis patients.
Several Saudi inventions received the bronze medal. Safwan Hashim and Abdullah Abu Thyab won it for their renewable-energy car umbrella and Abdullah Al-Khotami for his work on protective glasses that shield wearers from thermal diseases.
Hala Mogarbel, Shahad Asiri, and Shatha Al-Sulami won the bronze medal for their urinary catheter holder invention.
Dina Al-Shibeeni, Marwa Bakour, and Hind Al-Rashid also won the bronze medal for the invention of an artificial intelligence gardening system.
The invention of a bedsore-proof bed earned Bateel Bajamal, Rena Al-Qahtani, Joud Hakami, Asmaa Bahmeed, and Shahad Al-Nahdi the bronze medal.
Shathar Al-Shabak, Jumana Al-Madhoun, Njoud Al-Ghamdi, and Raneem Saati were also awarded for their invention of “Minqath,” a drowning warning system.
Finally, Sumayah Baamer, Raniya Baksh, Rahaf Al-Saeed, and Deema Majashi won the bronze medal for school environment safety measures using artificial intelligence.
Ismail said: “There is no doubt that such student participation will have a great impact on raising a generation that thinks and researches in a scientific way and develops appropriate solutions to the problems facing the…community.”
He added that the exhibition constitutes an important opportunity to transform inventions into products that can be manufactured and marketed inside and outside the Kingdom.
Al-Naim will honor the exhibition’s winning students in a ceremony on Wednesday.
Five other coders win $50,000 each in awards presented by Dubai Crown Prince for top apps.
A Syrian coder on Wednesday won $1 million (around Dh3.67 million) in the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ contest during an award ceremony in Dubai facilitated by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of The Executive Council and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation.
Six software projects developed by Arab youth from around the world competed for the grand prize, thanks to the programming skills they acquired during their participation in the initiative’s courses.
On Wednesday, during the closing ceremony held at the Museum of the Future in Dubai, Sheikh Hamdan presented the awards to winners, with Mahmoud Shahoud, a Syrian coder who lives in Turkey, taking home the $1 million top prize.
Sheikh Hamdan tweeted: “Today, we honoured the winners of the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ Challenge, the UAE’s initiative to nurture the development of technology skills among Arab youth. 1.85 million Arab participants from 80 countries took part in the initiative along with 3,600 certified trainers.”
He added: “The Challenge opens fresh opportunities for Arab youth and offers a new path for them to achieve their dreams… Congratulations.”
Sheikh Hamdan added: “The ‘One Million Arab Coders’ initiative provided the opportunity for one million Arabs to enter the digital world. It fulfilled the dreams of tens of thousands of Arab programmers from all over the world. Its outcomes and successes will be the basis for many upcoming Arab achievements in the world of technology and coding. One Million Arab Coders’ has paved the way for Arab youth to broaden their horizons and sparked their innovation and creativity in the field of advanced technology.”
He added that the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ initiative, which was launched in 2017 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has succeeded in becoming a gateway for many Arab youth to use their programming skills to realise their dreams and aspirations.
“We look forward to our Arab coders continuing their pioneering innovations and expanding their achievements. We expect their names and future accomplishments to light up the sky worldwide.
“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision for the region’s future is based on investing in the development of the Arab people. The language of programming is one of the pillars of the knowledge economy and a major bridge to a future in which those who possess scientific excellence will have the upper hand,” Sheikh Hamdan concluded.
Shahoud was adjudged winner for his ‘Habit360’ app that helps users create and maintain good habits, allowing them to achieve long-term goals. Shahoud said half of the prize winning will go towards helping Syrian refugees. The rest will be invested in Dubai as Shahoud plans to shift his base to the emirate and start his own business.
Sahoud is a software engineer from Syria who developed Habit360 that helps people build new habits, track their progress and stay motivated. The application has served more than 200,000 users from around the world.
Beside Shahoud, there were five other winners announced on Wednesday.
About the initiative
The ‘One Million Arab Coders’ initiative is supervised by the Dubai Future Foundation and organised under the umbrella of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.
The closing ceremony held at Dubai’s Museum of the Future on Wednesday was to honour the best Arab talents in coding, and highlight best coding projects developed by graduates of the initiative to serve their communities and create a better future for humanity.
A total of $1.35 million was given away in prizes during the ceremony.
Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Managing Director of the Dubai Future Foundation, said: “The ‘One Million Arab Coders’ initiative embodies the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum [Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai] , to provide new opportunities for Arab youth, empowering their contributions to the advancement of technologies globally, and to put a clear Arab footprint in the future of humanity.”
Aimed at youth
He said the initiative aimed mainly at empowering Arab youth around the world with the tools of the future, and providing them with the opportunity to gain new experiences and skills that would help them turn their dreams into successful projects that benefit their societies and have a positive impact on their lives.
“The initiative was a glimmer of hope for Arab youth around the globe that success is not bound by place, age, or obstacles. Rather, success requires insistence on acquiring the experiences and skills that will be needed in the future,” Al Gergawi said.
He pointed out that the initiative was a cornerstone for countless success stories where coding helped create a positive impact on the future of humanity, and spread hope in the Arab region.
Al Gergawi stressed the importance of the initiative’s role in encouraging Arab coders to innovate and start developing software projects that not only meet the needs of their societies, but also foresee and adapt to its future requirements and changes, pointing to the initiative’s success in developing a leading global experience to teach coding skills in an effective manner, which was adopted in Jordan and Uzbekistan.
Saeed Mohammad Al Gergawi, Director, Dubai Future Academy, said: “We have 400 million Arabs and that is a lot of talent. Our criteria is that they had to be impactful, ready to be implemented and creative.”
Other winners
In addition to the grand prize for the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ challenge, the five best projects will receive prizes of $50,000 each, and four of the best trainers participating in the initiative will be honoured with prizes of $25,000 each. The finalists were chosen by a specialised jury that comprises many experts in the fields of entrepreneurship and future technologies.
Egyptian–Canadian Andrew Makram won $50,000 for his app called ‘Najeeb’, a platform for exams, tests and quizzes. “It is a cross-platform tool for teachers and educators to create and share paperless quizzes online. What the app does is that it allows students to access the quiz remotely, submit answers and receive the result instantly. Realtime submitted data are available to educators for revision and evaluation purposes,” he said.
Makram added that it took him a month to develop the app and it is in prototype form.
Egyptian entrepreuner Eman Magdy was another winner who has developed an app for the benefit of working women in Egypt. She won a prize for her initiative to ease the burden of working women in Egypt.
“The app is called 3lfraza. It is a platform to support homestay women in Egypt. Basically homestay women help working women to prepare vegetable and meat cuts and meals. Currently 9,000 women are registered from Egypt. We hope more women for all over the world use this to help one another. The app supports small vendors, helping busy mums in their day to day lives,” she said.
Meanwhile Mohamed ElEskandarany developed an app called ‘Muaahal’ to help youth to develop new skills. “It is a platform that aims to qualify Arab youth and prepare them well in the fields of their choice to work in suitable jobs or to start their own business. In addition, helping companies to find qualified employees, and to solve the problem of unemployment and increase the productivity of youth,” he said.
Another winner, Ammar Salim, won in the initiative for his app called Qeraaty Alnateqa which helps in speaking-reading program for the deaf and mute. “It is a speaking program to teach reading and writing to deaf and mute children. With a new sign language system and tool for converting the sign of only two fingers from the fingers of the hand to spoken letters and words,” said Salim.
Last but not the least, Hasan Mohamed won the prize for his ‘Chat translation app’.
“It is a mobile app that provides a textual and vocal chat for people of different languages in different places around the world ,to convert people’s speech in different languages into written texts, translate texts from one language to another, and convert translated texts into spoken speech again,” said Mohamed.
Software expertise
Sheikh Mohammed launched the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ challenge in July 2021 with the aim of recognising and honouring the achievements of Arab talents in the field of programming and creating an opportunity for participants in the initiative to showcase their innovative projects, developed using programming skills and the experience gained during their participation.
The challenge saw a total of 257 projects submitted by the initiative’s graduates from 50 different countries in various sectors related to programming, technology and entrepreneurship in the areas of website and mobile application development. In order to qualify for the final stage and compete for the million-dollar prize, the nominees were selected according to a set of main criteria, including the project idea, the innovation quality, and ease of use.
Jury
The jury for the final round included Fadi Ghandour, Chairman of Wamda Capital; Bashar Kilani, Managing Director of Accenture Middle East; Dr. Abdul Latif Al Shamsi, Director of the Higher Colleges of Technology; and Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President of Amazon Middle East.
Supervised by the Dubai Future Foundation, the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ initiative has seen 1,058,265 people from around the world participate virtually in millions of hours of study and work, as well as tens of thousands of training workshops. Since its launch, 1,500 “Nano Degree” certificates have been awarded to distinguished participants and promising talents. The initiative featured more than 3,600 certified trainers from around the world.
Serving humanity
Led by the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) and organised under the umbrella of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), ‘One Million Arab Coders’ is the largest initiative of its kind in the world. The initiative aims to teach one million young people from the Arab world to code and enable them to launch exceptional projects and programmes that serve Arab societies, drawing on the science and skills gained from their training.
The initiative embodies Sheikh Mohammed’s vision to empower Arab youth with the tools of the future to serve humanity and build a brighter future for the region. The challenge forms part of the UAE’s continuous efforts make a positive impact on the world.
Partnerships
The ‘One Million Arab Coders’ initiative is supported by the Hussein Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation, which focuses on supporting learning opportunities and developing skills to stimulate profitable social and economic participation, and empowering societies in the Arab world to achieve a sustainable future. The Udacity digital learning platform also supported the initiative by offering educational content and training in necessary skills for future jobs. The list of partners of the initiative also included many international technology companies, including Microsoft, Facebook, Oracle, Careem and others.
The initiative also provides the world with a pioneering model for promoting the development of programming skills. It was adopted in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which launched the ‘One Million Jordanian Coders’ initiative in May 2019. The initiative was introduced with the aim of making Jordan a world leader in the field of programming. The ‘One Million Uzbek Coders’ initiative, launched through a partnership between the governments of the UAE and the Republic of Uzbekistan, was announced in November 2019, with the aim of providing Uzbek youth with an opportunity to acquire skills in programming, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, to contribute to the development of innovative technology-based solutions and services.
source/content: gulfnews.com (headline edited)
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Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (centre) with the winners / Image Credit: Supplied
Dr. Jalees Razavi is first physician from Kingdom, Arab world to be honored
Prize presented by American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
A Saudi doctor has been presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement in OEM Award by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Dr. Jalees Razavi is the first Saudi, and Arab, to have been honored with the prize and also the first person from outside North America.
The award, which was created in 1938 by William S. Knudsen, then president of General Motors, recognizes doctors who have made a distinguished contribution to occupational and environmental medicine.
“Never in my wildest dream did I think that I would ever be nominated, let alone win it, Razavi told Arab News.
“I Googled the award and was speechless, as the luminaries who have won this award in the past consist of the who’s who of the specialty, such as C. Everett Koop, the 13th surgeon general of the US, and the father of modern occupational medicine in Canada, Ernest Mastromatteo in 1987.”
Saudi Arabia has many world-class medical researchers. Many Saudis have already proven to the world that they are hardworking, capable, ethical and goal-oriented professionals. I hope that this award willinspire the next generations ofSaudi professionals to continue to workhardand aim higher.
Dr.Jalees Razavi, Saudi physician
Based in Canada, Razavi has been a pioneer in the field of occupational and environmental medicine in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East, and has chaired many symposiums, conferences and technical workshops.
“I think (receiving the award) is the combination of my active clinical work, unyielding commitment to the health and safety of the workforce and teaching,” he said.
At the award ceremony, Razavi was praised for his work as head of occupational medicine and later as chief of preventive medicine at Saudi Aramco, where he led on a number of environmental health campaigns.
“During my work as the executive medical director for Imperial Oil Ltd., Canada and ExxonMobil I worked on the slogan I introduced: ‘Having a Healthy Career,’” he said.
Razavi said occupational and environmental medicine was the field that dealt with the relationship between work and people’s physical and mental health.
“Without enough physicians, the gap is filled by professionals who will not have the skill sets required to address worker health needs. This ultimately impacts the health of workers and even their safety, depending on their job. I don’t think that there is a global solution, nor is it something that can be solved alone.
“Instead, governments, industries, unions, workers, medical schools, regulatory bodies and others should come together to determine how to arrive at an adequate number of specialists to meet population needs and maintain worker health.”
He also suggested incorporating OEM courses in undergraduate medical education and postgraduate residency training in order to grow interest and awareness in the speciality.
“Over the past 20 or more years, planetary health, global warming, greenhouse effect and climate change became global challenges. The occupational medicine specialists were quick to recognize the need for addressing the environmental medicine need,” Razavi said.
“The postgraduate programs in occupational medicine at the Universities of Toronto, Alberta and Montreal, for example, over the last many years have expanded their training curriculum to include environmental medicine.
“I expanded my practice for heat- and cold-related diseases and injuries, migrant and remote workers heath, and I also consult on disaster responses, because what happens in one corner of the world can impact the rest within hours, such as with COVID-19 or catastrophes such as Fukushima or Chernobyl.”
Different from clinical medicine, OEM evaluates and addresses whether certain illnesses are caused by a specific workplace exposure and evaluates risk, toxicology, injuries management and prevention.
“For example, we may diagnose diabetes in the workplace during routine screening. We don’t actively treat the condition, but assess and manage the impact of the disease on the worker’s health at work, and his or her safety in the workplace,” Razavi said.
He said he was proud to be the first Saudi to win the award.
“Saudi Arabia has many world class medical researchers. Many Saudis have already proven to the world that they are hardworking, capable, ethical and goal-oriented professionals. I hope that this award will inspire the next generations of Saudi professionals to continue to work hard and aim higher.”
“Phoenix Mecano Elcom,” a Tunisian company specializing in the manufacture and assembly of electromechanical components has just won the Tunisian Kaizen Prize in the “large-Scale Business” category.
The Kaizen prize, awarded at a ceremony in Tunis on Wednesday, is an initiative organized by the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Its aim is to reward Tunisian companies operating in the industrial or industry-related services sector that have distinguished themselves through exemplary implementation of the “Kaizen” approach, a concept that promotes a culture of continuous learning, integration and innovation.
“Phoenix Mecano Elcom had already won the African Kaizen Award last October in Yaoundé, Cameroon.
In the large-scale businesses category, international manufacturing company Asteel Flash and the Arab Society for Pharmaceutical Industries (SAIPH) also won awards.
Plastic packaging company Azur Pack also received an award in the Small and Medium Businesses category.
During the ceremony, the Minister of Industry, Neila Gongi, said that there was potential for improvement through the spread of Kaizen in Tunisia.
For his part, the Resident Representative of the JICA Office in Tunisia, Shunei Ueno, stressed that, more than a year after the end of the “Quality and Productivity Improvement Project” in December 2002, this second edition of the Tunisian Kaizen Awards “testifies to the continuity of the momentum of the dissemination of the Kaizen concept in Tunisia, which was initiated within the framework of this project”.
The Kaizen concept offers a systematic approach to improvement that results in cost reduction, improved quality and productivity, and shorter delivery times, JICA said. In 2006, Tunisia became the first country in Africa where JICA introduced the Kaizen approach.
