Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Interacts With School Students In The UAE

Students across the UAE rejoiced as they met with the eleventh President of India, Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam. Popularly known as the People’s President during his period on of presidency, Dr. Kalam visited the J.S.S. International School in Al Barsha, Dubai, where he interacted with students from across the UAE.

In a statement, Mr. Guruswami Kalloor, CEO, J.S.S. International School, said: “It is a great honor for us to have Dr. Kalam join us at the school today and interact with the children. Students from schools across the UAE have joined us, showing immense enthusiasm in meeting with Dr. Kalam. The children have put forth many interesting questions for the former President, abiding the faith he has in the role children play towards to positive future of the country.”

JSS Private School (JSSPS) is run by the internationally renowned JSS Mahavidyapeetha (JSS MVP), a socio-cultural Institution (Trust) that has dedicated itself to the development of culture, literature and education for the prosperity of society in general and serves as a tool for social change.

“At J.S.S International, we are committed to building and shaping every child’s future. A meeting with a legendary personality like Dr. Abdul Kalam would leave a deep impression in the minds of the young students. He is a big inspiration to all of us, especially the students, having set a bench mark for humility and leading the nation.”

JSS employs a holistic approach to education to empower individuals to become caring, competent and responsible citizens who value education as a lifelong process. This promotes the student’s intellectual, physical, moral and social development; realizing and optimizing each student’s potential.

The school recently announced that it is soon to expand its reach in Dubai with a second school campus in Al Safa, in order to cater to the increasing demands of the 2011 academic year.

Spread over a vast area, the school has state-of-the-art facilities that include well equipped laboratories, library, ample play areas including football grounds, tennis courts, swimming pool, etc.
 

Abdul Rahman Alhammoud Wins Red Bull Breaking Finals

As the curtain rose, spectators could not contain their excitement. The scene was worth it indeed; a stage that hosted the best 16 B-Boys in the Middle East, who came down from eight countries to take part in this long-awaited competition. Saudi Abdul Rahman Alhammoud, better known as B-Boy Lazy, was strong enough to impose his supremacy and convince the panel that he deserved the title.

The long-awaited Red Bull BreaKing championship was held at Madinat Jumeirah’s Amphitheatre. Offering a spectacular backdrop, Burj Al Arab bore witness to the outstanding shows performed by the 16 participants, in front of hundreds of fans who flocked in as early as 4pm to watch the event.

“I am so delighted to win Red Bull BreaKing Finals”, commented enthusiastic Alhammoud. “In fact, I am proud to have represented my country and bring the title back home with me.”

The competition came to crown a series of national qualifying rounds, which were previously organized in eight countries, covering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Lebanon.

Red Bull BreaKing was judged by a panel that consisted of 3 highly renowned figures, namely Red Bull BC One’s two-time winner “Lilou”, famous star “Taisuki” and Red Bull BC One winner for 2007, Ronnie. The ceremony was animated by Malikah, Desert Heat and The Recipe, who added further hype to the already exciting event.

In addition to his glorious victory, Alhammoud will enjoy the unique opportunity to attend the Red Bull BC One Finals in Tokyo, Japan, next November. The competition is considered to be the most reputed Break Dance event in the world and is tuned on by thousands of fans.

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf Advocates Moderate Religious Outlook At Dubai School Of Government Talk

The key to cultural progress and religious acceptance is interfaith dialogue, tolerance for diversity, religious understanding, bridge-building and moderation, according to Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, Islamic religious scholar and the Founder and CEO of the American Society for Muslim Advancement (ASMA Society).

The Imam’s comments came during a talk on “Religious Tolerance and Muslim Life in America” held at the Dubai School of Government (DSG).

He said: "We are Christians and Muslims, but one of our faults is instead of worshipping God, we worship our religion and use that to cause division between us. The sense of brotherhood and unity that the prophets had for each other as servants of the true God is the primary lesson we should all learn.

“The demand is on us (Muslims) to feel a special brotherhood with the Christian and Jewish faiths and certainly our own. It is time to accept that the Laws of Moses, Jesus and Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) were never opposed to each other."

During his talk, Imam Feisal discussed the need to promote healthy dialogue and understanding between Muslims and the West. He also described the reality of Islamic life and freedom of worship in the US.

He added: “It is important to raise awareness and disseminate knowledge to minimize misconceptions or prejudice. For this purpose, it is important to augment the avenues for studying Christian or Jewish culture in the Middle Eastern universities, which is in stark contrast to the universities in the West, many of which offer courses in Islamic studies.”

The Imam is on an outreach trip spanning key countries in the Middle East organised by the US State Department. His Excellency Justin Siberell, the US Counsul-General in Dubai, as well as officials from the Consulate and the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi, were present at the lecture.

Dr. Tarik Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government, said: “The need for tolerance and religious understanding is greater now than ever before. There are those who would drive the world toward a “clash of civilizations” scenario, but the vast majority of people in both the Islamic and Western worlds seek a peaceful world based on mutual respect. We are honored to host Iman Feisal Abdul Rauf, who has devoted his life to promoting a tolerant, open and confident vision of Islam which is fully at home in America, and we in the Dubai School of Government look forward to continuing our initiatives toward strengthening the bonds of understanding between the West and the Muslim world.”

Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is the Imam of Masjid Al-Farah, a mosque in New York City. He has dedicated his life to building bridges between Muslims and the West and is a leader in the effort to foster religious pluralism and integrate Islam into the contemporary American society.

By establishing ASMA in 1997, he created the first Muslim organization committed to bringing Muslims and non-Muslims together through programmes in academia, policy, current affairs and culture. As Imam of Masjid Al-Farah, he preaches a message of peace and understanding between people, regardless of creed, nationality or political beliefs.

Established in 2005 in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, the Dubai School of Government is committed to the creation of knowledge and the dissemination of global best practices in the Arab world. The institution conducts various programmes that seek to enhance the region’s capacity for effective public policies.

For more details, visit www.dsg.ae or call 04 329 3290.
 

Dubai Ladies Club Hosts Special Islamic Lecture By Dr Omar Abdul Kafi

Earlier this week, Dubai Ladies Club, a member of Dubai Women Establishment, hosted a special Islamic Lecture conducted by renowned speaker, Dr Omar Abdul Kafi. The lecture was organised as part of a variety of activities organized by Dubai Ladies Club during the holy month of Ramadan under the theme of “Al Taqwa” which means ‘Guidance on How to be a Good Practising Muslim’.

The subject for the lecture was ‘Al Taqwa’ – Spiritualities & prayers accompanying Ramadan practises. Dr Omar Abdul Kafi discussed the path of kindness that one should follow during the Holy Month. Dr. Abdul Kafi also talked about the purpose of fasting and Qiyam Al Lail prayers, and other issues related to the month of Ramadan. The month’s activities began with a special Ramadan Fatwa Workshop by Ahmed Haddad where guests were able to learn how to conduct themselves during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The workshop also included a Question & Answers session where ladies were able to ask the speaker about Ramadan and Islamic matters.

On Thursday, 26 August, from 9:30pm to 11pm, Dr Abdullah Al Kamalli, Head of Maktoum Centre for Memorizing the Quran will conduct a special lecture on the importance of investing time during Ramadan to pursue religious activities in order to come closer to God.

During Ramadan 2010, Dubai Ladies Club is organising a host of activities, to enlighten, inspire and relax you during the holy month of Ramadan. The theme for the season’s activities is ‘Al Taqwa’ – meaning ‘Guidance on How to be a good practising Muslim’.

Members and non-members alike are invited to participate in large selection of cultural and social events, art exhibitions and workshops which is open to ladies only.

Dubai Ladies Club will be open from 9:00am till midnight during Ramadan. Complimentary coffee & dates will be served every night; courtesy of Shangri La Hotel & Traders Hotel.