UAE Has Recovered Quickly From The Global Financial Crisis : Hamdan

The UAE has managed under its prudent leadership to recover from the world financial crisis rapidly, said H. H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, at a keynote address to the Islamic banks conference.’’The conference seeks to devise a sound concept to deal with the choking economic crunch the governments, firms and individual are passing through,’’Sheikh Hamdan told the meeting which was opened by H.H. Sheikh Majed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. The Four-day banking forum is being organised by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities (DICD). ’’Dubai has the honour as the leader of the Islamic banking industry when Dubai modern maker the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum launched the Dubai Islamic Bank,’’ Sheikh Hamdan said in his address read on his behalf by Dr. Hamad Al Shaibani, Director General of DICD and chairman of the conference. ’’It is our duty to protect this industry by complete financial transparency,’ he added

Mohammed bin Rashid opens Aswaaq shopping mall in Dubai

Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, inaugurated here today morning at Al Mizhar district the Aswaaq shopping mall, a first series of malls, which will be constructed within next five years in different districts and quarters of Dubai.Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Dubai Crown Prince HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Dubai Deputy Ruler HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. They toured the two storey building of the mall to acquaint themselves with the shopping activity at the shopping mall.The Vice President and Dubai Ruler expressed his willingness to set up a series of shopping malls to reach 22 shopping mall centres to facilitate shopping activity to youth and families, adding that productive families could hire outlets in the shopping malls to market their productions.

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Orders The Launch Of The 2nd Round Of DAST, Special Needs Added

 HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince, directed to launch the second edition of Dubai Award for Sustained Transport (DAST); an event organized by Roads & Transport Authority (RTA) that aims at educating and encouraging community organizations to play an active & constructive role in supporting RTA sustained transport objectives. The Award also reasserts the leading role of the RTA in promoting partnerships & cooperation with various organizations, and placing sustained transport among the key issues of concern to the local organizations and media. HH directed to introduce a new Category to the Award to cater for Special Needs Transportation. Accordingly the number of categories covered by the Award becomes four, namely: Mobility Management & Regulation, Environment Conservation, Safety, and the newly introduced Special Needs Transport Category. The Chairman of the Board & Executive Director of RTA H.E. Mattar Al Tayer expressed his deep thanks to HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for lending support & patronage to Dubai Award for Sustained Transport (DAST). “DAST is sheer translation of Dubai Strategic Plan; which stems from the vision of the emirate; particularly Infrastructure, Lands and Environment Sector. It is also a reflection of the strategic goals of the RTA calling for protecting lives & properties, conserving the environment & natural wealth, and improving public safety under the drive to fulfill the vision of the RTA to provide Safe & Smooth Transport for All” said Al Tayer. He added: “Nomination to the Award is open up to 30 October 2009, and RTA has set nomination categories & standards of DAST in parallel categories, enabling a large number of organizations to apply for the Award which covers small as well as large businesses in the private and public sector, as well as government departments and non-profit organizations. "The Award comprises four Categories: the first one is Special Needs Transport; which is concerned with any initiative or practice that takes into consideration the mobility requirements of special needs. The second category is: Mobility Management; which focuses on applied practices & initiatives that contributed to the enhanced use of various modes of transport. The third category: Conserving the Environment from the negative impact of mass transit modes, which covers any initiative leading to suppression of noise levels & effects, and the optical pollution resulting from various public transport modes. The fourth category is Transport Safety, which addresses initiatives & practices leading to improved security & safety levels for various mass transport commuters through boosting performance metrics & levels related to transport modes users. This can be achieved through stressing & upgrading the compliance with safety laws and safe practices during operation or use of any transport means. It also relates to the drive of upgrading security & safety levels to make mass transit modes safer; which in turn involves the application of simple or highly sophisticated technologies and introducing of changes to those means. Safety aspects also include caring for transport facilities through strengthening security elements of those facilities such as roads, bus stops and stations, railways, and marine transport facilities.“In its second edition, DAST added two new categories; the Best Media Coverage; which is meant to boost the awareness of the Award, and the Best Academic Research in Sustained Transport. The Award has 3-tier sponsors; Platinum Sponsor, Gold Sponsor, and Silver Sponsor” said Al Tayer in a concluding remark.For obtaining information about the Award, or downloading the Nomination Form, please log on to the Award link from RTA portal (www.rta.ae).

Victory Team Launch 2009 World Championship Charge With Fazza 3

The Dubai Victory Team will launch their 2009 Class 1 World Championship charge in Doha this week with an all-star pairing gunning for the title in a boat named in honour of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.Current world champion Nader Bin Hendi will join forces again with 2007 world number one Arif Al Zafeen in the 1,800hp Fazza 3 – the first time a boat from the Victory stable has raced in the sport’s premier competition without the team’s name on the hull.“Our participation in the 2009 World Championship is a result of the great support the team receives from our chairman HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of the Executive Council,” said Victory Team Managing Director and former world champion Khalfan Harib.“While one of our two entries in the world championship will be called Victory 1 and will feature our traditional colours and name, the Fazza 3 boat is painted in a unique style and will carry ‘Fazza 3’ on both sides of the hull. The name is synonymous with HH Sheikh Hamdan and we are proud and honoured to be able to race under his name in 2009.”While the 2009 season – which gets underway with the Qatar Marine Festival Grand Prix in Doha on Saturday (April 25) – will be the first outing for the Fazza team, the boat’s crew is one of the best and most experienced in the world.Bin Hendi stormed to his first Class 1 world crown just five months ago, while Al Zafeen lifted the same title a year earlier at the end of a remarkable rookie season.Initially paired together for the 2008 campaign, Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi picked up maximum points in Doha last year before a racing injury forced Al Zafeen to sit out the remainder of the season. Bin Hendi subsequently paired up with Mohammed Al Marri and the duo powered on to win the Victory Team’s eighth Class 1 world crown in the boat now renamed Fazza 3.“Winning the Class 1 World Championship is always a major achievement so we were delighted to finish first and second in the standings last year,” added Harib, the first Arab Class 1 World Champion back in 1993. “Winning the Middle East and Pole Position championships meant it was a memorable year for all of us but that’s history now.“Every other team will be looking to beat us this season so we have again spent the winter months preparing for what will be yet another major challenge. With Fazza 3 and Victory 1, we believe we have boat and crew packages that can keep us at the forefront of the sport.”While Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi will compete in Fazza 3, Victory 1 will see experienced throttleman and former world champion Jean Marc Sanchez join forces with rookie driver Mohammed Al Mehairi.

Arab Media Group Supports Dubai Autism Centre’s Third Annual Autism Awareness Campaign

Arab Media Group (AMG), the largest media organisation in the UAE, today announced its support of Dubai Autism Center’s third annual April Autism Month initiative through promoting the education and outreach campaign across its spectrum of print and radio entities.

Titled ‘Together Again’, the month-long campaign is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and Chairman of the Dubai Autism Centre.

The campaign is particularly dedicated to raising awareness about parents of children with autism, their trauma and the grief they experience on a daily basis.

During the month of April, AMG will run print advertisements for Dubai Autism Center through its newspapers Al Bayan, Emarat Al Youm and Business 24-7. The group will also air the campaign’s key messages through leveraging the reach of its Arabian Radio Network (ARN), the region’s fastest growing radio network and communications service that broadcasts across eight frequencies.

Mohammed Al Mulla, Executive Director, Arab Media Group said: “We are thrilled to support Dubai Autism Center’s annual campaign that seeks to touch an emotional chord in people through raising awareness on the syndrome, even while highlighting the challenges faced by parents of autistic children.

“As an organization that prioritises people at the core of all that we deliver, we believe our media arms will help the campaign reach a large number of people and create a better understanding of autism and the implications associated with it.”

Founded in 2005, AMG owns a wide array of media properties, including Awraq Publishing, Done Events, and Shoof Advertising. It also comprises Tawseel, an independent distribution company, and Masar, a printing house.

The ARN bouquet comprises Al Arabiya, Al Khaleejiya, and Noor Dubai in Arabic; Virgin Radio, Dubai Eye, and Dubai 92 in English, and City 101.6, and HIT96.7 in the South Asian languages of Hindi and Malayalam respectively.

Noor Dubai TV, Nickelodeon, MTV Arabia are the three television platforms under the Arab Media Group umbrella.

HE Dr. Anwar Gargash Launches Dubai School of Government Alumni Association

His Excellency Dr. Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Federal National Council Affairs and Chairman of the DSG Board of Trustees, today inaugurated the Dubai School of Government Alumni Association.

High-ranking government officials, various heads of private and public sector organizations and business leaders from throughout the region attended the event, which was held at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

The Dubai School of Government (DSG) also announced the appointment of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, as the first Honorary President of the DSG Alumni Association. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan is an alumnus of a specialized training program from the School, which is the first in the region to offer curricula in public policy and administration through partnerships with globally renowned institutions.

Dr. Tarik Yousef, Dean of the Dubai School of Government, said: “The launch of the DSG Alumni Association is a significant milestone for the School. It celebrates the accomplishments of our alumni and ensures that every past student of the institution remains connected. The new body is also an effective platform to keep these professionals informed of the latest developments in public policy, while providing them with continued access to DSG’s community of policy experts.

“It is an honor for the association to be chaired by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan, who is one of our distinguished graduates. We are proud of our academic growth, and look forward to strengthening our bonds with former students who have benefited from our academic and executive education programs. We believe the establishment of the DSG Alumni Association will help to promote ongoing interaction among our past students who now hold high-ranking positions as top professionals in the region.”

During the inauguration ceremony, the School also honored the contributions of HE Mr. Nabil Alyousuf. As Executive President, Mr. Alyousuf has guided the development of the School since its inception in 2005. Mr. Alyousuf is also Vice Chair of the Dubai School of Government’s Board of Trustees.

Established in 2005 in cooperation with the Harvard Kennedy School, the Dubai School of Government is actively engaged in the creation of knowledge, dissemination of global best practices, and training of policy makers in the Arab world. The School is focused on capacity building and conducts various programs that seek to promote good governance through enhancing the region’s capacity for effective public policy.

For more details, visit www.dsg.ae or call 04-3293290.

Winners Of 5th Annual Young Entrepreneur Competition Awarded

The Mohammed bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders (MBRE) will be honoring the winners of the fifth Young Entrepreneur Competition (YEC) with cash prizes for the first time, on April 14th at an awards ceremony held by MBRE.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Chairman of the MBRE’s Board of Directors, the awards ceremony will award the top 5 winners from schools and Universities across the UAE with certificates and a trophy.

The categories include; Best Marketing, Best Technology, Best Team-work, Best Profitable Business, Best Cultural, Best product design, Best Kiosk, Best UAE National Team, Best Unique Business, Best Handmade Product, Best Artistic Projects, Best Environmental Awareness.

Abdul Baset Al Janahi, CEO of Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment said:
“The YEC 2009 attracted over 280 projects that were far more creative than previous years. In terms of selecting the overall winner, we were looking for business ideas, products that are creative, innovative are well marketed and have the potential to be a profitable business. We look forward to congratulating the top five winners at the MBRE award ceremony on April 14th and working with the overall winner to develop their business plan.”

The winner of the competition was selected on April 4th by judge panel, which comprises of members of the Ministry of Education, MBRE, Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority and will be announced next week at the awards ceremony.

ENDP’s High Praise For HSBC Emiratisation Efforts

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, presented HSBC yesterday with a
special award for its successful Emiratisation programme and ongoing commitment to the recruitment and development of UAE Nationals. The award was received by Mr. Youssef
Nasr, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC at the Emirates National Development Programme’s (ENDP) Annual Graduation Ceremony 2008.

HSBC had partnered with ENDP and the Dubai Institute for Human Resource Development earlier to ensure the highest standards for the development of UAE national talent. Through this partnership, over 100 UAE nationals had joined HSBC’s first specialised training programme entitled the ‘HSBC Emiratee Development Programme’.

The ‘HSBC Emiratee Development Programme’ is six weeks long and covers language, communication and computer skills together with the standards of work behavior expected
in a large organisation. Successful completion of the programme results in the award of the internationally recognised ’Work Essentials’ qualification conferred by BTEC (Business & Technology Education Council) of the UK.

This programme is then followed by job placements,
mentoring and further job-specific training designed to help the new recruits succeed in their new careers.

Youssef Nasr, Chief Executive Officer of HSBC said: “HSBC is committed to developing UAE’s national talent for they are the future leaders of the banking and finance industry and we are very honoured to be recognised for our efforts by ENDP. Emiratisation has been one of our strategic objectives and is at the top our agenda. We have been committed not only to recruit the best UAE nationals but also to train, develop, and provide them with a
challenging career plan. We currently have the highest number of UAE nationals amongst all banks in the country.”

“HSBC has set strategies to ensure that it remains the employer of choice for the very best talent in the market place and the ‘Best Place to Work’. We have introduced new career banding and market-related pay policies which enable the Bank to offer more flexible packages to retain talent. Moreover, the Bank introduced special policies concerning
paternity, maternity and adoption leave which are unique to this market.

The Bank has also introduced a number of flexible working arrangements which takes into consideration the personal circumstances of individuals who might find it difficult to work full time. Such facilities include Key time Employment, the option to work between 4 and 7.5 Hours per day, job sharing, term time variation and staggered hours,” said Joel Farnworth, Regional Head of Human Resources, HSBC.
As ’The world’s local bank’, HSBC diversifies its staff resources to contribute to societies where it operates.

Pushing forward with Emiratisation is a reflection of this goal.

Live Cardiac Catheterization Tele-Surgery

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Patron of Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University, HE Humaid Mohamed Al Qutami Minister of Health launched today the First Annual Conference on e-Health “The Virtual Dimensions of Health and Environment” at the Dubai Scientific and Cultural Association in the presence of HE Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Chancellor of Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University.

In this occasion HE Humaid Mohamed Al Qutami, Minister of Health, said:
“The role of the Ministry of Health is to provide a the basis to support the health care sector, through improving the overall health services to meet the best global standards, in addition that the ministries role consists of coordinating with the various department that encourage the development of the health sector such as Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University.”

HE Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, said:
“The First Annual Conference on e-Health enjoys the special sponsorship of the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Environment and Water, it comes to provide a platform for participants to share their experiences and knowledge, and address the challenges that accompany the emergence of e-health in the Middle East, this conference will also shed the lights on environmental issues in relation to health issues.”

The first day of this congress witnessed a large number of participation by veterans in the field of health and environment as well as representatives from governmental and non- governmental organizations interested in health and environmental issues as well as a number of researchers in the field of health care.

The conference witnessed the first event f its kind at state level, when the participants watched a live broadcast of a Cardiac catheterization Tele Surgery by Dr. Safwan A. Taha, from Al Noor Hospital in Abu Dhabi. The conference also included various discussions and presentations by key speakers such as: Prof. Gopal Kanji, Prof. James Harrington, Dr. Ali Al Numairy and Dr. Abdelghaffar Al Hawi. They discussed the challenges facing the innovation in health, they addressed issues like: “Health through a Better Environment”, “Toward virtual hospitals: Dream, Threat or Trend?”, and How could e-Health contribute to Health?”

Also during the conference, Hamdan Bin Mohammed e-University signed MOUs with a number of parties, the first was with the UAE Ministry of Health. According to this agreement, the University will provide specialized consultancy services to help build the ministry’s quality advancement, the agreement will also foster the culture of e-learning at the Ministry. The second memorandum of understanding was with the Emirates Medical Association, in which the two parties agree to cooperate in providing help and support to each other in future e-health conferences, and the third was with the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, as per this agreement the parties cooperate in conducting research and academic programs to allow the learners to enrol in both universities.

The 1st Annual Conference on e-Health: The Virtual Dimensions of Health and Environment, is held in partnership with Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, the International Hospital Federation, Health Management, World Health Care Congress Europe, World Health Care Congress, Emirates Medical Association; and under the sponsorship of Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Environment and Water. In addition, the conference is privileged to receive the platinum sponsorship of the Dubai health Authority, the golden sponsorship of RTA, and in support of enPark, SUKAD , zarca interactive, Dubai International Academic City, arabmedicare.com and International Turnkey Systems Group (ITS).

Dubai World Championship Receives Patronage From His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince Of Dubai

The inaugural Dubai World Championship has received a significant endorsement from His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai after he granted his official Patronage for what is set to become one of the Middle East’s premier sporting events.

The Dubai World Championship is the grand finale to The Race to Dubai – a season-long competition which encompasses 52 golf tournaments around the world. The leading 60 players in The Race to Dubai will qualify for the Dubai World Championship ensuring that only the world’s best players will compete at Jumeirah Golf Estates from November 19-22.

The patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum means the Dubai World Championship will join an elite list of sporting events such as the Dubai World Cup and Dubai Tennis Championships which received patronage in their beginnings before growing to become leading events in world sport.

Abdul Wahid Al Ulama, Leisurecorp Vice Chairman, said:
“The significance of The Race to Dubai and the Dubai World Championship cannot be underestimated and has already placed the Emirate of Dubai at the forefront of the global sports world as an innovator and leader in the historic sport of golf.

“We are truly honoured to have received patronage from His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum and with his support and guidance, we are certain that the Dubai World Championship will become one of the Middle East’s most important sporting events.”

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said:
“The European Tour is honoured that His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum has granted his official patronage for the Dubai World Championship. This gives us great confidence as we continue with The Race to Dubai and look forward to a successful inaugural Dubai World Championship on the superb Earth course at Jumeirah Golf Estates.”

Preparations for the Dubai World Championship are well underway with the Greg Norman-designed Earth course unveiled by Leisurecorp in January. Stars Sergio Garcia, Darren Clarke, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Robert Karlsson and young Emirati golfer Khalid Yousef previewed the final four holes of the course described by the legendary Norman as “the most challenging mile in golf”.

David Spencer, Leisurecorp CEO-Golf, said:
“As a Dubai World company, Leisurecorp is extremely proud to support the Emirate’s growth as a world-class destination for sport and tourism and we believe that the Dubai World Championship is very much in line with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s great vision for Dubai and the UAE.

“The excitement surrounding The Race to Dubai has made this European Tour season one of the most important in living memory. The Dubai World Championship will feature arguably the most impressive field of sporting talent ever assembled in Dubai, and they will all be competing for golf’s ultimate prize, which means that come November the eyes of the sporting world will be on Jumeirah Golf Estates.”