Records of GCC – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

KUWAIT’s Jasem Al Budaiwi Appointed GCC Secretary General

He replaces his countryman Nayef Al Hajraf, whose term is coming to an end.

Jasem Al Budaiwi, Kuwait’s ambassador to the US, has been appointed as the new Secretary General of the Gulf Co-operation Council, succeeding Nayef Al Hajraf whose term ends on Tuesday.

The GCC said Mr Al Hajraf welcomed the new secretary general and “wished him success”.

Mr Al Hajraf, who took office on February 1, 2020, was previously Kuwait’s minister of finance.

Mr Al Budaiwi, who will take up his new post on Wednesday, began his diplomatic career with Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1992 as diplomatic attache in the office of the deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs.

He was posted to Kuwait’s US embassy in June 2001, where he was promoted to first secretary in 2004, counsellor in 2007 and deputy chief of mission in October 2011.

He was appointed ambassador to Korea in 2013 and served in the post until 2016.

He then served as Kuwait’s ambassador to Belgium and head of mission to Nato until last year, when he was appointed ambassador to the US.

In December, leaders of the GCC agreed that Kuwait should retain the position of secretary general of the council for a second consecutive term during their annual summit in Riyadh.

Mr Al Budaiwi will be the GCC’s third secretary general from Kuwait after Mr Al Hajraf and Abdullah Yaqoub Bishara, who was the first person to hold the post after the council was established. Mr Bishara’s tenure was to last 11 years, making him the longest-serving chief among the six to have held the position.

Mr Al Hajraf has been making farewell visits to GCC states in recent weeks and meeting their leaders and foreign ministers.

The GCC was established in 1981 to promote economic, security, cultural and social co-operation between its six member states, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The countries hold a summit every year.

The GCC’s Supreme Council is made up of the heads of the member states.

UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, hosted the council’s first meeting in Abu Dhabi on May 25 and 26, 1981.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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KUWAIT

WORLD RECORD: QATAR: Mutaz Barshim turns on the style to Win Third Straight World High Jump Gold Medal at the ‘World Athletics Championships, Eugene,USA

Qatari dominated his rivals to retain his title with a winning jump of 2.37 metres.

Qatar’s Mutaz Barshim turned on the style to win his third straight world high jump gold medal on Monday after clearing a world-leading 2.37 metres with ease.

Barshim, who famously shared Olympic gold with Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi last year, jumped beautifully all night at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon to go well beyond his own season’s best of 2.30m.

The title was just about secure after he cleared 2.35m but he then eased over 2.37m looking almost in slow motion. With the gold medal then in the bag he had one attempt at a championship record 2.42m but failed.

“The target for me for today was gold medal, if even the world record is the only thing I still miss,” said Barshim, whose best of 2.43m is second only to Javier Sotomayor’s 2.45m set in 1993.

“Three worlds golds in a row is something that has never have been done before. I feel like I have a name in our sport, but I have been never felt like the greatest one in the field,” added the modest Qatari, who also has two Olympic silvers and a world silver to his name.

World indoor champion Woo Sang-hyeok of South Korea needed three attempts to get over 2.33m but then also cleared 2.35m at the second attempt to take silver. Ukraine’s Andriy Protsenko collected bronze on the back of his 2.33m clearance.

Tamberi had a nervous path into the final, twice failing at 2.25m and then twice again at 2.28m in Friday’s heats. In the final he failed twice at 2.30m but then cleared 2.33m at the second attempt before bowing out at 2.35m to finish fourth.

source/content: thenationalnews.com (edited)

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Mutaz Barshim celebrates after winning the men’s high jump final at the World Athletics Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, USA, on July 18 2022. EPA

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QATAR

Saudia’s ‘Ithra’ Celebrates a Busy & Award-Winning 2021

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture aka Ithra, presented more than 7,000 programs and won five local and international awards this year.

Ithra presented more than 7,000 programs and initiatives in art, knowledge, culture, creativity and society this year, and welcomed more than 500,000 local and international visitors, the organization said.

In addition, about 4,000 male and female volunteers participated in the center’s local, regional and international events and activities, contributing 13,000 hours of work.

Ithra won five local and international awards in the past 12 months, including the 2021 Cultural Institutes Award in the private sector track by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture.

Ithra was also recognized with three prestigious accolades from MarCom, one of the largest and most respected creative competitions in the world. Among 6,000 entries, Ithra achieved platinum in the ‘Team Achievement’ and ‘Pro Bono’ categories, and gold in the ‘Social Content’ category for its efforts on World Book Day.

The center was also recognized locally by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development with numerous awards, including the first volunteer unit to implement the national volunteering standard, the first center to introduce volunteering in the private sector, and a Gold “Mowaamah” certification, for the accessible ecosystem that the center provides to support those with special needs, in accordance with their required standards and needs.

Ithra’s annual flagship creativity festival, held under the theme Tools — Crafting Creativity, Tanween 2021 attracted more than 25,000 visitors over the course of three weeks.

The festival featured international and local experts in 30 talks, 10 masterclasses, 7 workshops and 4 big experiences. One of the main features of Tanween was the Smartphone Orchestra, which sorted the public based on the data they provided themselves in this interactive and immersive activity. Another highlight featured mass drone swarms that interacted with the audience in one of the largest co-created drone/human light paintings ever made.

Currently on display at the first Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, Ithra Art Prize-winner Nadia Kaabi-Linke’s piece underlines the new Pan-Arab direction of the prize. This is the first year one of the most significant art prizes in the region is open to regional artists, while simultaneously representing a homecoming for the award which was presented at Art Dubai for its first three editions. Consisting of 19 canvasses nearly 20 meters long together, E Pluribus Unum – A Modern Fossil is described as a metaphor for modern times.

Ithra also cemented its reputation as a leading Saudi film producer with roadshows at the 74th Cannes International Film Festival and at the Red Sea International Film Festival, the Kingdom’s first international film fair. Produced under the Ithra Film Productions banner, celebrated Egyptian screenwriter and producer Mohamed Hefzy’s Sea of Sands and Saudi award-winning independent filmmaker Khalid Fahad’s Valley Road are both scheduled for release in 2023. The feature-length documentary film Anti-Cinema, meanwhile, is currently in post-production and is expected to hit the international film festival circuit shortly. Winner of the Ithra Content Commission Initiative, Ali Saeed and Hassan Saeed’s film brings Saudi Arabia’s film history to the big screen.

source/content: arabnews.com

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Ithra presented more than 7,000 programs and initiatives in art, knowledge, culture, creativity and society this year, and welcomed more than 500,000 local and international visitors. (Shutterstock) / pix: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

Saudia’s Mansour Al-Saleem Wins Gold Medal, World Weightlifting Championships, Tashkent : December 07th, 2021

Mansour Al-Saleem (aka) Mansour Abdulrahim Al-Saleem . Weightlifter.

Mansour Al Saleem won Saudi Arabia’s first medal in the World Senior Weightlifting Championships, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

He won the gold medal in the 118 kg category, and the silver medal went to Arly Chunti from Kazakhstan.

source/content: thenewsglory.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

Saudia’s Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa, MWL Chief Receives ‘Bridge Builder Award’ in Oslo, Norway : November 2021

Dr. Mohammed Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa

Dr. Mohammed Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of the Muslim Scholars Association, has received the Norwegian Bridge Builder Award at a ceremony in Oslo.

He was one of three recipients of the award in 2021, which is given to people who have helped to build bridges between individuals, nations and societies.

The other two were Rev. Prof. Dr. Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches, and Michael Melchior, Chief Rabbi and leader of the Religious Peace Initiative in Israel.

source/content: arabnews.com

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Dr. Mohammed Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL) and Chairman of the Muslim Scholars Association, has received the Norwegian Bridge Builder Award. (Supplied) / pix: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

Exhibition Celebrates Late Calligrapher and Artist Mohammad Bajnaid

Mohammad Salem Bin Abdul Basit Bin Abdul Rahman Bin Junaid Bajnaid (aka) Mohammad Bajnaid – Artist. Calligrapher.

Saudi artist and calligrapher Mohammad Salem Bajnaid contributed to the design and embroidery of the Kiswah — the cloth that is draped over the Kaaba in Makkah on the day that pilgrims leave for Mount Arafat during the Hajj.

Sharbatly House Museum in Historic Jeddah is currently hosting an exhibition celebrating the work of the renowned Saudi artist and calligrapher Mohammad Salem Bajnaid.

The show is part of Saudi Arabia’s Year of Arabic Calligraphy, launched by the Ministry of Culture with the support of the Quality of Life Program

The new exhibition in Jeddah runs until December and features 21 works from throughout Bajnaid’s career, some of which are Quranic verses and prophetic hadiths.

The show is split into four main areas: The Ancient House, Family bonds, Knowledge, and Patience.

It has been curated by the artist’s grandson, Salem Fouzi Bajnaid, who told Arab News: “The credit behind all the efforts in setting up this event goes to (the artist’s) family and friends, in cooperation with the ministry of culture. We’ve witnessed such an amazing response on the first few days, with art admirers from everywhere coming to appreciate the work being displayed here.”

Bajnaid, who died in October 2019, was widely recognized as one of the most talented calligraphers in the Arab and Islamic world. He contributed to the design and embroidery of the Kiswah — the cloth that is draped over the Kaaba in Makkah on the day that pilgrims leave for Mount Arafat during the Hajj — and was also the creator of the Kingdom’s gift to the United Nations for its headquarters in New York in 1982.

website :msalembajnaid.com/

source/content: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

Qatar Swimming Team Wins Age Groups Title at 28th GCC Aquatics Championships : August 21st, 2021

Qatar’s national swimming team claimed the title of age groups competitions at the 28th GCC Aquatics Championships on Friday, 20 August 2021. The competitions will conclude at the Hamad Aquatic Centre on Sunday, 22 August 2021.

Team Qatar swimmers claimed 24 medals on the second day including 12 gold medals, 10 silver medals, and two bronze medals taking their tally of medals to 52 including 30 gold medals, 15 silver medals, and 7 bronze medals.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait finished second and third respectively. Bahrain UAE and Oman were the other teams in the competition.

Qatari swimmers also emerged on top in all three age categories. While Ziad Morsi (three gold two silver) was the best in the 11-12 years category, Abdullah Al Ghemri (13-14 years) was unstoppable in all six races he took part in.

Omar Ashraf, who set a Gulf record on the opening day, took home five gold and a silver in the 15-17 years group.

The Qatar Swimming Association president Khaleel Al Jabir was thrilled with the overwhelming display of strength.

“This is the first time in the competition’s 28 editions that a country is winning 30 gold medals. We left everyone far behind, and it shows the strength of our programme. I congratulate the boys on a job well done, and we’ll strive to make them more competitive at higher levels,” said Al Jabir.

source/content: iloveqatar.net /
source and cover image credit: Qatar Olympic Committee

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QATAR

Almoez Ali Makes History- First to Score at 3 Football Tournaments – Asian Cup, Gold Cup, Copa America

Almoez Ali creates footballing history as the first ever player to score in three of the biggest football tournaments.

Qatar’s number one striker scored nine goals at the Asian Cup 2019 and a goal each at Copa America in 2019 against Paraguay as well as this year’s 2021 Gold Cup against Panama

source/content: dohanews.co

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QATAR / SUDAN

Bahrain’s Ali Monfaradi : International Jiu-Jitsu Champion

Ali Monfaradi (aka) Ali Seena E. A. Monfaradi . Athlete. Jiu-Jitsu. Black Belt Holder.

Ali has 2 nicknames – One is “The Beast From The Middle East” and the other one, which was ‘coined’ by his coach Michael Langhi is “Cadeira Elétrica” (Electric Chair).

Represented Bahrain in competitions regionally and globally.

Business:

Founder of ‘Elements BJJ’ – a sports business venture

Winner :

1st Place IBJJF European Open NoGi (2019)
1st Place IBJJF German Nationals (2017)
1st Place IBJJF Berlin Open (2018)
1st Place UAEJJF Czech Republic Pro (2019)
1st Place JJIF World Ju-Jutsu Championship (2018)
2nd Place IBJJF Berlin NoGi Open (2018)
2nd Place IBJJF London Fall NoGi Open (2017 / 2018)
2nd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro (2021)
2nd Place UAEJJF Dubai National Pro (2018)
3rd Place JJIF World Ju-Jutsu Championship (2018)
3rd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro (2019)
3rd Place IBJJF London Fall Open (2017)
3rd Place IBJJF Berlin Open (2018*)

Records of Achievements (Colored Belts):

1st Place IBJJF World Championship (2012 blue)
1st Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2012 blue)
2nd Place IBJJF World Championship (2012* blue)
3rd Place IBJJF European Open (2017 brown)
3rd Place IBJJF Pans Championship (2012* blue, 2015 purple)
3rd Place IBJJF World Championship (2011 blue, 2014 purple)

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BAHRAIN