Al Jahili Fort -Al Ain
UAE Digest, June 2010 l 1
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2 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
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Contents
13 Entertainers and shows for all to freely enjoy at Dubai Summer Surprises
8
37
Language of devotion
Hues of harmony
The Hindu temple clusters and the Sindhi gurudwaras offer interesting insights into the emirate’s tradition of religious tolerance
While politics has divided India and Pakistan since their independence; art and culture have pulled them together, despite all odds.
42 Bikes Experience the wild side of choppers and cruisers
10 Pocket money Do children know the essential difference between ‘need’ and ‘want’? Is their pocket money ever enough?
50 Exciting holidays Places to visit for those who have a sense of adventure – despite warnings about security and safety issues. UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 3
A big start UAE student given chance to become CEO of his own business By Linda Benbow
T
he first ever winner of The longong and Hanady Alhashemi, Higher Big Start, a student entrepreCollege of Technology were runner ups neur initiative launched by Al in the competition. Tamimi Investments (ATI), Rachael Wunsch, General Manager was announced at an awards ceremony for Al Tamimi Investments, said: ‘This held in June at the Capital Club, Dubai. was an extremely difficult decision for us Yahya Stapic, aged 21, a student from to make. All of the final four candidates the American University of Sharjah, was were unique in their own way, and we selected after an eight month process were very impressed by the creativity of which saw him compete against almost their business plans. Yahya is a great ex200 students for the chance to become the ample to us all, and his win today shows CEO of his own company. us that nothing is impossible and that Yahya was selected based on his indreams really do come true’. novative idea for a new company – a retail fashion outlet aimed at showcasing young, up-and-coming UAE-based designers. He will now have the opportunity to become the CEO of his own company, with the full funding and support of Al Tamimi Investments, as well as a structured shareholding agreement. Commenting on the announcement of the winner of The Big Start competition, Essam Al Tamimi, Chairman of Al Tamimi Investments, said: “Entrepreneurship is the backbone of any economy, and it Yahya Stapic, CEO of his own business is vital that we provide students with the skills and knowledge to play an Commenting emotionally on his win, active part in diversifying and contributYahya Stapic from American University ing to the UAE economy.” of Sharjah said: “This really is a dream The business concept was unique come true for me. The Big Start is a once in that it provided a platform for other in a lifetime experience, and has given me young entrepreneurs to launch their own the opportunity to realize my potential, fashion brands, thereby extending the and fulfill my dream of owning my own spirit of entrepreneurship even further. In business one day. My late mother, peace addition, Yahya’s passion, drive and creabe upon her, always said that I was destivity, as well as the fact that he embodied tined to be successful, and I intend to be the brand so perfectly, all contributed to – also for the sake of my seven brothers his success during the competition. and sisters. ” Sreeyuth Lal, Bits Pilani Dubai; The Big Start process comprised three Sanameh Sanatnama, University of Wolrounds. After the initial business ideas
4 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
were submitted, students were invited to attend workshops which helped them to translate their business concept into a formal business plan. Those students who developed the strongest business plan then progressed to the final round, where they were given the opportunity to present their ideas to a judging panel. All participating students were provided with the ongoing support of the investments team, who helped them to strengthen their business concept and prepare for the final stage. The Big Start was created by Al Tamimi Investments as a way to give back to the UAE community, to deliver opportunity, contribute to regional economic growth and enable ambitious students to gain real life exposure to the challenges and rewards of running their own business.
Jason Omanga, Middlesex University, was a runner up in The Big Start competition. He intends to take his business plan and related thoughts, ideas, advice and encouragement forward in an endeavour to set up his own company teaching social and work-place etiquette to the many folks of differing cultures that make up the world of expatriates in this country
JUBILEE
The golden jubilee celebrations of Oriental Insurance Company Dubai
Oriented to excel
Three generations of the Mulani family have devoted their life to establish The Oriental Insurance Company in Dubai. The Indian group recently celebrated its golden jubilee
Sobhraj G. Mulani
By Manju Ramanan
I
t was the mid 1950’s and a group of Dubai merchants persuaded one of their close friends, an insurance agent from Karachi, (then part of undivided India), settled in Bombay, to set up base in Dubai. That is how the first generation from the Mulani family Sobhraj G. Mulani - arrived in what was called the Trucial States, as the UAE was known under British rule, to start the first Indian insurance company Jupiter General Insurance 1960. It was the third insurance company for the emirate as two British companies already existed. Eventually Jupiter General merged with The Oriental
Insurance Co. Ltd in the early 1970s as a consequence of nationalisation of general insurance in India. The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd was registered in Bombay on 12 September 1947 and was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Oriental Government Security Life Assurance Company Ltd, and was formed to carry out general insurance business in India. Sensing opportunity overseas, over a period of time it extended its branches to foreign shores, Dubai being a potent market in the Middle East. Today though, the company has over 1000 branches in India with foreign operations
in Dubai, Kuwait and Nepal on direct basis and associated and subsidiary companies in Kenya and Singapore. Mulani arrived by the only plying Kalinga aircraft – a luxury in those days, though, “not considered safe by today’s standards,” says his grandson Amit K Mulani, Principal, Armab - Chief Agents of the Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. The British Political Agency had given him permission to start business and open his office at the Fikri building Bur Dubai. The office eventually moved to the Dubai bank building and since the late 1990s onwards it has been housed in the Bank of Baroda UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 5
building in the vicinity. “My father operated with skeletal staff, doing most of the work himself. Dubai was very different from what it is today – there were very few people, and it was difficult to convince people to take to insurance,” states KS Mulani, the founder’s son and the second generation to inherit the agency of Oriental Insurance Dubai. “Dubai was a place populated mostly by men and the only entertainment was work,” he states. “When I came in 1965, the creek was not as big as you see it today. You’d see the same faces every day. I was used to the luxury of India and had come from Bombay’s HR College of Commerce and it took time to get used to Dubai – that didn’t have air The Mulani family
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conditioners or even ceiling fans, a far cry from the luxury you see today,” he states “Electricity was restricted to four hours and we have spent several nights sleeping on the terrace under the open sky. Drinking water was transported from the mountainous regions by donkeys. There was no bottled water,” he adds. He even wrote a letter to his father complaining about things in Dubai arguing how it was better in India. Five years later when oil was discovered and prosperity prevailed, the senior Mulani nudged him with the same question – “and there was no need to answer,” states KS Mulani. Then 20 years old, KS Mulani soon grew to be a familiar face in the buzzing Dubai creek area that used to bring in
merchandise from India and other nearby countries, re-load and re-export. “The late HH Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai, used to frequent the place to oversee the workings of the busy port. A true businessman, and outgoing personality he used to sit with us, eat with us and we met him often. He would be regularly there on the Indian Republic day celebrations on the 26th of January at the Indian Association,” he states. “Whatever Dubai is enjoying today has been built with the vision, foresight and pragmatism of HH Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum. His legacy has been ably carried on by his sons, making Dubai a ‘pearl’ in Middle East,” he adds. What about competition and other
insurance companies that would have come by then? “There was little to no competition as compared to today. Today Dubai has about 300 brokers and 56 insurance companies both international and local,” he states. So, how was the insurance business in those days? “It was there but was very informal and not as organised as it is today. My father had to initiate a lot of local and expatriates to the concept of insurance. Marine insurance and fire insurance was most common because people used warehouses and were engaged in marine trade and in most cases the financial institutions required insurance coverages for loans and facilities advanced by them. They were simple people who believed that nothing would happen to their properties and didn’t take to the concept of paying a little more for insuring their goods. But over the period, they have learnt its importance,” he adds. Now that the insurance market is quite developed, their latest addition is the Islamic insurance that is Sharia compliant. Working from 7 am to 11.30 pm every day with a half an hour break for lunch, KS Mulani and his two brothers worked with a staff of 2-3 people to create and build the reputation of the Indian brand. Ten years ago, Oriental crossed Dh10 million in profits and today has reached the Dh40 million mark. Soon, both of his two brothers (who had joined him with Oriental Insurance) branched out to represent two separate insurance companies. One became the official agent for a Swiss insurance company and the other took a local company. But KS Mulani decided to carry on with Oriental Insurance. Without taking a break from 1965 to 1980, he continued to work relentlessly to establish the company. “From 1984 onwards, I employed qualified people on the job. The Resident manager for Oriental Insurance (appointed by the parent company, who oversees the work of the Chief agents), SP Saxena, joined in 1984 - has been in the industry for 48 years and is now my General Manager,” states KS Mulani. From 2003 onwards his son Amit K.
Mulani, who graduated from Boston University, USA, with a BSBA in Finance and Marketing; joined him and now shoulders a legacy of what his father and grandfather have left for him. “We are now three generations of a family into the insurance business. Now we have a regular office and clientele ranging from banking to textiles, electronics, petrochemicals etc. We also deal with major international and local brokers and also engage in facultative reinsurance,” he states. In a competitive market, what is their USP? “Our parent company, Oriental Insurance is financially strong, we have a
long standing reputation in the market, we innovate as well as deliver what we promise,” states Amit narrating the incident of a fire at Al Quoz industrial area in 2008; a fire that gutted down about 83 warehouses. “We paid the claim of Dh40million in record time.” In the current office policies are issued and their local accounts have sufficient funds to pay claims. After growing continuously, Oriental Insurance Company Dubai didn’t see any growth in the financial year April 2009 to March 2010, due to the global financial meltdown but the situation in past few months has shown encouraging trends for recovery. “We are expecting good growth henceforth,” adds Amit.
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 7
WORSHIP
Language of devotion
The Sindhi Gurudwara in Bur Dubai
The Hindu temple clusters and the Sindhi gurudwaras of Dubai offer interesting insights into the emirate’s tradition of religious tolerance By Manju Ramanan
I
t is one area that most Indians in the UAE are familiar with, though, the same cannot be said about the other nationalities living in the country. The Hindu temple at Bur Dubai, that sees a daily outpour of several people including tourists, located opposite the Dubai museum in the ‘Little India’ area of Dubai, is a landmark for the Indian community here. Apart from being the only Hindu temple of the emirate, it is unique for having a Sindhi Gurudwara as well as a Sai baba shrine in its precincts. The Sindhis, like the Sikhs, worship the Guru Grant Saheb or the holy text, apart from worshipping Hindu gods and goddesses. While Sai Baba of Shirdi was an Indian guru, yogi and fakir who is regarded by his Hindu and Muslim followers as a saint. The Sri Krishna temple, as the Hindu temple is called, was built in the 1930s and is run in conjunction with the Indian consulate of Dubai. The temple also performs marriage ceremonies between Hindus, however, marriage registrations cannot be performed in the UAE. The temple caters to the approximately 300,000 Hindus in Dubai. The Sindhi gurudwara, that is located on the first floor of the Shiva temple and Sai temple, dates back to 1958 and has an interesting history. A group of Sindhi textile traders from Gwader, Pakistan rescued 8 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
Sri Krishna temple at Bur Dubai
their holy text, the Guru Granth Saheb, owing to the communal tensions there and brought it by boat to Dubai - then part of the Trucial States under British rule. While the partition of India and the formation of Pakistan happened in the year 1947, Gawder, that was till then part of the Sultanate of Oman, had, in 1958, merged with the newly formed Pakistan. “My eldest brother, was part of the first group of Sindhi traders who arrived in Dubai from Gwader. They took a small room in Bur Dubai, near the creek and installed the Granth Saheb,” recalls Vasu Shroff, trustee member of the Sindhi Gurudwara in Dubai. Shroff who came to Dubai in 1960 was the third brother to follow his siblings and take interest in the workings of the gurudwara. As Chairman of Regal Traders, Shroff has a slew of textile shops in Bur Dubai. “The population of Dubai was meager in those days and the gurudwara saw a daily gathering of 10-20 people. Today, the place, located on the 2nd floor of the temple complex (that has a Shiva temple and a Sai baba mandir on the first floor) receives 10,000-12,000 people on a daily basis and on occasions like Shivaratri, close to 100,000 and more,”says Shroff. For Indian residents of Dubai, there is hardly a difference between visiting the Hindu temple, housed on the first floor and the gurudwara, housed on the 2nd floor of the same complex. What is interesting to observe is that the gurudwara has tiled installations of a host of Hindu deities, gurus of the Sindhis and the Sikhs and some idols of Lord Ganesha, Goddess Durga, even Aiyappa, who is largely worshipped by South Indians. No wonder Shroff calls it a ‘cosmopolitan gurudwara.’ “All religions are one and we Sindhis worship all gods, so the gurudwara reflects our philosophy,” he adds. About 90 per cent South Indians visit the gurudwara, 1 per cent Sikhs, 1 per cent Sindhis and 8 per cent of cosmopolitan population. The gurudwara and the temple complex also see a lot of foreign tourists who come to Dubai. “This place is part of the Big Bus tours as well several local tourist circuits,” he
adds. It is managed by a six member committee and organises the langar (community feast) and other events. “We even get the Raagi Jatha (a group of three devotional singers) every month from India. Each month, we have a different group,” states Shroff. Shroff and his committee have also built another gurudwara at New Sonapur in Dubai called the Gurudwara Sahib
Sonapur, that is in the vicinity of the Hindu temples, Sai Baba mandir and the emirate’s only Hindu crematorium. Yet another Sai baba temple, located at Jumeirah is getting very popular with people. It houses a shani bhagwan temple apart from a Shiva temple. Housed in Villa No 10, Jumeirah, it is located close to the Iranian hospital and is a large space of worship.
An artists impression of the oncoming Sikh Gurudwara at Jebel Ali
Dubai’s Sikh Gurudwara coming soon Being built at a cost of $20 million, the Guru Nanak Darbar that is coming up in Jebel Ali, Dubai, shall be the first ‘official’ Sikh temple in the entire Gulf catering to the religious needs of the 50,000 Sikh community of Dubai. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Makhtoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai who granted permission for building the gurudwara has given the 2,5400 sq ft land, free for the community. Surender Singh Kandhari, a businessman and Captain of the Emirates Golf Club had approached Dubai authorities with his ‘dream project’ and though it took him a while to convince them about the concepts of sangat and langar , even translate excerpts from Guru Granth Saheb, it was approved. “My dream is to make it the best, second only to the Golden Temple in Amritsar,” said Kandhari. Dubai based architect firm Holford Associates has designed the gurudwara and it is supported by Richard Adams from UK who was involved with the Shri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara on the Havelock Road in Southall, London. The Sikh Gurudwara with a 125,000 square feet built-up area has three basements, a ground floor and a terrace floor. The ‘langer’ hall will serve more than 600 people at a time. There is a 54-metre water body, inspired by the sarovar at the Golden Temple and a cascade. The main prayer hall, on the top player with Palki Sahib, has a 7.2 metre high ceiling and 18-metre diameter dome roof. The function hall can accommodate up to 900 people. “We are seeking funds from the entire Sikh Community all over the world to fulfill a Sikh dream,” says Kandhari.
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 9
POCKET MONEY
He came. He saw. He bought In a world seeped in materialism and instant gratification, do children know the essential difference between ‘need’ and ‘want’? Is their pocket money ever enough? By Manju Ramanan
F
or a prosperous country that has mall hopping and the related paraphernalia as one of its favourite indulgences, is there a budget that parents put to pocket money? Across the 190 nationalities present in the UAE, pocket money handed over to a child varies as per culture, spending habits, and age groups. From Dh15 a week to Dh500 a month or more, or none at all, pocket money has traditionally been never enough. According to the first ever ‘Global Teen Insights Program-MENA
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edition 2010’ released by AMRB & TRU that revealed interesting insights of about 66 million MENA teens; UAE teens spend $71( Dh260)on clothing and apparel in a month compared to $21 (Dh77) of global teens. Emirati teens also spend $25 (ADh91.79) in a month on cosmetics compared to $6 (Dh22) globally. Prosperity and indulgences go hand in hand. But how much is too much? “There are too many things to do
and too little money all the time,” says Rajinder Singh a 15 year old, who gets a monthly allowance of Dh300. A day at the cinema with friends, if everyone goes Dutch, followed by eats and a burger afterwards costs anywhere between Dh50-60. “We do it once a month but there are others who do it every other week,” he states. His peers couldn’t agree for less. Ayesha Hind, a 16 year old Arab expatriate is into beauty. “I love nail art and am fond
of collecting new shades of nailpolishes. Though I don’t have every other shade, it is something I want to indulge in,” she says You’d argue, what would a little extra money on the side do to a child? After all, he/she is entitled to a little indulgence, luxury, personal space and time? But there are those who disagree vehemently. Dr Gurumadhva Rao, Vice Chancellor of Ras Al Khaimah, Medical and Health Sciences University doesn’t believe in the concept of pocket money. “Pocket money is really not necessary. Parents usually buy everything for their children and extra money given to them is spent indiscriminately. Most children do not know the difference between need and want. It is like this, if you have more food around you, you tend to eat more. Similarly, if you have more money around you, you tend to spend more,” he states. According to Dr Rao, children these days are growing up with several privileges but their emotional and social sense of responsibility is not very good. “They are also grossly misled by the media. It is common to see advertisements that present a biased view of success to them. Children between the age group of 6-14 believe literally everything that is told to them by the media which floods them from their mobile phones, facebook accounts, twitter etc. The input that they should receive should be really based on reality and fact. However he believes that if you hand over money to a child and monitor it, it will benefit the child. “Accountability is important – pocket money with guidance is helpful. It will help the child learn about saving. Otherwise it is an era of instant gratification – you are sowing seeds to spoil them,” he adds. Writer, banker and real estate developer Anwer Sher feels that it is understood that pocket money is for spending and not saving and that most Asians and Europeans usually put limits on children’s pocket money. “It starts usually at the age of 7-8 and seems more pronounced when
they are 15 years old. But many parents also encourage children to help with the chores and then hand over money as a reward. Some also encourage children to do part time jobs to earn some cash,” he adds. As for the amount of money spent by the local children, the research states that they spend approx. Dh320 weekly which they receive primarily from their parents. The major areas they spend on are
clothing and apparel, entertainment, health and beauty aids (girls) and cell phones. The survey states that ‘More than 50 per cent of MENA teens plan to spend more next year even during economic slowdown, compared to 40 per cent globally. Their willingness to spending more next year is just a mere reflection of their perception of how likely they would be hit next year by global economic recession. MENA teens do not perceive that they would be hit as badly as their global counterparts especially American and European teens. But spending patterns vary across age groups. There is a marked difference between the spending patterns of a 12 year old and a 19 year old, though these days there is hardly any difference between the genders in terms of the spend. “Men used to buy only aftershaves, deodorants and shaving creams in the past. Not anymore. The metrosexual man today is increasingly asking for newer products such as concealers, masks and anti-wrinkle creams,” says Ahmed Amin, a male salon owner, who services several teenagers. So, to what extent is the parental participation among the younger age groups? According to the research, MENA teens have been found to be closer to their families; and by virtue of this closeness parental participation in their decision making process is always there. As they grow up; they tend to become independent and parental advice reduces – this is a global trait. MENA teens get their pocket money primarily from their parents; whereas in developed countries income from doing some odd jobs also add to their spending potential. Maryum Shaikh, mother of two, feels that handing out pocket money is a learning curve for parents as well as children. “Often when you are busy and cannot attend to your children’s needs, you tend to hand them a wad of cash and ask them to buy whatever they like, without taking stock of the situation. It tends to be your own laziness at keeping an account UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 11
and you cannot blame the children for that situation,” she states. “A money box helps, so does a regular class in school that teaches the value of saving money. It has to begin at a young age otherwise children tend to think that the supply of money is endless and always there. They need to understand its value and importance,” she adds. Jayant Jain, CA and Financial Planning Consultant believes in the early intervention programme and that children should be taught the value of money early in their life. He feels that many Asian families do not hand out money to their children as pocket money and buy them what they want when they need it instead. “While there is an obvious merit to the situation, there are demerits too. If a child is going to turn back to you every time there is a paucity of cash, that is what he will learn when he grows up too. It hampers his/her decision making process in life. Instead it is better to hand him/her the money and teach how to save as well as spend,” he states. But at what age should children learn the value of money? “Children should be indoctrinated into the subject of money at an early age of 5-6 years. Whenever I visit my clients in
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their homes and we talk about financial planning, I make sure that the children are around and interact with them as well. They might not understand everything you say, they might not be interested in many things you plan but even if they know why I am there, they learn to understand. Often the parents introduce me as the guy or the ‘uncle’ who will help us keep the house or make sure that we get your toys regularly, so they do understand,” he adds. Jain feels that most expatriates in Dubai who live from pay-cheque to pay-cheque should make it mandatory for their children to learn the value of money. “The importance of why I don’t need the new 32 GB Ipod when I already have the 16GB one, why I cannot drive a super luxury car when I want it the difference between wish and need.” He even encourages older children to watch the annual budget so that they know that not only children or households, but even countries set their budget for the years to come. On a personal level, he feels that a sound knowledge of finance helps a child discipline his financial lifestyle and avoid money-related disputes within his family and friends, thereby growing into
financially responsible citizens, avoiding the problems that have caused financial calamities like the recession. “Let children make deposits and withdrawals. Let them learn to lose, only then will they learn to manage,” he adds stating that children need to be included in family discussions when they are ready. “They need to know why a parent had to forfeit his/her demand for that camera immediately after they had their vacation.” The good news is, some parents are already practising it. Take for instance Megan Fernandes, a 12 year old student from Sharjah who gets an incentive from her parents whenever she saves money. “We give her an amount of Dh200 per month as pocket money. She is free to use it her way but if she saves, say Dh50, we multiply it six times and deposit it in her account. On Father’s day, she bought me a shirt from her savings and then told me to increase her pocket money from July onwards!” states Lionel Fernandes, her father who is keen that, while she splurges on what she likes to buy, she also saves for a rainy day. So, are parents in the UAE game for learning and then teaching this first tough lesson? It seems that the answer, generally speaking, is “Yes”.
DSS
Mesmerising mountain melodies Pandit Shivkumar Sharma held a Dubai audience spellbound with his lilting tunes on the santoor – a 100-stringed instrument By Vanit Sethi
L
ike the fresh mountain breeeze of the Himalayas, Hindustani classical music maestro Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, who plays the improvised santoor – a 100-stringed instrument – transported the select audience gathered at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (Ductac) of Mall of the Emirates to the cool environs of Jammu and Kashmir where he belongs. Playing tunes of his favourite ragas – most notably Pahadi, the mountain raga – Sharma, in tandem with Ram Kumar Mishra on the tabla, created an electric atmosphere for North Indian music lovers. Pandit Sharma is credited for single-handedly making the santoor a popular Indian classical instrument. He has modified the instrument to make it more suitable for his technique by introducing the new chromatic arrangement of notes and increasing the range to cover full three octaves. He has also improvised a new technique through which notes can be sustained to maintain the continuity of sound. The maestro is the recipient of numerous national and international awards, including an honorary citizenship of the city of Baltimore (USA) in 1985, the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986, the Padma Shri in 1991, the Padma Vibhushan in 2001, the Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar, the Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan Award, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Jammu in northern India. Held as part of the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) on June 19, Swaralaya – the concert – was just one of the many musical events planned for the holiday season by Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE). “Hosting a musician of the calibre of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma in Dubai during DSS is part of our endeavour to reach out to multi-cultural audiences and enhance the entertainment experience for various visitor segments,” said the DEPE in a press statement.
Emaar malls offer golden opportunities The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, Souk Al Bahar and Gold & Diamond Park roll out ‘All that Glitters is Gold’ promotion
G
olden opportunities to win prizes in gold and more await shoppers at the four retail and leisure destinations of Emaar Malls Group in Dubai, during this summer. As a key sponsor of Dubai Summer Surprises, the shopping mall subsidiary of Emaar Properties is celebrating the shopping and leisure spectacle by giving customers a chance to win jewellery, gold bars, and Business Class tickets to a ‘golden city’ in Europe including Prague, Madrid and Amsterdam. By spending Dh 200 at any of the four malls, customers get a coupon from the customer service desk. The winning deals are only part of the excitement with The Dubai Mall also offering a spread of entertainment events that appeal to all. Among the highlights are: • Shayla & Abaya Fashion Show (July 8 to 11 at the Fashion Catwalk); • Mini Bladi Exhibition (July 17 to 26 at the Gold Souk Atrium); • Kids Wonder Talent Show (July 12 to 14); • Circus Fera Show (July 15 to 16); • Butterflies Show (July 27 to 28 and August 5 to 7); and • Yellow Speed Team (July 29 – 31 and August 3). Additionally, the mall will host Oud & Qanoon shows, saxophonists, Spanish guitarists, mime artists and living statues. UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 13
WORDS
By word of mouse A slew of new ‘yo- words’ are entering your lexical realm, sometimes without your knowledge. Read on to feel like dinosaurs… By Manju Ramanan
‘C
redit crunch’, ‘recession’, ‘economic slump’, ‘the current economic crisis’ have been the most common words in daily usage these days. But an emerging set of words, some of which are part of the Oxford English dictionary, are making their mark in today’s writings. While a large number of them are inspired by the internet and other modes of technology plus related social changes that have brought the world closer, others are inspired by the world of fashion and glamour, current events, celebrities etc. Take for instance the term ‘glocal’ that effectively combines the terms global with local replacing now old words like the global village etc. Ever heard of a word 14 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
called ‘unfriend’? It appears underlined with red in a spell-check, sure to unsettle your pedagogic grammar teacher out of her cool. For the uninitiated, ‘unfriend’ is a facebook term and you unfriend somebody when you cancel his/her name from your friend’s list. Incidentally, it was voted the word of the year by the New Oxford American Dictionary. It shares
the honours in the UK with the alternative defriend, which is nearly as widely used. Allied with it is the term ‘we are not on the same page’ – a term used when you have a fallout with a friend online or don’t seem to share the same wavelength. Though, today it is no longer restricted to e- conversations. The current situation of the recession has prompted several words that are offsprings of the crisis. People who stay home for a vacation instead of splurging money are said to take a ‘staycation’ taking freemiums (free service providers with paid-for premium extras). For the ones those are ‘bossnapping’ or opposing sackings or pay cuts, extended staycations seem to be the only choice around. The world of fashion has
always inspired its own sets of quirkiness with words. ‘Jeggings’, comes from mixing jeans and leggings to describe new clothing style. Hoodie depicts a young man informally dressed in an outfit that has a hood attached to it. Another word from the world of fitness is ‘aerobicized’ or ‘aerobicised’ that depicts a person’s body toned by aerobic exercise or a Yogilates combining yoga and pilates. In a world paranoid with losing weight and fantasising of a size zero, another word that is making a mark is obesogenic, tending to cause obesity. The borderlines between words used for a particular purpose are blurred these days. If you used emulsion to depict wall paint or a plastic emulsion, now, the same term could be used for food too. Care for a ravioli with pea and ginger emulsion? ‘Spying’ or ‘eaves-dropping’ is passé these days. Use shoulder surfing when you want to describe the practice of spying on the user of a cash-dispensing machine or other electronic device in order to obtain their personal identification number, password, etc. Of course, you know that a zombie is not just a person who functions like a machine. It is a term used for a computer controlled by a hacker without the owner’s knowledge, which is made to send large quantities of data to a website, making it inaccessible to other users. That opens up to a world of cybercrooks, spear phishers, 419ers (419 is the section number of the Nigerian penal code under which email scammers are prosecuted in that country), crackers (who break into a computer system for illegal purposes), scammers, or black hats (from Western films in which the ‘baddies’ were often identifiable by the black hats they wore). Offences range from infecting millions of computers with malware (malicious software) and scams intended to fleece money from people to cybersmearing (online defamation), phishing, (first recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1996), spear phishing, the sending of targeted and personalised (and therefore more credible) from a colleague or organisation known to the recipient, vishing [a blend of phishing and use of
Voice Over Internet Protocol technology) to phone people via their computers, SMiShing ( a blend of SMS and phishing), pharming (when a web address is hijacked so when you type mybank. co.uk into your computer you end up at filthycrook.com, which is disguised to look genuine’. Those who work to combat all these offences may be termed cybercops, white hats (who in particular try to thwart the activities of crackers and black hats), scambusters, or experts in cyberforensics. Scambaiters derive great enjoyment from taking on the scammers at their own game: they pretend to fall for their pitch, string them along. The world of grisly crime and glamour has, to its credit a group of words that are popular. Take the word cabbaged for instance. Said to have originated in Belfast Northern Ireland, the meaning of this term has many connotations, ranging from the state reached after consuming drugs or ecstacy pills so that you are unable to move, to the act of stealing with or without the victim’s knowledge. It can also mean to be exasperated due to the result of being stoned after consuming too much cannabis. The Internet has several sites devoted to the yo-words of today. Here’s a run through….. • Generation Yer, people born in the 1980s/1990s • Screenager- a person in their teens or twenties who has an aptitude for computers and the Internet.
• • •
• • •
Re-rub (noun): musical term meaning remix Techy technologically sophisticated or complicated and those influenced by techno music. Bada-bing - the infamous phrase has been popularised by the Sopranos, which suggesting something happening suddenly, emphatically, or easily and predictably. Celebutante, n. – a celebrity who is a debutante Chucklesome, adj. Chuckle worth statement or person Liposculpture, n A body sculpted by
liposuction Blamestorming – Blaming someone vociferously • Threequel – Part 3, after a sequel………. • Farmscraper n. A high-rise building used for growing crops. [Blend of farm and skyscraper • Click laundering n. A technique that makes a bogus click on an online ad look like a legitimate click to defraud a pay-per-click advertising system. • Downager n. A person who acts younger than his or her age. • Solastalgia n. Distress or melancholy caused by a significant change to one’s local environment. • Lucrepath (LOO.cur.path) n. A person who is pathologically driven to make money. [Blend of lucre and psychopath.] • Churnalism n. Journalism that churns out articles based on wire stories and press releases, rather than original reporting. [Blend of churn and journalism.] • Shemozzle A shemozzle is a state of confusion and chaos. It might simply be a muddle, or it could be a ruckus, row, quarrel or loud commotion • Mononymous. If you have become well known by one name only, like Napoleon, Shakespeare, Einstein, Morrissey, Pelé or Cher. • Deleb – a dead celebrity • In‘text’icated – distracted because texting on a cellphone while driving a vehicle • Funemployed – taking advantage of one’s newly unemployed status to have fun or pursue other interests • Choice mom – a person who chooses to be a single mother • Mouse Potato – The on-line, wired generation’s answer to the couch potato • 404 : Someone who’s clueless. The word originates from the World Wide Web error Message “404 Not Found,” meaning that the requested site could not be located Do you have more ? Do write to us at: The Editor, Sterling Publications, PO Box 500595, Dubai or Email us at feedback@sterlingp.ae
•
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 15
AERIAL
Docking at Jebel Ali Resort
Click, click, every trip By Linda Benbow
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t’s my birthday next month and I’m passing hints now that a nice present would be another flight on Seawings’ Cessna 208 Caravan amphibious aircraft either over Dubai (as on my last flight celebrating an anniversary a few years ago), or Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, or over the sands and mountains from the west coast to Fujairah on the east coast. One of the most fun and innovative ways to see the rich heritage and cultural opulence of the UAE is to take a seaplane ride over the region. Seawings LLC, the only seaplane tour operator in the UAE, provides breathtaking views ranging from the Dubai skyline to the glorious mountain ranges of the hilly emirates as well as the sparkling beaches of Oman and Abu Dhabi. For special occasions it can also arrange options such as meals, gifts, flowers and more. Indeed, this summer’s promotion is that every flyer gets a voucher for Dh225 redeemable at any one of six restaurants at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, such as Golf Academy, Legends, Lakeview, Aquarium, Boardwalk and QD’s Restaurant. The Burj Khalifa is Dubai’s hot topic and main attraction for tourists and residents alike, standing at approximately 828 metres with over 160 floors. The 16 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
Palm Jumeirah and Atlantis Hotel
Dubai Marina
Burj Al Arab stands proud as the worlds’ only 7 star hotel, inspired by the sails of an arab dhow. The only way to truly witness it’s sheer scale and magnificence of these structures is from the air. That’s not to say you don’t see all the other wonderful sites that Dubai has to offer. Taking off from the Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa or the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club for a 40 minute
Island at The World
‘dock to dock’ flight, you will be treated to views of the Dubai Creek, Emirates Towers, DIFC, The World Islands, Dubai Marina, The Palm Island and many other icons of the city. Seeing these sites in their entirety from a perspective rarely seen is a treat for even the most seasoned traveller. UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 17
Burj Khalifa
Burj al Arab
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club
Dubai creek and Port Rashid
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 19
ECO CRYSTALS
Handcrocheted wrist cuff with Swarovski crystals designed by the author
At the heart of the crystal By Preethi Janice D’Sa
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s a crochet jewellery designer and artist, I use Swarovski crystals in my work. I am also an eco-friendly chiquita and while I have a long way to go in incorporating jute and sustainable wood into my jewellery pieces, I wanted to know more about the production of Swarovski crystals from the environment point of view. The crystal that shines like diamonds is actually made of precision-cut lead crystal. What is it about these that captures the heart of a woman and the wallet of the man (to gift the woman)? Swarovski’s Dubai based Managing Director, Werner Baumgartner explains, “Right from its founding days back in 1895, the company has been dedicated to creating unique objects of desire that spark emotion and add beauty to the lives of all those who enjoy them. Its constant creative interaction with leading designers has led to the recognition that both the company and its products stand for an affordable modern luxury. We are now focusing very much on interiors, that is, how crystal can be used in the interiors of a room, a lobby, restaurant thereby adding value to the overall look.” The Jebel Ali branch focuses on the industrial side of business. “That means sales and distribution of crystal elements for the fashion, garment and interiors industry as well as crystallised lighting solutions for lighting retailers and architectural projects. But selling is only part of what that
20 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
Werner Baumgartner
we do. We also very much focus on market development, support industries with trend advice and application support in our Creative Service Centre, and organise fashion competitions.” Werner states, “We see ourselves as a company with a rich tradition but also one that has always had an eye to the future. This goes beyond our products to also embrace our corporate social responsibility, which we are proud to say has been an essential part of our company policy right from when we were founded back in 1895.” There are exciting names to describe the colour tones and coating such as Caribbean Opal AB (Aurora Borealis). Does the environment and being eco-friendly come into the standards of crystal production? “We have always had respect for the environment since our foundation more than a century ago. The company greatly benefits from, and is dependent on, many different resources from nature and our founder, Daniel Swarovski believed in ‘reinvesting’ in nature long before sustainable resource use had become one of society’s general concerns. Right from its earliest days, the company relied on access to an abundance of water - for the generation of electricity and for assisting in the polishing of crystals. The company continues to produce 40 per cent of its electricity through its own generation plant (driven by a local mountain stream), but also has initiated and is actively supporting a range of water-related environmental projects in different parts of the world.” Great proof that they are going the green way (or emerald green I might add!). In fact it has the highest environmental standards in production, and abides by stringent official and ethical environmental standards. Not
only is the greatest care applied to every part of the production process, but also special care is taken to ensure that all of its packaging is in total compliance with the rigid standards of the European Union. In addition, any disposal of waste products is done in an environmentally friendly way. The company has developed, and uses, a special recycling process with the waste sludge left over from polishing, which is collected in a specially developed treatment plant, where it is purified and rigidly monitored for any traces of impermissible discharge substances. “Crystal production also leads to the emission of exhaust gases. These air emissions are constantly monitored and improved; cleaned by filtering units extracting all polluting substances. The recovered substances are disposed of strictly according to official requirements. The Environmental Department of the Regional Government of Tyrol views Swarovski is one of the exemplary companies in the region.” Going further, the firm has its heart in various environmental projects as well as water school project, demonstrating their corporate social responsibility in its true form. “Among these projects is the Water School Programme aimed at teaching children everything about water. As the future custodians of the world’s water resources,
they learn about the regional and global issues surrounding it and the sustainable management of this resource on which all life depends. The programme was initiated in Austria’s Hohe Tauern National Park, where, since 1999, over 25,000 children have participated in this 5-day water education course. The tremendous success of this programme encouraged us to think about its international expansion. Water School programmes are now being set up in parts of India and China in partnership with local non-governmental organisations and the relevant government authorities.” Werner goes on to explain that the company’s external environmental programme maintains a strong focus on protected areas and National Parks, the ‘jewels of nature.’ “In Austria, the company has been a major corporate supporter of the Hohe Tauern National Park (e.g. Wilhelm Swarovski Observatory, House of Water). Based on its own strong commitment and through the formation of the Friends of the National Park, it has also been able to convince other corporate donors to enter into partnership agreements with the Park. “Other projects include an Information Centre in India’s Keoladeo National Park, one of South Asia’s most important wetlands, a project saving endangered pelicans in a reserve in Bulgaria, support for a panda reserve in China and for an important wetland area in Poland. One of the latest activities is a project in Africa in a region known for the endangered mountain gorilla. At home in Tyrol, agreement was reached with local authorities to build a ‘fish elevator’ in the water overflow of Swarovski’s Haneburger Powerhouse, a project using the latest scientific know-how.” Just as its crystal shines in all its magnificence, Swarovksi’s environment and CSR projects shine through. For those who use their crystals, it offers peace of mind. At least, it has for me. UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 21
HEALTH
Beat the plastic bottle addiction
D
espite the fact that people are aware about the real, hard truth of plastic bottles, they still use them. Is it because they have no choice, or is it a learned habit that they cannot break from, or that plastic bottles are available easily? Have plastics become so much a part of our lives that we cannot change or break the habit of using them for our own safety? Usman Mahmood, Director of So~Safe Water Technologies, is passionate about driving home the reason why plastic bottles can kill you and your loved ones. “The plasticizers that make the plastics durable are made of PVC and Polycar-
Usman Mahmood
bonates. In layman terms, these contain chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). BPA is a synthetic xenoestrogen (hormone disruptor) which causes breast and uterine cancer in women. Men can expect testosterone problems and prostrate cancer. Babies and children are the most affected because their utensils are usually made of BPA. “Most people in the UAE, put the rise of dia22 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
betes Type 2 and insulin resistance down to sedentary life style. However, studies have shown that BPA, leaching from the plastic bottles into the water, can cause similar problems and increase risk of heart diseases.” How do we know which plastic is harmful and which one can be used? Mahmood says, “Check the recycling number on your plastic bottles. Those with #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), #4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), #5 PP (Poly propylene) can be used. Do not refill #1 (PET) plastic bottles with water as it’s only for one time use. Instead, use reusable water bottles, filled with filtered and purified water. Move towards storing food in glass and ceramics and in the case of water, in glass, stainless steel or brass, away from sunlight.” What if people make excuses for buying bottled water because the tap water is not good for consumption. Mahmood says, “It is true that boiling tap water is not good enough as you are not killing the harmful bacteria. Also, sediments, dirt particles, chlorine and other contaminants are directly consumed by you. What if you knew that the sources of bottled water in the UAE and tap water have the same desalination process? In fact, tap water costs at least fifteen times less than bottled water. In any case, filtered tap water is packaged in plastic bottles and sold at the supermarkets. So why not have your own purifier
that offers instant disinfection just before you drink it? You no longer need to worry about how and when it was packaged, handled and distributed, especially in high UAE temperatures. Moreover, drinking unfiltered water (even if it is boiled) puts a lot of pressure on the liver as instead of burning fat, it is burdened with cleaning out toxins. The kidneys are taxed with the high salt content from the water – this is what causes kidney stones.” So if drinking bottled water or boiled unfiltered tap water is bad, what is the solution? Use water purifiers for drinking water, washing and bathing. First, the tap water is filtered so that visible sediments are removed. Next, reverse osmosis technology converts hard water into soft water after which the UV technology kills all the bacteria. “Did you know that on average, a UAE resident drinks ten times more bottled water than the global average, and as a result, the UAE has the greatest relative carbon footprint. In fact, a cost effective and innovative way to reduce UAE’s high global carbon footprint is to install water purifiers in homes and offices. As a company, when you switch to filtered tap water, you can proudly promote your contribution to the environment to your employees, customers, and community as part of your Corporate Social Responsibility. This article was written by Preethi Janice D’Sa, a Dubai based journalist.
HEALTH
Keep your cool By Dr. Mohammed Salah Mohammed
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ummer is here. It is the time for school holidays, vacations, outdoor activities and for the beaches. But with summer comes sweating and dehydration if we do not remember to drink enough fluid. Prolonged heat day after day can lead to dehydration. We are urging people to get out of the sun. High temperatures and high humidity create a dangerous scenario for people who work outdoors and those who don’t have air conditioning. When it doesn’t cool off at night, people do not have a chance to rehydrate. Our kidneys are the organs responsible for keeping us well hydrated by increasing urine output when we drink excess fluid or decrease it when we do not drink enough. Kidneys are able to concentrate urine to a degree that one half litre of urine is able to excrete all the toxins produced in 24 hours. The problem is that this ability to concentrate the urine is the first function kidneys lose, if we develop kidney disease. Because summer is the activity season for children and adults, it is usually the aches, pain and injury season. Using over-
the-counter medication to help with these aches and pains is a common practice but can cause severe damage to the kidneys if taken for a long time. These medications come under different brand and generic names, but this class is called “NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs or NSAIDs”. An extreme case of physical activity with poor hydration can cause severe muscle damage, especially of the thigh muscles leading to a condition called ‘Rhabdomyolysis’. The contents of the damaged muscles can leak into the blood and then into the kidneys, causing acute kidney failure, which could be severe enough to require dialysis. This condition can be avoided by doing gradual physical activity, while achieving good hydration. Summer is fun time, so let’s keep it that way. Get well hydrated, get enough rest. Avoid medications as much as you can and have lots of fun. It’s important to drink enough water and eat the right foods to ensure you’re meeting your body’s summertime needs. Drink more water: Because it’s hot
and you perspire a lot during the summer, the average amount of water you should drink in a 24-hour period is 48 ounces — this includes all fluids, such as, juice, soda, and other beverages. It’s important to pay attention to how you feel, and drink more when you’re thirsty. Monitor your intake of salt: An imbalance of salt in your body — too much, or too little — can readily occur when temperatures are hot. You will know you’re getting too much salt if you find that rings you wear get tighter, and socks or shoes that fit you comfortably during cooler weather, leave lines or wrinkles on your feet or ankles because of too much fluid in those areas. Eat cooling foods: Cucumbers, mung beans, and watermelon are particularly good foods to eat. They help to keep your body cool, and because of their diuretic properties, they also help to offset excess salt intake. Dr. Mohammed Salah Mohammed, MD, MACP (USA), Consultant in Internal Medicine, Consultant in Nephrology is based at Medcare Hospital
Dubai Municipality has launched a ‘Safe and Healthy Summer 2010’ campaign to promote awareness and safety culture among all segments of society with regard to heat stress during the summer period. It especially focuses on labourers and beach-goers as well as visitors to open spaces such as jogging tracks, shopping centres, parks, metro stations, beaches of the emirate and many other areas. The campaign covers construction sites in the city to raise awareness of workers on the means of safety and first-aid, the importance of constant intake of water, and means of prevention of heat stress.
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 23
EDUCATION
The eight groups of students from Gems Wellington School during the Business Enterprise Day at the Artisans of the Emirates (ARTE), Times Square. The organisers of the ARTE are standing on the extreme right, Miriam Walsh and Paul Townsend. With his hands folded, on the right next to Paul and Miriam, is Sajjid Hussein, the brains behind the Business Enterprise Day.
Business Enterprise Day for students
The best way to infuse and encourage entrepreneurial passion in students is to expose their creativity in a challenging environment.
T
hat is what Sajid Hussein, Director of Economics at Dubai’s Gem Wellington International School, did. The brain behind the ‘Young Entrepreneur Scheme,’ Hussein oversees business and enterprise at the school. He developed this scheme for the benefit of secondary business and economic students. “I wanted to add a practical dimension to the theoretical business themes that the students studied. The best way was to encourage them to come up with innovating and inspiring products and venture into the competitive business world to market and sell their product in a professional manner. I wanted the students to have hands on experiences with dealing with local businesses and entrepreneurs. Skills that they would hone would include customer service, working as a team, problem solving, event planning, risk taking and dealing with stiff competition. These would help students in their life including
The Desert Fortune winning game
24 l UAE Digest, July 2010
higher education, employment, work-based learning and entrepreneurship. Last year, the students produced calendars, mugs, stationary and greeting cards with their own unique and innovative designs. This year, I believe they are worthy for a little extra exposure!” The students got their rightful exposure at the ARTE handcrafted souq held monthly at the Times Square Centre, Dubai. An acronym for the Artisans of the Emirates, ARTE is the only souq in the UAE where expatriates display their unique handcrafted From left to right - The Desert Fortune winners: Michael Misselhorn, Vince Lyster, Jordan Greivson, Daniel Watt items. “The founders of ARTE, Miriam profits that we made from the sales would personalised mobile phone covers/ Walsh and Paul Townsend, were go to charity, which is why our objective photo frames instrumental in giving us a platform at was to make sales. On the day, we arrived Fruitmania healthy ‘fruit’ option • their souq to encourage the students to early and set everything up, ready to start with tasty coatings (Won the most produce, market, display and sell their while we waited patiently for our customprofitable award) products. We ended up having eight ers. All our customers liked our board Desert Fortunesboard game based • groups of students each with a company game. Overall, we reached our objective on Dubai following the monopoly and a specific role who came up with inand had a memorable day! While we concept (The Overall Winner) novative ideas under the guidance of three enjoyed our day, we also learnt some 4’s & 6’s unique trading cards featur• school teachers.” valuable lessons during the competition, ing the world’s greatest cricketers The Business Enterprise Day was spent i.e. how businesses are run, experience in How was the Desert Fortunes comat the souq from 12pm till 7pm allowing working in a team and the importance pany, the overall winner, chosen? Husthe students to experience all facets of of presentation, importance of planning sein says, “The four boys were exceptionbeing in an actual business environment. in order to meet deadlines. A lot of ally groomed, they smiled throughout ARTE’s regular customers and the public patience and very hard work and effort is the long day and assisted customers very got to see the school’s eight groups display needed to make sales (profit), practiprofessionally. The concept took a lot of their products complete with the name cal experience is a must when learning effort and determination, the boys faced a and the concept. practical subjects at school (for example lot of challenges, yet they came through. Chillax stress balls, coconut juice, Business Studies). The challenge has been They had created seventeen board games • part of the fun.” and sold all of them. The board game health related information (Won the Is selling online at ARTE’s website was based on Monopoly and themed on best presented company award) something to think about? Dubai. There was excellent use of creativFor Heaven’s Cakes blissfully tasty • Hussein says, “It is definitely someity between them, lots of colour, friendly innovative cupcakes thing we are looking into, where the fonts and the game was very user friendly. Howzat! rubber wrists bands themed • money will go to charity as this is not a Instant feedback was extremely positive.” on cricket/IPL commercially driven project; it is just for Jordan Grievson, the head of Desert Quote Notes Notebooks themed on • them to have a first-hand feel of business Fortunes said, “We were ecstatic when inspirational and motivational quotes in the real world.” we first found out that we were going to (Won the Most Original Concept This article was written by Preethi participate in this event, since it would award) Janice D’Sa, a Dubai based journalist help us develop our business skills. The Gotcha covered Customised and • UAE Digest, July 2010 l 25
HOME & GARDEN
A new kind of DIY Buildmart store now at Ibn Battuta Mall
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o-It-Yourself home making is very popular in Western countries, and with the dearth of privately owned homes now in Dubai, the trend is sure to catch on, especially after the number of classes that have been organised by developers for their homeowners. Hints on how to choose from a variety of curtain types, painting walls in differing colours and textures, how to hang wallpaper, the effects of carpet tiles and rugs – these home improvements and more are now popping into people’s minds as costs rise and the need to count dirhams intensifies. In recognition of this changing scenerio, Buildmart has been expanding its network of shops. Recently, Salma Hareb, CEO of Economic Zones World, inaugurated the Dh15 million Danube Buildbart in Ibn Battuta Mall which marks the company’s ninth showroom and third retail branch to be based within a mall. This latest venture will cater to individual homeowners and designers; and is part of the construction, building materials and shop fitting operator’s Dh100 million expansion plan for its retail complex chain. Rizwan Sajan, Chairman and Anis Sajan, Managing Director from Danube Building Materials were also present along with other senior officials including Pat Mcgillycuddy, COO, Economic Zones World; Mohammed Al Banna, VP - Com-
Made-to-measure curtains available
26 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
mercial Sales; Abdulla Al Banna, VP - Commercial Sales; and Ahmed Mattar, Sales Manager, from Jebel Ali Free Zone - UAE region. “In addition to its regional headquarters in Jafza, Danube has further expanded its presence in the free zone to create a distribution hub for all their facilities in the region,” said Salma Hareb. While Rizwan Sajan explained to UAE Digest that central purchasing and central warehousing has resulted in lower costs – and these low costs have been passed on to the customer. “We have always believed in this principle, and it has worked well to date,” he smiled. “I believe our prices are among the lowest in the market, and the quality of our goods are high.” Spanning an area of 15,000 square feet the new store offers products from a host of reputed international and regional vendors under a single roof, including chandeliers, wall paper collections, curtains, carpets, luxury sanitary ware, Venetian blinds, wooden flooring, garden accessories, home décor and soft furnishings such as quilts, mattresses, towels, and pillow covers, among others. The store also has a Design Centre, where customers can take floor plans of their houses and benefit from free expert advice from consultants on which products suit their needs, as well as from complimentary consultation and after
A choice of sanitaryware – plumbers available to instal
Tiles for suspended ceilings in modern apartments – fitted by expert workmen
sales services dispensed by the company’s interior design experts. “Taking off from the huge success we have seen in our recent opening in Bawadi Mall, Al Ain and in Dubai Festival City, the inauguration of this branch is a reiteration of our commitment towards building a solid foothold for the brand in the region. We are prepared to address all the requirements of clients who will be coming to the store, and provide them the valued added services,” stated Rizwan Sajan. All products in the retail complex are installed in an actual home set-up, thereby allowing customers to enjoy a more personalised shopping experience with excellent service and design assistance. The showroom offers a personalised retail store experience with excellent service, design assistance, and inspiration to help people redecorate their homes.
Bubble bath with DVD player and coolbox for drinks
Lighting section
4 FOODIES
Mee goreng
The many
tastes of Asia
While ‘the noodle house’ introduced a delectable menu in its Dubai outlets, a new Afghan restaurant – Shahista – opened its doors to the public in mid-June By Vanit Sethi
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ndrew Joyce is a gourmet whose passion for food is all-too evident. It comes out in the way he talks about food, the way he presents and explains the dishes to you, and the way he relishes each bite and each sip. He wants you to do the same. It’s infectious. I never knew the taste of food could be so contagious. It’s as if you enjoy the food more because he’s enjoying it thoroughly. And then, your taste buds awaken to the aromas and flavours of the gastronomic spread. You give in to the temptation of a languorous afternoon at the noodle house. One of the most popular restaurants in the UAE, ‘the noodle house’ – Jumeirah’s flagship brand, serving South-east Asian cuisine – has introduced a new menu in all its outlets across the country, featuring 28 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
signature dishes from award-winning celebrity chef Sam Leong. Andrew Joyce, the F&B Manager with the Jumeirah Group, takes the media on a walkingtalking-tasting trip through two outlets in Dubai. Slowly, you let your senses take over. ‘the noodle house’ is a brand that lets its cuisine do the talking. The new a la carte menu includes healthy options such as steamed noodle roll with crab and ginger, king prawn salad, seared salmon with lime and sweet soy, and ‘edamame’ for the fastidious vegetarian. The green repertoire includes ‘BBQ mushroom buns’ and ‘steamed broccoli’. The range of tangy dishes include salt and pepper calamari, skewered chicken wings, crispy noodles with seafood and XO sauce, duck curry with egg plant, and
chicken rice, that could be complemented with the satiating creamy tom yam soup. Wow! I haven’t even tasted half these dishes at the Emirates Towers, and I’m full. But wait, make space for the desserts at the Burjuman outlet. And there, along with the numerous aromatic teas, one could have a go at delectable new desserts such as steamed chocolate buns, sliced mango, and sticky bean doughnuts. After such a sumptuous afternoon, one hates going back to work at the office. But I dragged myself to the Metro station for a trip back to Dubai Media City. ‘the noodle house’ recently hosted Sam Leong, who flew in exclusively from his base in Singapore to promote his own recipe, ‘wasabi prawns’, the essentially authentic dish featured on the
menu of ‘the noodle house’ restaurants worldwide. For the record, all dishes are freshly made over an open flame and in full view of the guests. They cater to the most discerning customer, and there is no pricing or quality difference between in-house and take-away dishes. The biggest USP of ‘the noodle house’ is its cheery, informal atmosphere typical of a popular street stall. The surroundings are informal, yet extremely stylish.
Pallaws and Kebabs Another weekday evening, and along with my better half, I’m inside the tastefully done interiors of Shahista, a newlyopened Afghan restaurant in Garhoud. Rugged as the mountains they come from, tall Afghan doormen welcome you with a smile. A tempting aroma of kebabs wafts through the air, releasing a pleasant sensation of well-being. The menu of the restaurant reflects the rich history and traditions of Afghanistan, which became the crossroads for many cultures, creating a colourful collage. Shahista evokes the lavish and stylish feel of a Central Asian ambience. Wooden decorations, traditional seating area, detailed antiques and intricate artwork give the restaurant a character of its own. Meant for 250 people, the restaurant is segregated into special sections for VIPs and families, as well as a designated sheesha area. The restaurant has carefully handQabulli Pallaw
Sheesha corner at Shahista
picked its dishes to treat diners to a higher standard of Afghan cuisine. Customers can choose from a wide variety - a rich selection of starters, fresh salads, hot and cold appetisers such as Bolani, a delicacy of turnovers filled with leek and herbs, and mixed vegetable pakowra (a crisp starter made of chopped and seasoned vegetables served with accompanying dips). The main course features authentic chicken and meat savouries prepared with premium quality ingredients that offer the flavours of regional Afghanistan, like garam masala (a concoction of spices), saffron, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, chillis, leeks, coriander, parsley, mint and black pepper. Kebabs form an integral part of Afghan cuisine and Shahista brings to its menu some delectable specialty dishes. Some chef ’s recommendations from the menu are Monti Kebab (skewers of
marinated and grilled lamb fillet), Chopan Kebab, Barg Kebab, Shami Kebab, Reshmi Kebab, Bakhtyari Kebab, Grilled Quill, Chapli Kebab and the exceptional Shahista Special Kebab. Served with baked potatoes and oven baked Afghani breads, like Lawash and Naun, the kebab selections are certainly not to be missed. In rice dishes, try the Qabulli Pallaw, a traditional preparation with sautéed lamb baked with Basmati rice topped with sautéed carrots and raisins; or the Zarishk Pallaw, also known as ‘celebration rice’ or ‘jewelled rice’. This dish is often cooked for weddings, made with wild, red barberries to lend an exotic, slightly tart taste and served with Afghani chicken korma. Maicha Pallaw is another speciality of baked brown basmati rice served with special cuts of lamb and seasoned with almonds, raisins, and pistachios. Contrary to popular notions, Afghan cuisine is not just about fine meats. Vegetarians too have plenty to choose from at Shahista. Ashak, a leek and spring onion dumpling dish prepared with yogurt and signature sauces; and Borani Bonjan (stewed eggplants cooked with onions, tomatoes and herbs, topped with yogurt and served with seasoned basmati rice) are some vegetarian specials. The desserts also see an influence of regional cuisine with items like ferni, jalebi, baklawas and the famous Afghan ice cream called Sheer Yakh – very similar to the Indian kulfi. A delightfully epicurean experience indeed. UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 29
4 FOODIES
The Italian café from Australia By Linda Benbow
O
ver the years, Brunetti has created a niche position for itself among people in Melbourne, Australia, where it is seen as an institution. The Angelé family comes equipped with a wealth of pasticceria and café experience with Giorgio Angelé beginning his training in a café with his uncle in Rome at the early age of 10. Since then Giorgio has always been involved in the pastry industry and is still baking for the unceasing crowds that amass at Brunetti. Nowadays, son Fabio, bakes and supervises all the activities of the other cooking experts in the restaurant. He has been travelling between Australia and Dubai for the past number of months, supervising the outfit and launch of the company’s first outlet outside Melbourne. Staff recruited in Dubai were flown to Australia to gain first-hand working experience in
the main restaurant, and are now producing authentic products and a customary atmosphere. A customer’s experience starts with signature coffees and teas made by Mario, a barista expert. The alluring aroma of coffee invites you to have an authentic espresso, macchiato, latte or cappuccino assiduously made using a 100 per cent Arabica roasted Santa Chiara coffee. While tea lovers can enjoy a cuppa from a selection by Newby, those who crave an authentic Italian beverage should try Cioccolato Caldo Con Panna, an Italian hot chocolate using a genuine secret family recipe. Rich, molten chocolate is a good description of this drink, so choose your small or large cup with care. Famed for its mouth-watering cakes, freshly baked breads, delightfully sinful chocolates and flavourful gelatos, this eatery satisfies every Italian craving.
A huge selection of pastries, including Millefoglie, Chocolate Pear Brioche and Panzerotti Ricotta, are served warm out of the oven and ready to greet customers in the morning with every item freshly baked by trained chefs. And in keeping with a distinct Brunetti tradition, a complimentary Brunetti coffee is given to the first customer of the day. This all day café also cooks up a selection of savoury traditional Italian dishes and snacks, most served with a bowl of salad. The restaurant offers up to 24 varieties of traditional European celebration cakes decorated in a variety of spectacular ways including Sacher Torte, classic Black Forest and even a profiterole cake. These mouth watering assortments of sweet and savoury Italian foods can be found opposite the amazing views of the aquarium at Dubai Mall
Fabio shows a collection of cakes
Brunetti serves: Cioccolateria : The cafe produces all of its chocolate selection on site using the finest Belgian chocolate crafted by its master Chocolatiers. Pasticceria : Cakes and pastries include a selection of Biscotti, mignon (petit cakes), cakes and tarts, danishes and shortbreads and celebration cakes. Paneteca : It serves freshly baked breads including Ciabatta loaves and Filone, hot from the ovens by our its own baker, every day. Gelateria : 24 distinct flavours are served at the Gelateria made from fresh ingredients. All of the sorbet fruit flavours are made with real fruits such as strawberries, mangoes and lemons. Traditional milk based gelato is available in many flavours including Bacio and Nutella. Paninoteca : The Paninoteca serves delicious savouries every day. Available for feasting are Pizzette, Panini and fresh salads. A La Carte : A team of chefs prepare authentic Italian dishes that include Fettucini Carbonara, Risotto Pollo e Funghi and Spaghetti alla Marinara to delight the palate. The Bar : Brunetti’s bar list includes a variety of hot and cold beverages from coffees to hot chocolates, juices and iced teas.
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PRODUCTS
Blue handle fridge
Summer rains on demand
Inspired by the soft ambient glow of the northern and southern polar lights, the Samsung Sveta fridge’s Blue Handle Lighting is the star of the show as its blue glow casts a soft ambient light. Located at the bottom of the fridge door, it helps to provide you with a clear view of everything inside your freezer. When both doors are closed, it casts a warm, blue glow that will radiate throughout the kitchen. It is also built with the latest, user-friendly refrigeration technology such as a LED touch control and a no-frost technology that prevents frost from building up in the freezer and resists condensation in the fridge.
Kohler Katalyst is an innovative new showering experience that simulates the large heavy drops and beauty of an Arabian summer downpour. Constructed from solid brass, the spray technology utilises a unique air induction ball joint design to generate large water droplets that stimulate the senses and provide a natural intense hydrotherapy experience. An air-induction technology is introduced into the water stream to deliver a potent, voluptuous spray that engulfs the body with larger and fuller water drops without using any more water than a standard showerhead.
Massage lounger
The style is in the mix
The new Sanyo HEC-DR7700 massage lounger offers users two zero-gravity positions; one that offers a stabilized back position and another position specially designed for leg massages and airbag massage stimulation. The newly developed ‘freethumb’ jointed massage head acts like a human thumb gripping shoulder muscles and other body parts and kneading them firmly like actual human hands can do. It also has an ankle grip massage system for the legs, foot sole heating and shiatsu massage designed for the feet. A calve massage is performed by airbags that expand and retract to promote blood circulation.
With cushions you can change the look of your sofa and the entire room, in a quick, easy and inexpensive way. BoConcept has a wide range of cushions - each with their own distinctive design and in endless varieties of materials such as leather, wool, fur and felt. Mixed strong colours and graphic patterns are the keywords, and you shouldn’t be afraid to go just a little bit over the top! Still, if you only want a restrained touch, choose more basic colours like grey and black – and add only a few splashes of the strong colours.
Galaxy S smartphone Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd has introduced the Galaxy S, a smartphone that incorporates a 4-inchSuper Amoled screen and a 1 GHz application processor that enables vibrant HD videos. The large 4-inch Super Amoled display delivers unrivalled screen quality, with less reflection, free viewing angles and super-fast touch-response. The mDNIe (mobile Digital Natural Image engine) boosts an even sharper and crisper viewing experience for photos, videos, and e-books. It creates a perfect environment to record, edit and play HD video, to browse the Internet, and to read your favorite e-books. A variety of Google applications from Android Market allows users to even more extend the benefits and excitement of smartphone experience.
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 31
FASHION
Razzle dazzle
Precious stones range exclusively at Bloomingdale's Dubai
G
emme Couture, a fresh new jewellery line working with precious and semi-precious stones has launched an exclusive line with international store Bloomingdale’s Dubai. Delicate metals and precious stones make up the specially customised bracelet, earring and necklace designs, including clusters of fruitcoloured gems, long strands of jewels and subtle gold beads as well as heavy gem bracelets and elegant drop earrings in a range of colours.
Style secrets for dressing all body types with the perfect jewellery While you can’t go wrong with the quintessential little black dress, you can make the most of your attributes by selecting outfits that enhance your figure, strategically detracting the eye from your weak spots, and drawing attention to your assets. “This is where jewellery can become your best friend” says Dejana Cvetkovic, designer and co-owner of Gemme Couture, a new bespoke
and ready-to-wear jewellery company based in the UAE. “Jewellery is fabulous in that it is so versatile and can completely change the mood of an outfit and draw the eye to, or away from a particular area depending on the colour, tone, size, length and volume.” To start, it is imperative to establish which of the five body types you fall under, which will then determine your jewellery choice.
Pear Shape:
Attributes include a slender and often elongated torso, small bust, with hips and thighs proportionally larger than the torso and waist. To combat the disproportion in the width of your body, choose bulky short-length necklaces and earrings to create the illusion of a fuller top half. This will help balance out the pear shape and give you more of a classic hourglass feel.
Hour Glass:
Attributes include a small bone structure and waistline with bust and hips proportionally larger than the waist: in a word, voluptuous. To tone down the curviness of your upper body, opt for necklaces that sit very high on the neckline, as this will draw the eye up and away from the bust line. Darker colours or monotone generally complement a curvier shape as it does not draw the eye to any one particular focal point. You can add a splash of colour with bracelets and earrings.
Straight:
Attributes include a boyshaped figure, with few visible curves from the shoulders through the hips. Opt for long necklaces with 32 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
bursts of colour and detail which will help create the illusion of a curvier form, avoid wearing short-length necklaces as this will elongate your curve-less form.
Round:
Attributes include a larger-than-average overall ample appearance, except that lower legs may be slender. Emphasize the bust with a v-neck and draw attention to the face and neckline with delicate jewellery. If your lower legs are shapely, wear bold shoes crusted with interesting jewels and colours. This will help keep the eye away from the middle trouble area.
Inverted Triangle:
Attributes include broad shoulders with a narrow waistline and hips. Opt for small stud earrings that don’t create too much attention to your upper body. Try and avoid wearing big and bold necklaces, but do feel compelled to overdo the bracelets with big, bright and chunky. By having a multitude of bracelets in bold colours and shapes, it will draw attention away from your uneven shape and create the illusion of proportioned shape. General accessory tips and tricks for all shapes and sizes: • Use jewellery and interesting necklines to emphasise the upper body and draw attention away from the lower body; • Don’t over-do your jewellery. As a general rule of thumb, if you are wearing a necklace choose between either a pair of earrings or bracelet. Never wear all three together as your accessories will become overwhelming; • Try and mix it up with gold, bronze and silver trimmings. It’s no longer fashionable to just wear one coloured metal at a time: ‘eclectic’ is the new 2010-jewellery buzzword.
FASHION
Toning through your tootsies A new toning shoe line-up; introducing TrainTone, RunTone and EasyTone for men By Linda Benbow
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eebok is part of the Adidas group, although both are aimed at different clients with one being a sports brand and the other being a fashionable home exercise brand. The company’s release of its first quarter trading figures for this year show that it is in good shape. Reebok is currently dramatically picking up speed too, as a training and fitness brand of shoe and apparel. It currently has 14 mono stores in the GCC and intends to bring out another six during the remainder of 2010 – this is in addition to the storewithin-stores it has in the area. The new toning category line-up from the company is inspired from the EasyTone for women. The success of EasyTone has been a game changer for Reebok, it currently leads the space having flown off the shelves in USA during the holiday season in December 2009 despite the global recession. The range is engineered to provide more muscle activation of the leg. The new line-up includes an EasyTone for men, TrainTone for training and RunTone for running. The company’s toning technique works on a built-in balance pods system, designed to create natural instability with every step. The pods
force key leg and glute muscles to adapt to instability and encourage toning and harder muscle activation. The range comes in a number of colours from bright yellows to reds for the bold; and white, black and navy for conventional consumers. The shoes look and perform like sports shoes and are designed using the traditional materials of a performance sports shoe (mesh and leathers). While the EasyTone for women has been in the market for long and has been praised by consumers across the globe, Reebok now introduces EasyTone for men. This specialised walking shoe increases gluteus maximus toning by 28 per cent and hamstring and calves muscles by 11 per cent just by walking in the shoes. The TrainTone shoe is specially designed for usage in a gym or to perform floor based exercises for women. It features a smaller front balance pod providing flexibility and stability needed for training. RunTone tones and tightens key leg muscles throughout the run. It features six balance pods with moving air that creates unique softness with every stride forcing muscles to work harder as you run.
All shoes are priced between Dh295-395. The new Reebok/Armani shoe that will be launched in September will, however, cost a little more. You will need to pay Dh895 for the discreet logo which is incorporated into the fabric of the dark sport shoe. The neat classic exterior belies the comfortable and useful technology that is incorporated into the shoe and sole of Reebok’s new partners’ apparel. The launch was announced in June at, wait for it…, the Armani Hotel Dubai, where else? The room was full of interested folks waiting for a similar show to the one in Milan six months earlier when a line-up of young men in swimwear strode onto the catwalk wearing the new designer footwear. But no, this is Dubai, so we had to make do with one shoe being passed along the row for each person to see. “Today sportswear and active wear have become really important parts of our wardrobes. I wanted to offer my customers the possibility of wearing sports clothes that were stylish and comfortable. My new alliance with Reebok is a natural consequence of this philosophy. As with all my collaborations, I am delighted to be working with experts in their field,” said Giorgio Armani.
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 33
FASHION
Beautiful You Ush Boutique, a Dubai based designers boutique which showcases various designers from across the GCC, announces the launch of their eid collection of abayas, kaftans and jalabiyas designed by 16 of their Emirati designers. The collection of embellished and intricate clothes is bound to attract both Arabs and non-Arabs alike, as each intricate piece is finely designed and cut to flatter.
For nearly ten years, ClarinsMen has been introducing men to the pleasures of skin care, shaving without irritation and eliminating undereye puffiness and tired features! Naturally, men now want the same for their bodies. And their skin is not compatible with products formulated for women. Ab Firming, the body contouring champion reduces the appearance of ‘love handles’ and the slackening skin and thickening that develops at the waist after the age of 20. Apply in the morning after a shower, and also before or after exercise.
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The new ‘Platinum negative ion straightener’ and ‘Multi-styling straightener’ are the latest innovations of Panasonic Consumer Products. The ‘Ion straightner’ is the first in the world to generate platinum negative ions which provide a water resistant coating to the hair. It helps the hair to maintain right amount of moisture content preserving the style for longer hours. The ‘multi-style straightener’ has a photo-ceramic coating that provides protection for colored hair. It increases the glossy texture and maintains hair moisture. Most importantly, it has universal voltage so it can be used anywhere while travelling.
John Richmond for men was created for a confident nonconformist who lives by his own rules and expresses his virility in an unconventional way. Pulsing with energy like a song with a throbbing beat, the fragrance is a creative new blend of exciting elements. A silver metal guitar plectrum, engraved with the phrase ‘it’s only rock ‘n’ roll’ hangs on the bottle to express the glam-rock soul of this sensational fragrance. The plectrum can be removed and used to add a personal touch to a key ring or any object.
Puma lacelets designed by Kehinde Wiley, bring a new twist to what laces can be used for. Kits show how to lace and weave the lacelets to create belts, bracelets, rings and yes, even shoe laces. Not only do they add a new twist to wardrobes everywhere, they also help a global cause as a portion of the profits will fund The United Nations Environment Programme’s Year of Biodiversity and its associated programmes.
ART
Hues of harmony By Vanit Sethi
I
n our troubled times, when deep suspicion and mistrust between giant South Asian neighbours India and Pakistan gets played out often in the media, it is difficult to find a common meeting ground. Yet, the subcontinental expats in Dubai have always found some space to interact and share their common interests. While politics – and increasingly economics too – has divided the two nations since their independence, art and culture have pulled them together, despite all odds. This shared passion in food, music and cinema sees the two nationalities on a common platform during several occasions. One such occasion was the ‘Hues of Harmony’ – an art exhibition held at the Intercontinental in Dubai Festival City. Officially opened during an exclusive private cocktail party at the venue on the evening of 12th June, the event saw
the debut of Dubai’s newest star on the art scene, Indian painter Zainab Mirza, who surprised the guests with her bold and colourful works. Dubai’s art lovers were also treated to an exciting live show by Indian artist Achut Palav and Pakistani artist Fahim Hamid Ali painting live to some soothing Sufi music performed by the Malhaar Choir (a Dubai-based Indo-Pak music group). Over 80 pieces by 20 different artists were on display, brought together by organiser Jyoti Karmali in a bid to highlight art as a universal language to unify people, cultures and countries, promoting peace and harmony. Participating artists included Nagi Rouble, HR Das, Ragendra Kapse, and Avijit Dutta (from India); Mashkoor Raza, AS Rind, GN Qazi and Shiraz Ashraf (from Pakistan); among others, renowned not only in their home countries but across the world. The artworks were selected by In-
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 35
HOME & GARDEN
dian curator Bina Aziz – an established artist and a Mumbai gallery owner - and Pakistani curator Fahim Hamid Ali -recognised for his stunning calligraphy.
The two paintings created during the opening event by Palav and Ali were put up for a silent auction, with all proceeds going to The Children’s
Jyoti Karmali
“Bringing this exhibition to life had been a long-standing dream of mine and I am thrilled to realise this dream. I am pleased to place Indian and Pakistani art at the forefront of not only the local art scene, but also the international one.” Jyoti, who moved to Dubai from the UK in 1999, now holds an iconic presence in the city for the past 10 years. She is renowned for her exquisite taste and vast experience in the events industry. Jyoti has had the pleasure of working with
36 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
Hope Foundation, a Dubai-registered charity that works to change the lives of children who are disadvantaged through illness, disability or poverty.
highly acclaimed artists, including Hariharan, Anup Jalota, Louis Banks, Ustad Rashid Khan, Talat Aziz, Abhijeet, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhwinder Singh, Daler Mehndi, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Parveen and many more. She has coordinated and managed over 100 high profile events, including the Chivas Fashion Shows 2008 and 2009, numerous theatre plays, Ahlan Masala Awards, and the IIFA Awards 2008 after-party, to name a few.
Bina Aziz
Fahim Hamid Ali
A self-taught artist who works on mainly oils and acrylic, Bina Aziz did a short stint at Mumbai’s prestigious JJ School of Arts, learnt sketching according to the ‘Ateliers Method’ in Auckland, New Zealand, and Computer Graphics.
Fahim Hamid Ali, a self-taught artist who emerged on the art scene about 20 years ago, is a profound believer in communicating with his audience. He generally works in mixed media on paper and canvas and is also at ease with the wash painting technique. His work ranges from people, wildlife, landscapes and historic events. Islamic Calligraphy, Egyptian and Hindu mythologies are a passion with him and the diversity has enabled him to carve a niche for himself in the art world as a versatile artist equally at home with different subjects using different mediums. Fahim has displayed his work in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Canada, US, UK, Kenya and Tanzania. His involvement in the Canadian art scene convinced him to settle there. He has been exhibiting his work at the major art galleries.
When Bina paints, she says she gets transported into another world. Her ‘women’ series, paintings on children, ‘Meditation’, the ‘Flute Player’, ‘Jesus’series, and the ‘Clown’ series, are some of her creations. Besides being a painter, Bina has also presented artists and taken Indian art around the globe. Being a gallery owner along with Zarine Khan, she helps upcoming artists. She has curated art for many years, exposing art lovers to good artwork of upcoming and established artists. Her works can be seen all over India and abroad.
Zainab Mirza “Hues of Harmony was an incredible platform for me to premiere my work, and it is a great privilege to stand alongside such fantastic, talented artists. I look forward to many more art exhibitions. I hope this exhibition inspires others to support cross-cultural exchanges and encourage global peace initiatives.” Zainab Mirza was born and raised in Hyderabad, India, in 1985, and is now based in Dubai. A self-taught artist, was inspired to begin painting at a young age by close family friend, the legendary Indian artist MF Husain. Zainab’s work ranges from simplistic abstracts to floral themes and landscapes in oils and acrylics. Her focus is on the sculpted design, heavy texture and bold use of colours; her paintings are driven by nature, the symbolic meanings of colours and the influence they have on spaces and people’s lives. Zainab’s favourite artists include MF. Husain, Wassily Kandinksy, Jackson Pollock and Monet. Hues of Harmony is her first art show.
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 37
ART
Visual point If you have a passion and are willing to go that extra mile to perfect it with skill and hard work, success is sure to follow By Manju Ramanan
P
eaceful, uninterrupted sleep is what most people crave for after a day of hard work and commute. So, you’ll agree that if you give up what Dubaiians take to be luxury – five-six hours of sleep in the night - for a passion like art, then it must be all consuming. Ali Akbar, an artist based in Al Ghusais who works full time as an illustrator for the Al Futtaim group happily forfeits his sleeping hours to stay up late adding colour to his canvas after a hectic full day’s work. Every day, after he gets back home from work, about 7.00 pm, he starts his main job.
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“I paint till 2.00 am sometimes and it is a great time for me because I am at my creative best. After a late night, I get up early because I have an 8-6 job. Once in a week I allow myself to sleep early, about 11.30 pm,” he adds. In the UAE for the past 14 years, Akbar, who hails from Karnataka in India was attracted to painting from a tender age. “I used to spend more time with brushes and colour rather than my school books,” he states. His studio in Ghussias, Dubai has several of his works, some of which are large paintings. “I cannot paint larger than the size
of my studio because where will I store them then?” he states. Through 38 of his paintings, Akbar has paid homage to His Highness the late HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Each of these records a year of the late President’s rule and is inspired by the vision of the leader and his commitment to the rapid development of UAE. “My fascination for HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan is almost obsessive. I spent years studying the leader’s life. You can say that I read
every word about him and followed up on each of his glorious achievements. My 38 inspirational themes are painted one for each year of his rule, from 1966 to 2004,” he states “All these paintings were completed before the sad demise of HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It was my fervent wish to present the late President with the full set of paintings. Alas it was not to be! I believe these paintings are a visual tribute that tell the story of this great leader who helped not only in giving UAE a strong global recognition and forge regional bonding, but also brought the people of UAE together in a warm embrace,” he states. The series of paintings are oils on canvas, size 48.6x72 inches (4.5 feet x 6 feet) and titled HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s life story paintings. They have not been exhibited anywhere. Ali has exhibited at the Dubai Ladies Club, Jumeirah in Janury 2009; Tashkeel Art Gallary and Dubai in March 2009, at the Mega Mall, Sharjah in 2004 and has had six shows between 1999 to 2002 at the Indian Consulate.
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 39
BOOKS
In search of the truth By Vanit Sethi
F
resh on the success of his first novel Q & A - being marketed as Slumdog Millionaire, after the stupendous success of Dannie Boyle’s film based on it - Vikas Swarup has penned another exciting thriller ... this time a murder mystery, with six suspects – all unusual, quirky, and as diverse as chalk and cheese. Six Suspects is the straightforward title of Swarup’s second novel. The characters that people it are a corrupt bureaucrat, a glamorous actress, a stone-age tribal, a mobile thief, an immoral politician, and an American tourist. All have some connection with Vicky Rai, the notorious son of a scheming minister, who is murdered one evening in his farmhouse in the suburbs of Delhi, by one of the guests during a glitzy party to celebrate his latest acquittal in the murder of a bar-girl who refused to serve him a drink after closing hours. Vicky has a penchant for getting into trouble, and his father has the onerous task of getting him out of it every time. His crimes – treated as misdemeanours by his indulgent father – get bolder with every acquittal. In the process, Vicky has accumulated several enemies, all of whom can be potential suspects in his murder. Six of them have strong motives, and all were present at his party, by invitation or without one. The story begins with Arun Advani, ‘India’s wiliest investigative journalist’, who vows to nail the killer in his newspaper column. Then, the novel launches into the lives of the six prime suspects and how they came to be associated with the victim. The bureaucrat, Mohan Kumar, gets possessed by the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi during a séance in the Indian capital. His transformed personality does not allow him to tolerate evil, and Vicky is as evil as evil can be.
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Mobile thief Munna lands himself a briefcase full of currency notes due to a mistaken identity, and indulges himself to the hilt, including wooing Vicky’s pretty sister inadvertently. When the truth is out, he is under a life threat from Vicky and his goons. When his family is attacked, he reaches breaking point and vows to finish off Vicky. Jagannath Rai, home minister of Uttar Pradesh state (Vicky’s father) discovers to his shock that the woman he is fond of (an ambitious TV journalist) has been seduced by his son, as she came asking for a role in his new film. His jealousy knows no bounds and threatens to disrupt the father-son relationship forever. Larry Page, the American tourist – a forklift operator in Texas – comes to India to pursue his ‘mail-order bride’
who happens to be a popular actress in Bollywood (again a mistaken identity). He gets mistaken for the founder of Google, and flits from one adventure to another as a language instructor in a Gurgaon call centre to a visitor in Kashmir Valley, to a captive of terrorists in Pakistan, from where he is rescued by the CIA. He finally wants to save his Bollywood babe from Vicky’s clutches. Eketi, the tribal from Andaman Islands off India’s east coast, is on the mainland to hunt for a sacred, auspicious stone that has been stolen from their island by a conniving mainlander – now sold to Vicky. Bollywood actress Sapna Singh has had a tempestuous life and an unhappy past, in addition to Vicky showering her with his unwanted affections. However, when her sister is attacked by Vicky’s goons, she’s had enough and decides to eliminate the thorn in her life. The novel moves swiftly into action mode and the needle of suspicion keeps shifting until all the six suspects look equally culpable. Then, who’s the killer? Could there be another hidden suspect who has a stronger motive than the six suspects. That’s the suspense. Vikas Swarup’s second novel could turn out to be a bigger draw if made into a movie, as it has all the ingredients required for a box office hit – sex, glamour, religion, romance, politics and espionage, topped up by crime and suspense. Closely based on real-life incidents and characters, the novel will strike a chord with Indian readers and those who follow Indian news carefully. Clearly, Swarup’s inspiration is Indian newspapers and TV channels. A highly racy read for a short summer vacation.
FILMS
Action at intrigue’s expense By Vanit Sethi
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oming after a nearly six-month lean season of Hindi cinema, Prakash Jha’s Raajneeti arrived with great expectations after December 2009’s supergrosser 3 Idiots. To a large extent, it fulfils those expectations, but ... there’s that yearning for something meatier and more substantial. Raajneeti is a political drama set in Madhya Pradesh state of central India, where two influential, blood-related families battle fiercely for the spoils of power. The film begins with a flashback into the life of Bharti, daughter of Chief Minister Ramnath Rai. Influenced by leftist ideology, she rebels against her father and joins the rival party of leftist leader Bhaskar Sanyal (Naseeruddin Shah). Bhaskar disappears after a stormy night of passion, having unwittingly made Bharti pregnant. Upon the child’s birth, he is abandoned in a boat by Brij Gopal (Nana Patekar), Bharti’s brother. Bharti later marries the younger brother of Bhanu Pratap who leads the ruling political party. As the state government collapses, Bhanu suffers a stroke. In hospital, he hands over power to his younger brother Chandra and his son, Prithvi (Arjun Rampal), sidelining his own son, Veerendra (Manoj Bajpai). Veerendra believes power is his birthright, but after being rebuffed, enlists the support of a backward class leader, Sooraj (Ajay Devgan) the abandoned son of Bharti. Veerendra has his uncle assassinated while returning from the airport after seeing off his younger son, Samar (Ranbir Kapoor) who is leaving for the US to pursue a doctorate in Victorian poetry. Samar, hearing the news of his father’s killing on TV at the airport, decides to stay back to wreak vengeance on the killers. Plenty of drama ensues – including a rape charge on Prithvi - after political machinations to sideline Veerendra and Sooraj in the party. To drop the rape charge, Samar agrees to leave for the US with family, but has no intention to do so. Prithvi and Samar split from the parent party to form a rival party with Brij as mentor, but are strapped for funds to contest elections. To tide over the crisis, Samar shrewdly ensures Prithvi’s marriage to his childhood friend Indu (Katrina Kaif), the daughter of a rich businessman, who actually likes Samar. Meanwhile Samar’s American girlfriend Sarah (Sarah Thompson) arrives in India, intrigued by his silence - completing the list of characters. The film – which begins with all the noise, colour, heat and dust of an Indian election campaign – quickly sinks into a cesspool of revenge, blood and gore from which no one comes out clean. Things
turn darker every day, leaving no distinction between what and who is right or wrong. In the end, an electoral win for Indu (an unlikely candidate) – engineered by Samar and Brij – comes after everything else is lost. Clearly inspired by the Hindu epic Mahabharat, the film has also drawn from Godfather (though Jha denies it). But the main source is Indian politics itself and the director’s association with it (he contested elections twice from his state of Bihar). However, the controversy about Katrina’s character being modelled on Sonia Gandhi is far-fetched, even though Kaif may have been inspired by her. Highlighting the murkier side of Indian politics, Raajneeti does a brilliant job, but it does take things a bit too far. As a result, the focus is more on action, drama, violence, mass public rallies and huge crowds. One would have liked some subtlety, conspiracies, in-
trigues, manouvreings and shady dealings in the screenplay, but the mind is left benumbed with too much happening too fast. Perhaps, Jha’s idea of transplanting Mahabharat into modern-day India was a tad too ambitious. In that respect, Shyam Benegal’s Kalyug (1981) about feuding business families did a much better job. Having said that, Raajneeti is engrossing and way above the standard Bollywood fare. The movie is turning out to be the second highest grosser after 3 idiots. A must-watch political drama in a long time. UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 41
BIKES
Choppers and cruisers Experience the wild side of Honda
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hoppers have existed on the fringes of the motorcycling scene for decades. For many years the chopper motorcycle has summed-up a particular breed and passion of two-wheeled cool. Many are home-built machines - some made to quite basic specifications. Like other genres of motorcycle, choppers have evolved over the years. Early, often crude home-built efforts have inspired ever greater innovation and true choppers are now something of an art form with highly desirable looks and attitude. The Honda VT1300CX, launched worldwide during July, is an original in the genre – a radical concept offered in a unique package that’s accessible to nearly every rider. It is visually daring and great fun to ride, with a feel and sound that place the rider squarely in the chopper domain. The bike – with its great package of looks, sound and feel – is effectively Honda’s first factory-finished chopper and has the longest wheelbase of any production Honda ever – a full 1805mm between both axles. But, despite this and its radical looks, it’s still a Honda, which means the ultimate in performance and poise as well as good fuel economy, with fun and ease of riding and assured handling.
42 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
The process of designing a new motorcycle involves many things. Precise calculations, measurements and specifications must be determined and tried in various combinations before the best result is achieved. At Honda, these factors are also blended with an additional element – a love for the machine. For cruisers and choppers, style is king. Its high-mount steering head gives the frame a see-through, open-air look with plenty of breathing room between the
The VT1300CX is a new breed of cruiser, showing Honda’s wild side and playing on the popular chopper genre
upper frame and the front cylinder head. Its long, slim fuel tank is perched up high, while its seat is ultra-low. The fat 200mm rear tyre is paired with a slim 90mm front wheel that’s wrapped in an attractively close-fitting fender. A striking visual impact is created by the multi-faceted nine-spoke front and seven-spoke rear wheel design. The VT1300CX comes in two colours. A striking metallic blue provides an eyecatching option for this masterful V-twin, while the intense black accentuates its extravagant styling. The engine is the soul of the bike. It is a 1312cc liquid-cooled 52-degree V-twin with a single-pin crankshaft, dual balancers and a new Programmed Fuel Injection system. The engine is cooled by a compact radiator that’s neatly concealed between the frame’s downtubes. Maintaining the neat, uncluttered look, the top radiator hose is hidden away beneath the front head cover. A newly designed dual exhaust system and new camshafts add to the creation of an engine that produces hugely satisfying performance and awesome sound. Low fuel consumption (it delivers an impressive 20km per litre) and a clean, reliable, maintenance-free shaft drive mean more time spent on the road and less in the garage. It’s all about the ride.
REAL ESTATE
Rents continue to decline
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andmark Advisory has released its June lease guide for Dubai. The rent ranges published in the leasing guide combine transactional data with mystery shopping and broker surveys and are prepared by the analysts at the company. Compared to its last Dubai lease guide in April 2010, the latest guide shows that lease rates have continued to decline irrespective of quality and location, for both residential apartments and commercial units. Although the units in lower quality buildings and less prestigious locations are experiencing the strongest rent declines, the more significant trend is the resumption in rent declines for high quality units in prestigious locations. Declines are primarily attributed to increasing supply, a trend that will continue with 100,000 new units anticipated for delivery over the next two years. According to Ms. Jesse Downs, Director of Research & Advisory Services, Landmark Advisory, the biggest problem is the impending supply pipeline: “Tenants are increasingly seeking more value
for their rental dirham and are able to leverage alternative options to negotiate very attractive deals. This is pushing up bid-ask spreads and illustrates that landlords are conceding in negotiations with ever more discerning and value-seeking tenants. More significantly, this is a trend now observed in high quality units in prestigious locations, which is a segment that has experienced relatively minimal volatility in late 2009 and the first quarter of 2010 due to relocation trends.” Rental demand in Dubai has been
bolstered by tenants relocating from surrounding emirates, namely Abu Dhabi with landlords in Dubai benefiting from tenants moving to Dubai to take advantage of both lifestyle and lower rental rates. “The imminent delivery of Abu Dhabi’s Marina Square will inevitably sway existing or potential commuters to rent an apartment in Abu Dhabi, however, which will clearly hurt rental demand in Dubai,” said Ms. Downs. “Rents in the capital are coming down and will continue to do so, especially in Q4 2010 and Q1 2011.”
Residential - Apartments The company notes that even rents in prestigious locations are declining; lower limits for a one bedroom on the Palm JuUAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 43
meirah have fallen six per cent, while one bedroom apartments in JLT have fallen a further 10 per cent since publishing the previous lease guide. In lower quality areas such as International City, studio lower limits decreased 12 per cent while upper limits for both studio’s and one bedroom apartments decreased on average by 22 per cent. The lower limit of lower quality two bed apartment’s in both West and East Dubai have also declined by an average of seven per cent since early May. Well established areas with a limited supply pipeline are also experiencing additional rent declines; Downtown Dubai has seen further drops in rent due to continued supply entering the market in neighbouring areas, like Business Bay and Sheikh Zayed Road. “While these areas are not of comparable quality to Downtown Dubai, the impact on this increased supply is evident, lower limits for two beds in Downtown Dubai are falling five per cent, at the same time that lower limits in
44 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
Business Bay and Sheikh Zayed Road have fallen by 12 per cent and six per cent respectively since the beginning of May,” said Ms Downs. As the mounting competition to attract tenants leads landlords to offer more concessions, a six-cheque contract and incentives like rent free periods to assist tenants with days lost during the moving process are becoming more common. “Unlike the trends in April 2010, where the rental declines were primarily restricted to lower and medium quality buildings, high quality buildings in good locations are also seeing rental drops,” explained Ms. Downs. “While the falls are still marginal when compared to the drops in lower quality buildings, this is still a significant trend.”
Residential - Villas Villa lease ranges have been much more
stable then apartment rates, however, some areas are still experiencing declines. Areas including Arabian Ranches, Victory Heights, Jumeirah Islands, The Springs, Dubai Silicon Oasis, sections of the Lakes and parts of Palm Jumeirah have all seen lower limit declines. The largest declines occurred in the lower limits of five bed villas; in Jumeirah Islands and Dubai Silicon Oasis, five bedroom villas declined by 7 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. For two beds, lower limits in The Springs declined 6 per cent (with rents as low as Dh75,000) while in Victory Heights, Palm Jumeirah, and Dubai Silicon Oasis the three bed lower limits declined by an average of 6 per cent. Ms. Downs said: “While some villa rents did fall, they did not fall in every area and rents for certain high quality villas have remained stable. Since this segment is particularly sensitive to demand fluctuations, rents for specific high end villa developments may experience short
term fluctuations. For example, the lower limit rent for a five bedroom villa on Palm Jumeirah is currently at AED 400,000 per annum. Given the limited pool of individuals and families able to afford such a luxury villa, the rents may fluctuate based on longer void periods.”
Commercial Rents In terms of commercial units, rents have declined and are expected to decline further. Landlords are attracting new tenants by offering lower lease rates, longer term
leases, and increased incentives such as rent-free periods, fit-out allowances, and increased cheque options. According to Ms. Downs, location and incentives are set to play a key role in attracting tenants going forward: “The commercial market is witnessing a prolonged period of oversupply, and with new developments in Business Bay, and JLT expected for completion in 2010 and beyond, lease rates are expected to decline further across Dubai.” In terms of specific areas, DIFC lease
rates lower limit has decreased by 17 per cent, commercial units in Business Bay have decreased 6 per cent and Dubai Silicon Oasis has decreased 20 per cent. “While freehold areas will be particularly impacted by rent declines due to upcoming supply, those buildings with fragmented ownership are likely to be hit the hardest with premiums emerging for single landlord buildings. By this we mean those buildings where buildings were sold by individual units or floors and Strata Law applies,” Ms. Downs concluded.
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 45
EVENTS
Manouevring modern media minefields How to survive and succeed in times of change preoccupied the minds of journalists at an annual regional gathering By Vanit Sethi
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n a world still battling with the aftereffects of the recession, mediapersons from various countries gathered to do some stocktaking of the effect the economic downturn had on their industry. While the oldest media, i.e. print, seems to be on a downward slope the world over (barring the fast-growing economies like the BRIC nations), the new online media has not really discovered a good way of making money from the content available on the internet. In the middle of the road, the electronic media like radio and television has nearly reached a saturation point in its growth, and the boom period of the 1990s may well be a thing of the past. Common to all their woes was one dominating factor – falling advertising revenues and the glut of media units scrambling for the small pie. The theme of the 9th Arab Media Forum-2010 held at The Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah in May, was Shifting Mediascape: Inspiring Content, Expanding Reach. Inaugurating the high-profile media event in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; Nobel Laureate Dr Ahmed Zewail called for the creation of a scientific temper and outlook in Arab societies for the sake of tangible progress in the region. Recipient of the Nobel Prize 46 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
for Chemistry (1999), Zewail sought a comprehensive renaissance in the Arab world and a fundamental transformation of society at the grassroot level. He said: “The three pillars on which change of any scale depends include the nature of change, its recipients, and the challenges faced by the changing entity. While gradual change is common everywhere, critical change or a paradigm shift is what we all seek to achieve as a society. And this change will come only when a society is completely coherent, with individual components working together. Change requires political vision right from the top. Unlike the past, in a modern world of the information age, political systems cannot aspire to keep their societies in silos. This has made changes in the political system a necessity.” While he commended the Middle East for its ability to adapt to technological innovation in the media and the wide reach of satellite television, he underscored the need for original educational content to effectively contribute to the spread of knowledge and greater awareness. He also emphasised on the importance of quality rather than quantity, in light of the huge growth in the number of television channels and newspapers in the region. He added: “First, we need an educa-
tional system that builds upon the cognitive development of students; second, we need to follow scientific methods in the media; and finally, we need to add elements to our culture such as encouraging fruitful debate and conversation rather than blind disagreement. We also need to encourage excellence and achievement rather than scrutiny.” Dr. Zewail was awarded the 1999 Nobel Prize for his pioneering developments in femtoscience, which is the study of chemical reactions across femtoseconds - a millionth of a billionth of a second. More recently, he and his team have developed 4D electron microscopy for the direct visualisation of matter’s behaviour, from atoms to biological cells, in the four dimensions of space and time. Currently, Dr. Zewail is the Linus Pauling Chair Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology. He has also been nominated to participate in President Barack Obama’s Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).
The ‘Chindia’ story In another session after the inauguration, titled Asia Rising: The Story of China and India, Arab media organisations were told
by Chua Huck Cheng of Singapore’s The Straits Times to expand their wings and presence in Asia to complement the proliferation of the media sector in emerging economies such as India and China with which the Middle East has enjoyed historic links. The session analysed new trends and the ramifications of the developments as well as emerging media industries in China. Moderated by Dr Tayeb Kamali, ViceChancellor of the Higher Colleges of Technology (UAE), speakers at the session included N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu (India); Jonathan Fenby, China Director of the research company Trusted Sources (China); Chua Huck Cheng, Editorial-Page Editor, The Straits Times (Singapore), Dilip Cherian, Consulting Partner, Perfect Relations; Andrew Malcolm, Member of the Editorial Board, Los Angeles Times; and Abdulla Al Madani, academic researcher and lecturer in International Relations and Asian Studies (Bahrain). N. Ram, the Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu (India) pointed out that the media world was now divided into two worlds – one, the emerging markets like Asia, which were witnessing rapid strides even in print media due to the growth in literacy and fast-growing economies like India and China; and two, the western world, where the media, like the economy, was in a state of steep decline. Dilip Cherian, Consulting Partner, Perfect Relations (a PR firm in India), says rapid commercialisation in India and China is the leading driver behind the meteoric ascent of media in both the countries. “India is a democracy that is in continuous dialogue with itself; we have a culture of asking questions,” said Cherian. Panelists at the seminar agreed that other factors fuelling aggressive growth of the Asian media are an ever-expanding middleclass armed with multiplying amounts of disposable income, and an insatiable interest for information. Jonathan Fenby, China Director of the research company Trusted Sources, said: “While the media in China has always been under government control, there is a marked shift since 1978. There
are a number of metro-based publications that are fast approaching the norms of free media with the ability to openly report prevailing issues.” Andrew Malcolm, Editorial Board Member of the Los Angeles Times, pointed out that the twin phenomenon of media mergers and migration of readers to the web has resulted in a significant decline of media empires. Closures seem to be haunting newspapers as advertisers switch in favour of high-traffic websites. In addition to examining the regional media in Asian countries, panelists also looked at the reasons for the rapid growth of regional-language media, and whether some Asian societies are more receptive to media scrutiny than the others.
Adding value In an important session, Michael Golden, the Chief Operating Officer of The New York Times Company Regional Media Group, while speaking on Opportunities in Journalism, remarked that while websites and other electronic vehicles have made news readily available, they offer a distinctly different experience as compared to a newspaper. “Newspapers have the ability to take data and information, apply their insight and context to convert it into knowledge and understanding. While websites and mobile phones cannot challenge the print media on these counts, tablet devices such as the iPad are increasingly going to be able to provide the same experience. The key to sustenance here is to be able to cater to readers through all these new media vehicles.” Through his interactive session, Golden also commented on New York Times’ revised business model, revealing that up to 800,000 of its subscribers have been engaged for two years or longer. He ascribed the success of The Economist as a news vehicle to the fact that while it faced the challenge of having to compete with the increasing immediacy of news cycles, it made up by reporting news with ‘a lot of attitude’, relying greatly on opinion delivered
thoughtfully, which is greatly valued by its readers. Golden is also Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Center for Journalists, a Washington DCbased non-profit organisation that raises journalism standards through offering hands-on training workshops, seminars, fellowships and international exchanges.
Technovation In another crucial session on Media’s New Forms and Patterns, Santino Saguto, Managing Director, Mena Region, Value Partners, said: “The world is facing three main drivers that make technological invasion difficult to curb. These drivers are globalisation, rapid increase in technological development and innovation, as well as the new generation.” Analysing how the Arab media is keeping pace with technological developments, the session gave a forecast for the next few years. Panelists also examined how journalists react and adapt to technological developments in terms of employment, training and professional performance, and debated on whether there are universal examples or mature Arab case studies worthy of emulation. Concurring that the onset of fast evolving technologies continues to alter the way media carry their messages to the public, speakers pointed out that in the next few years, TV viewers might abandon their TV sets and digital satellite receivers as current television broadcasting equipment might be replaced by revolutionary and new broadcast modes. In such a foreseeable scenario, panelists said people could sit in coffee shops and restaurants and watch the news or sports programmes, and other television shows with their mobile phones. Other sessions focused on citizen journalism, the satellite gap between Maghreb (Western Arab) and Mashreq (Eastern Arab) countries, censorship on television, local content in Arab media, pressure of globalisation on sports journalism, and the etiquette of dialogue on TV. UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 47
“While gradual change is common everywhere, critical change or a paradigm shift is what we all seek to achieve as a society” -- Nobel Laureate Ahmed Zewail
“India is a democracy that is in continuous dialogue with itself” --Dilip Cherian
“The key to sustenance is to be able to cater to readers through all new media vehicles” -- Michael Golden
“The world is facing three main drivers that make technological invasion difficult to curb” -- Santino Saguto
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, honoured the winners of the 9th Arab Journalism Awards at a gala ceremony that marked the conclusion of the Arab Media Forum 2010. His Highness presented the ‘Media Personality of the Year 2009’ award to Abdulla Omran Taryam, Chairman of the Board of Directors for the UAE-based Dar Al Khaleej Press, Printing and Publishing. Taryam was selected for his contribution to journalism since the 1950s, when he started his career with his brother Taryam Omran in establishing and developing the Al Khaleej newspaper as well as six daily, weekly and monthly publications.
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TRAVEL
Lucky in Lucknow
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lydubai, Dubai’s first low cost airline, marked another major milestone in June, landing at its first Indian destination. The airline’s touchdown in the booming city of Lucknow, in north east India, means the hundreds of thousands of tourists and Indian expatriates in the UAE have another option for safe, quality, affordable travel to the Indian sub-continent. A financial, manufacturing and education hub, Lucknow is the second largest city in north, east and central India, and flydubai’s thrice weekly direct service will now connect the city to the UAE and beyond. His Excellency Mohamed Sultan Al Owais, Ambassador of the UAE, said: “It is important that we increase the number of safe, affordable, quality air travel options that connect our countries. Bilateral trade (non-oil) between India and the UAE was worth $48.3bn in 2008-9, an increase of 65.8 per cent over the previous year, which shows the growing importance of relations between our two nations. Increasing the transport links between India and the UAE can only help to strengthen the economic and commercial ties between us.” The capital of India’s most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow is also renowned for its unique food, rich culture, intricate textiles and impressive moghul architecture, and with one-way fares including all taxes and one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 10kg per passenger priced at Dh500, the route is bound to be popular. The new service, FZ433, operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, departing Dubai at 2030hrs and arriving in Lucknow at 0150hrs local time the following day. The return flight, FZ434, operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, departing Lucknow at 0235hrs and arriving in Dubai at 0520hrs local time.
Haji Waris Ali Shah was born in early nineteenth century in Dewa in a family of Hussaini Syeds. His genealogy traces origin from Hazrat Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad and martyr of Karbala, through 26 linkages inbetween. His parents died when he was three years old and he was brought up by his grandmother. He was sent to maktab (preparatory school) at the age of five, where he learnt the Quran by heart. After returning from his sojourn, he resided in Dewa and preached the message of love till his death in 1905. Even today he continues to inspire millions of devotees who flock to his shrine every year.
Chotta Imambara
Dilkusha Palace
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 49
TRAVEL
Up, down and away The summer months compel travellers in the region to identify new spots for vacation. Here’s the outlook for six countries By Vanit Sethi
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t’s summertime! Hot, dust-laden winds are blowing all over the UAE, giving you that weird, uncomfortable feeling. You want to pack your bags and fly away to cooler climes. If you’re not going to your home country, it’s often difficult to decide where to go and how to go about it. Every year, new destinations open up to quench the wanderlust of the footloose bagpackers. But unfortunately, some others fall out of favour due to new troubles besetting them. Still others plod along on the strength of their image, despite losing some of their earlier sheen. While traditionally favourite destinations such as Thailand have had to do a bit of stock-taking and exercises in reassurance A panoramic view of Cape Town in South Africa
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after the political storm that shook the capital Bangkok; others like Sri Lanka are extremely upbeat as one-third of the island has opened up after a three-decade insurgency was crushed militarily last year. Meanwhile, classical destinations like Greece have felt the earth slip under their feet after the worldwide economic recession took a heavy toll on their national finances, leaving them almost bankrupt. So, here’s the upside, the downside and the wayside for tourism in the summer of 2010.
THE UPSIDE South Africa: Quite a few tourists – who are soccer fans as well – are dancing in the aisles and blowing their vuvuzelas
in the stadiums of Cape Town, Jo’burg, Bloemfontein and elsewhere in SA to the tunes of Shakira’s Waka Waka or K’naan’s Waving Flags. The rainbow nation has been all abuzz with the excitement of the World Cup. Truly, this colourful country has come a long way since Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990 after a long sentence of 28 years. The nation - that was once an international pariah for its institutionalised racism (apartheid) - has come to occupy a place of pride in the international community for its stupendously successful conduct of the World Cup 2010. Despite concerns about security, efficiency and other nitty-gritty’s that are part of a ‘Black
Man’s burden’, South Africa has really surprised the world. Just last year, the nation played host to the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket matches. But that went largely unnoticed in the rest of the world which goes bonkers only over soccer. Clearly, at the moment, South Africa is the place to be… and will remain so for some time, even after the floodlights in the stadia have dimmed. That the place is incredibly beautiful is not in doubt, but tourists were always wary of street crime and racial tensions that lie beneath the surface. All that has now been forgotten in the aftermath of World Cup glory. Bafana Bafana (the SA team) could not enter the qualifying rounds, but that is small matter for a nation with Mandela’s vision. After all, the bounties that SA will reap from fresh tourist arrivals will more than compensate for loss on the field. Way to go, SA! Have no doubts: ‘It’s time for Africa’. Sri Lanka: ‘Serendepity’ -- meaning making happy discoveries by accident – came from the word ‘Serendip’, which earlier Arabs used to call Sri Lanka. Today, the world has discovered the emerald isle once again, and Lanka too has found that the world wants to visit its pristine shores. A small, tear-shaped island -- that had taken its shape literally for over three decades – decided finally that the pain was not worth bearing. Coming to terms with its divided self and willing to confront the issue, it went on an all-out war with the socalled Tigers – a war not without its ethical minefields. Last year in May, the Sri Lankan army liberated one-third third of the island’s territory that lay under the control of Tamil Tigers. The northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka were virtually a ‘no-go’ area for the government and much of the local population. Thickly forested and badly underdeveloped, the ‘treacherous’ zone was a playground for guerilla warriors. But once Sri Lankan forces decided to take them head on, it was a protracted warfare that bled the nation physically and morally. Places one always read about in the front pages of newspapers – Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Wavuniya etc – are ready for a government-sponsored facelift. Though the
Hotel Taj Exotica in Colombo, Sri Lanka
island state has still to shed its dark past and move ahead afresh – alleged violations of human rights do not show it in a positive light – the willingness is there, despite certain misgivings. With numerous roadshows planned around the world’s travel markets, Sri Lanka looks positively upbeat – its victory in battle providing it confidence. Beckoning neighbouring India’s burgeoning middle class with plenty of disposable income, Sri Lanka looks set to rake in the moolah. The Middle East traveller too is looking
eastwards for a vacation, especially after his woes in a post-9/11 West. The south Asian island offers an ideal beach-and-hill holiday in a compact territory. The tears have given way to smiles. And that’s a happy discovery, though surely not by accident.
THE DOWNSIDE Greece: In much earlier times, all roads led to Rome, and Athens was not far behind. The land of European Renaissance -- for the cultured traveller, Athens and Rome were
Delphi in central Greece
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the ultimate destinations. For students of literature and art, a trip to Greece was a must. Greece still evokes that aura of a high intellectual life. Unfortunately, what remains is just the aura. The 20th century had been rather unkind to the classical states, as the spotlight shifted to Western Europe and the United States. London, Paris and New York became the new sought-after destinations for the global, sophisticated traveller. The focus had begun to shift towards the end of the last century, as richer people tried to visit ‘offbeat’ destinations. Greece was beginning to look good again, thanks to ‘snobbish’ travellers who loved to flaunt new destinations in their itinerary. Be it any field – arts, science, sports – ancient Greece had reached the pinnacle much before Western Europe and the New World even dreamed of it. And Greek food is considered the ultimate in a health diet. So Greece it was for the new-fangled tourist. But early 2010 dealt a severe blow to the Mediterranean archipelago. The global financial crisis took a nasty swipe at Greece, leaving it reeling. Mounting debts left Athens bankrupt; unemployment soared and public anger spilled on the streets. One good way to get out of a monetary squeeze is to welcome tourists with open arms. But a dispirited populace is not in the mood for the idiosyncrasies of quirky travellers. Despite tourism officials understanding the need to defreeze the economy via traveller’s cheques, there’s little public support for ‘extravagant’ measures. At a press conference in Dubai’s ATM in May, Greek officials were at pains to emphasise that tourists were more than welcome – bankruptcy or not. But tell that to the man on an Athens street! Tourists, in general, want to see happy, smiling faces around them. The Greeks are reputed to be a warm and friendly people. One only hopes they maintain their joie de vivre in such difficult times. As for the tourist, one expects him to go where his dollar takes him the furthest. But then, tourism is all about image. An image that has taken a beating will take some time to recover. Yemen: It’s a part of the Arabian peninsula, yet not of the GCC. A poor neighbour 52 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
of division again. It’s a familiar story of poverty, neglect and discontent that afflicts many developing countries across the world. But what makes it more dangerous is that it has become a battleground for Al Qaeda militants to spread their hate ideology. Recent incidents have shown radicals making it their laboratory to preach the language of intolerance. Result: its richer neighbours have abandoned it once more. A sad state for a country whose USP could well have been: ‘We’re different.’
THE WAYSIDE A mansion atop a rock in Yemen
to the other six richer countries of the Arabian Gulf, Yemen has always felt discarded and disowned by its well-off brothers. Steeped in tradition, Yemen’s architectural landscape is a far cry from the glitzy skyscrapers that adorn the urban spaces of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha and Kuwait City. Yet, Yemen is beautiful in a raw, rustic way. For those who want to see what Dubai might have been in the 1950s or ’60s can take a trip to Yemen. It’s like travelling in a time machine to the past. A museum of traditional Arab culture, Yemen has the potential to attract visitors looking for novelty in an ocean of ‘sameness’. But Yemen’s internal faultlines ensure that does not happen. A country that was divided into North and South Yemen became united, and is now in the throes Vimanmek Mansion, Bangkok in Thailand
Thailand: For long, Thailand has been the No.1 tourist destination in the world, according to reputed travel industry magazines like Conde Nast and Travel & Leisure. Not surprising, given the tourist-oriented economy of the southeast Asian nation. The people are gentle and friendly – following the peace-loving Buddhist religion, the land is fertile and green, the climate warm and pleasant. There is a common misconception that Thailand scores over other countries mainly due to the promotion of sex tourism – an impression strengthened by constant media reports and images. But the large number of families checking into Thailand negates that fact. Most people visit Thailand for its beautiful beaches, wonderful heritage sites, green forest reserves, excellent shopping facilities, and value-for-money spa resorts. Visitors from the UAE are pleasantly surprised by the reasonably priced spas in Bangkok, Pattaya and other places,
as compared to Dubai’s overpriced and not half-as-good establishments. With all that going for it, Thailand seems as the dream destination for tourists worldwide. But sometimes, an image can be hard to live by as constant effort is required to maintain it. An idealised image often ignores certain hard realities – the realities of everyday living, the din and chaos of politics, violence on the streets, and the sordid urban underbelly. Thailand, as ‘the land of smiles’ – promoted unfailingly at various roadshows and travel expos – took a hard knock when supporters of opposing political parties clashed in the heart of capital Bangkok’s tourist district. It goes without saying that tourists abhor violence, and the images in newspapers and TV channels did not help much. Again, at Dubai’s ATM, officials were eager to brush the events under the carpet and dismiss it as of no consequence. But reporters were vehement in asking probing questions. Having said that, it goes to the country’s credit that the violent incidents did not last very long. Soon enough, the nation bounced
back. And with the summer came the tourists once again after a short ‘bye-bye’ during the volatile season. Whether the land of white elephants will pick up its cashflow like before is early to say. For the moment, it is watching from the wayside. Egypt: The land of Pyramids and the Sphinx, River Nile and old souks, Arabian ‘attar’ and hearty food never really had to go out of its way to attract tourists. Its rich, ancient history and heritage did the trick. After all, who needs to sell the first wonder of the world – it’s there in all its mystery and magic. But living up to the reputation of one of the world’s oldest civilisations can be a daunting task, especially if the present seems full of shortcomings. On the whole, Egypt has largely been a peaceful nation, despite being close to the volatile regions of Middle East and North Africa. Tourism has been, without doubt, a great boon for the economy – and also one that keeps the peace. But tensions do exist within. For the tourists, especially the finicky Westerners
who frequent it the most, any minor incident can be disturbing – and Egypt is not without its share of small problems. But interestingly, Cairo has now decided to look east towards it Arab brethren rather than the West for the cash flow. This was evident in a pre-ATM press conference that made no bones about the change of focus. It could be due to money from the West drying up due to prolonged recession. Also, the ancient country is keen to highlight its modern veneer – the nightclubs, shopping malls, restaurants, discotheques etc – features that attract Arabs more than Westerners. Whether this change of strategy will benefit it in the long run is hard to say, but sure it will do no harm to get a bit of the Gulf pie too. The result of this will be known by the middle of next year. For the time being, Cairo is watching the fast-changing world before it shapes up a more focused strategy. To conclude, the world is indeed changing fast and countries have to come up with newer strategies to attract tourists from across countries. Next year could see some more paradigm shifts in travel and tourism.
The Sphinx beside the Pyramids in Egypt
UAE Digest, July-August 2010 l 53
RAMADAN
Australia’s Gold Coast extends Ramadan facilities
A
ustralia’s Gold Coast will maintain its preferred holiday destination status among the Middle East Arab community following confirmation of numerous initiatives to accommodate visitors during the holy Ramadan period. A dedicated evening lounge facility will be offered free of charge, three nights a week in Surfers Paradise through August and September, where local and visiting Muslims can gather and meet following each day of traditional Ramadan fasting. Arabic speaking locals will man a tour information desk within the second level suite of the Courtyard by Marriott hotel, where a range of Iftar food and beverage offerings plus shisha pipes will be available in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Tourism Minister Peter Lawlor said in the past year Queensland had welcomed more than 20,500 visitors from the Middle East and North Africa, an increase of 51 per cent based on a three-year trend. “Middle Eastern visitors to Australia contributed $582 million to the Australian economy over the past year,” Mr Lawlor said. “While the Middle East is not our largest international market, it is emerging as a high priority for Queensland tourism because of its significant potential. A Gold Coast Muslim Visitors Guide will be available on site as well as pre-departure, with the collective objective of ensuring the Gold Coast maintains its reputation as a fun and accommodating International holiday destination. “Numerous Gold Coast operators already offer Halal certified product, theme parks provide designated prayer rooms and
54 l UAE Digest, July-August 2010
many hotels have the Koran and prayer mats readily available upon request” informed Gold Coast Tourism Director International, Gordon Price
Gold Coast activity options Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary (Prayer room available) Nestled within 27 hectares of lush eucalyptus and rainforest, a day here includes exciting wildlife shows and encounters. Hand feed wild flocks of Rainbow Lorikeets, cuddle a koala and get amongst a mob of kangaroos. The Gold Coast’s only daily Aboriginal dance shows provide insights into the Dreamtime stories from the region and an entertaining introduction to indigenous dance, music and culture. Encounter one of Australia’s largest saltwater crocodiles at Crocodile Wetlands with specially designed viewing areas and daily presentations. It’s Wildnight Adventure Tour combines a buffet meal with a group walking night tour. Seventy per cent of Australia’s wildlife is nocturnal, so this is a rare chance to see animals like owls, possums, Tassie devils, wombats and sugar gliders active at night. Dreamworld (Prayer room available) After two decades Dreamworld is still Australia’s favourite theme park with its 13 worlds. From the tallest and fastest thrill rides, to live interactive shows and unique animal attractions, it is home to Tiger Island, Nick Central, The Australian Wildlife Experience, Wiggles World, AVPX, V8 Supercars RedLine, FlowRider and the Big
6 Thrill Rides. Harbour Town outlet shopping centre (Prayer room available) Harbour Town gathers together a huge range of quality national and international fashion and homewares designers and manufacturers all selling top brands direct to “in the know” shoppers at prices permanently below regular retail prices. Warner Bros. Movie World (Prayer room available) Meet your favourite stars and enjoy all the behind-the-scenes action, comedy stunts and exhilarating rides, shows and attractions with all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood! Paradise Country (Prayer room available) Life on a farm is a fantasy for children of all ages and that’s the universal appeal here ... a great day out for kids, families and anyone seeking a slice of outback adventure! General admission includes Stockmen and sheep dog show, Sheep shearing show and Ram parade, Billy tea and stock horse arena where skilled horsemen perform whip-cracking and riding demonstrations plus a visit to Kangaroo and Koala Sanctuary. Sea World (Prayer room available) More than just a theme park, Sea World is committed to educating guests about the marine environment, and playing an active role in Australian marine research and rescue. Australian Outback Spectacular (Dinner and show) A celebration of Australian stock men and women at work and play. The audience learns of their history, marvels at demonstrations of their riding skills, laughs at the gags and enjoys the songs and poems of the outback.