Tag: First Arab

SAUDI ARABIA : Saudi’s Munira Khalid Al Rasheed becomes First Arab & First Saudi Woman to lead World Customs Organisation’s regional offices

Munira’s election recognises contributions of regional office in achieving WCO objectives

Saudi academic Munira Khalid Al Rasheed has made history by becoming the first Saudi and Arab woman to lead the World Customs Organisation’s regional offices for global information exchange.

The Regional Information Exchange Offices of the World Customs Organisation have elected Munira as the President of the Regional Information Exchange Network for the next two years (2025-2026).

The announcement was made during the 31st global meeting of the Regional Offices, recently held at the headquarters of the World Customs Organisation in the Belgian capital, Brussels.

The election follows Munira Khalid Al Rashid’s appointment as Vice-President in addition to her current position as the Director of the Regional Office for Information Exchange in the Middle East (RILO ME) at the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority.

Her election recognises the contributions of the Middle East Regional Office in achieving the objectives of the World Customs Organisation. It also involves representing 11 local offices affiliated with the Middle East region in all meetings, conferences, and workshops.

The Kingdom has, in recent years, enacted landmark reforms, significantly expanding women’s opportunities.

These reforms include granting women the right to drive and increasing their workforce participation.

Munira’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Management, Marketing, and International Business from the University of New Haven, USA, in 2004, and an Executive MBA from Al Yamamah University, Saudi Arabia, in 2013.

Over her 18-year career, Munira has held various positions, including heading the Admission and Registration Department at Al Yamamah University, working in the Regional Management Department at Credit Suisse Saudi Arabia, and serving as Director of Public Relations at Volkswagen Group Saudi Arabia.

She has also been the Director of the Marketing and Communication Program at the Government Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) and Advisor to the Deputy Governor for Security Affairs at the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

OMAN / ARAB: First Arab Postal Leaders Forum to be held in Muscat,Oman on Feb 12

The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), in cooperation with Universal Postal Union, will host the first edition of the Arab Postal Leaders Forum from February 12 to 14 in Muscat.

An official at MTCIT informed that with participation of more than 60 representatives from 18 Arab countries, the forum will serve as a platform for discussions of crucial topics related to the digital transformation of business models within the postal sector. He explained that the primary focus of the forum is on leveraging digital technologies to reshape the postal industry.

Among its key objectives is exploration of opportunities to broaden access to digital economy services, encompassing e-governance and e-commerce, through various digital platforms.

The event will delve into the challenges associated with digital transformation across diverse sectors such as trade, finance, communications, transportation and customs.

“The forum’s agenda includes presentations and discussion sessions that will spotlight innovative digital solutions in the postal and e-commerce domains. Moreover, global best practices in the realms of digitisation and postal transformation will be discussed. The goal is to underscore the significance of collaborations and information exchange among stakeholders, fostering increased adaptability in postal systems amid the rapid pace of digital transformation,” the MTCIT official said.

The event seeks to  enhance  the adaptability of postal services and systems in response to the evolving technological landscape.

source/content: muscatdaily.com (headline edited)

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OMAN / ARAB

EGYPTIAN: Mohammed Sadiq Bey – The First Arab Photographer of the Holy Kaaba

Photographers from all over the world compete to capture the most beautiful images of the oldest holy place on earth, hardly anyone in the world has not seen the image of the Kaaba.

Egyptian Mohammed Sadiq Bey, was the first photographer to take pictures of the Kaaba through the lens of a camera; about 138 years ago in 1880 when he went to Mecca.

Sadiq Bey took the earliest pictures on records and wrote four books about his visits to the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque during that period.

Nowadays photographers take pictures of the Kaaba to capture its beautiful gold threaded black silk cover and the Koranic verses that adorn it.

source/content: english.alarabiya.net (headline edited)

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The Kaaba photographed in 1880 / pix: wikipedia

pix: en.wikipedia.org / Muhammad Sadiq

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EGYPT

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)

SAUDI ARABIA Auditor Fehr Al-Jefri Becomes the First Arab to Win the William S. Smith Gold Award for Auditing

Fehr Al-Jefri, a member of the Saudi Institute of Internal Auditors, achieved the highest score in the William S. Smith Award for the Certified Internal Auditor program.

He earned the gold medal in a competition against candidates from the Philippines, China, and the US.

Al-Jefri is the first Arab to receive the highest award offered for auditing by the CIA, which consists gold, silver, bronze, and student levels. These awards are determined by individual performance in the core CIA exams.

The International Institute of Internal Auditors recognized and honored Al-Jefri for successfully completing all core exams within a year.

His accomplishment is a testament to the support provided by the Saudi leadership to individuals in various fields, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

According to the International Institute of Internal Auditors, this recognition signifies the role of Saudi Arabia in supporting the internal auditing profession and its practitioners. It highlights the “efforts made to help them overcome challenges, succeed in their professional work, and enhance work mechanisms.”

Abdullah Saleh Al-Shebeili, the CEO of the Saudi Institution of Internal Auditors, affirmed that the country’s achievements persist due to the steadfast support of the leadership toward the overall control system and, specifically, the internal audit profession. Al-Jafri’s victory serves as undeniable evidence of this sustained support.

Al-Jefri expressed his pride in receiving the award, considering it not only a personal accomplishment but recognition for his nation.

He also praised the role played by the Saudi Institution of Internal Auditors in bolstering the profession and advancing its practices.

Al-Jefri highlighted the institution’s efforts in organizing courses and seminars aimed at enhancing efficiency, improving performance quality, and strengthening oversight.

He also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the institution for providing him with the necessary resources and support to achieve success. He emphasized that obtaining the CIA certificate signifies a high level of excellence in the profession and creates numerous opportunities for career advancement.

The William S. Smith Award, launched in 2010, catalyzes the advancement of the CIA program. It showcases participants’ commitment to addressing evolving challenges and equipping professionals with the necessary experience, credibility, knowledge, and competence to excel in the field and make a difference in various domains.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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Fehr Al-Jefri, a member of the Saudi Institution of Internal Auditors, and the first Arab to receive the Gold William Smith Award for the CIA. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA

The FIRST Marvel Project to have an Arab Director. Filmmaker Mohamed Diab Discusses ‘Moon Knight’

Representation matters. Not just representation of ethnic background, but of personal experience. As Egyptian director Mohamed Diab becomes the first Arab to direct a Marvel project with the eagerly awaited limited series “Moon Knight,” it’s a landmark moment not only because of his nationality, but also because he was born, raised, thrived and suffered in Egypt, living through his country’s revolution and painful rebuild, and ultimately becoming one of its most important chroniclers.

“I’m not someone who is obsessed with firsts, but I will say that what is unique about me getting the Marvel job is that I’m coming directly from the Arab world,” Diab — who previously helmed the award-winning films “Cairo 678” (2010), “Clash” (2016), and “Amira” (2021) — continues.

There was a major reason that Diab’s voice was so necessary to the project. While many of the Marvel comic books from the 60s and 70s drew from cultures and mythologies from across the world, they were written and drawn from a perspective foreign to the cultures they were influenced by, leading to limited — sometimes offensive — portrayals of those people, places, and histories.

Part of Diab’s mission was not just to apply his own voice to the show, but to include the creative voices of as many Egyptians and Arabs as he could. Each Egyptian character on the show is portrayed by an actual Egyptian — something rarely, if ever, done in Hollywood — including the ancient deity that plagues Moon Knight himself. Behind the scenes, Diab recruited the previous collaborator Ahmed Hafez as one of the series’ editors, and the great Egyptian composer Hesham Nazih to write the series’ score.

Diab — as the show’s key creative voice along with creator Jeremy Slater — was integral in far more than capturing the Egyptian aspects of the show; he helped shape its entire aesthetic, so the show embraces elements that no Marvel project has before in terms of tone, style, and themes. He also personally convinced two actors who had long resisted becoming part of a superhero project — Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke — to come aboard.

“The wonderful idea of hiring Mohamed to be our quarterback, to guide this ship, is that the movies he’s made in Egypt are incredible,” says Hawke. “He’s not looking at this with the eyes of an American, he’s looking at this — and these deities, and this world — from a vantage point of growing up in Egypt and having a lot to say about it. It’s exciting to be around him in that way.”

Diab also recruited the Egyptian-Palestinian actress May Calamawy, best known for her role in the Golden Globe-winning sitcom “Ramy,” as one of the show’s leads.

Ultimately, “Moon Knight” — which debuts internationally on Disney+ on March 30 and will premiere in the region this summer — is a show full of outsiders who, in partnership with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige and many others, lent their creative voices to make this a Marvel project like no other.

source/content: arabnews.com (edited)

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Egyptian director Mohamed Diab is the first Arab to direct a Marvel project with the eagerly awaited limited series “Moon Knight.” (Supplied)

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EGYPT

Ons Jabeur. Makes History – Cracks Top 30 in WTA Rankings (August 2020). Arab Woman of the Year in Sports (2019).

Ons Jabeur. Female Tennis Professional.

Ons Jabeur is expected to climb to 30th rank in the International Womens’ Tennis Association (WTA) rankings.

She has won 11 singles titles and one doubles title on the ITF Women’s Circuit.

-Arab Woman of the Year in Sports (2019)

-First Arab Player to win a Junior Grand Slam Singles title

-First Arab Woman to reach quarter finals of a Grand Slam Tournament at the 2020 Australian Open

-Highest ranked Arab Player in WTA history

pix : en.wikipedia.com

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Tunisia