Music, arts and wellness will come together at one of the UAE's newest music festivals this month.
Running from Friday to Sunday near Sharjah's striking Mleiha Archaeological Centre, the Tanweer Festival will shed light on traditional and spiritual forms of music while also providing a platform for regional artists and the latest wellness practices.
Founded by Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi, it aims to bring disparate musical traditions together in celebration of culture and heritage.
“At Tanweer Festival, we create a space where humanity unites through the universal languages of music, art, poetry and shared cultural experiences. Our festival, set in Sharjah – the vibrant heart of education and heritage in the UAE – is a journey of self-discovery, cultural exchange and spiritual growth,” Sheikha Bodour said.
“By bringing together diverse voices, artisans, and flavours from around the world, we inspire a more connected, compassionate, and harmonious world, celebrating our shared humanity and lighting the way to a brighter future.”
Here is what to know about the festival.
The music
The eclectic line-up features an array of multicultural artists, from the UAE and the Levant to Senegal and Tunisia.
Headlining Friday's opening night is Sami Yusuf. The award-winning British songwriter and instrumentalist draws inspiration from both Islamic history and spirituality. The singer, who has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, recently released his new album Alma.
Also performing that night will be Senny Camara, the Senegalese musician known for blending West African rhythms with contemporary pop, as heard in her latest single Niit.
Jordanian jazz fusionist Kamal Musallam, a stalwart of the UAE's music scene, will showcase his adventurous sound on Saturday with the backing group Journeys of Light. South-East Asia's rich tradition of spiritual music called Qawwali will also be featured through a joint performance by Abi Sampa and Rushil Ranjan.
Closing the festival on Sunday will be Dhafer Youssef, an acclaimed Tunisian artist known for his wide-ranging take on North African Gnawa music, with flashes of jazz and electronica. Some stirring poetry performances are also on the cards, courtesy of the UAE's Nujoom Al Ghanem and American poet Baraka Blue.
The experience
More than the performances, the location at Mleiha Archaeological Centre is the real star of the show. The tourist landmark is essentially a cluster of significant historical sites, such as the Umm an-Nar tomb, providing a taste of Emirati tradition and heritage as well as insight into life from the Bronze Age to the modern era.
These wonders can be explored through tours and experiences such as cave walks, moongazing, horse riding and tandem paragliding.
Arts and crafts
The festival grounds will be home to a series of art installations, wellness activities and craft workshops complementing the overall vibe of the event. Participants will include Emirati photographer Omar Al Gurg, Dubai design duo Karim Tamerji and Elias El Hage, and Syria's Nedaa Elias. There are more details still to be revealed.
As for the workshops, they range from deep breathing and calligraphy to Sufi whirling and percussion. A dozen food outlets will be stationed on-site, serving everything from kebabs and burgers to pizza, acai bowls and Levant-inspired desserts.
Where to stay
The festival provides on-ground accommodation, from two-person glamping tents to designated sites where visitors can bring their own tents and camping gear. Communal washrooms and showers are provided for the latter.
Those looking for a more refined indoor stay can access the nearby Bedouin-inspired resorts Al Faya Retreat and The Moon Retreat.
Price and timings
Tickets from the official website begin with a single-day pass at Dh700 to a group pass for five people (covering the duration of the festival) starting at Dh5,100.
The festival opens on Friday from 6.15pm to 12.30am. Saturday and Sunday’s programme runs from 9am to 11.30pm.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The struggle is on for active managers
David Einhorn closed out 2018 with his biggest annual loss ever for the 22-year-old Greenlight Capital.
The firm’s main hedge fund fell 9 per cent in December, extending this year’s decline to 34 percent, according to an investor update viewed by Bloomberg.
Greenlight posted some of the industry’s best returns in its early years, but has stumbled since losing more than 20 per cent in 2015.
Other value-investing managers have also struggled, as a decade of historically low interest rates and the rise of passive investing and quant trading pushed growth stocks past their inexpensive brethren. Three Bays Capital and SPO Partners & Co., which sought to make wagers on undervalued stocks, closed in 2018. Mr Einhorn has repeatedly expressed his frustration with the poor performance this year, while remaining steadfast in his commitment to value investing.
Greenlight, which posted gains only in May and October, underperformed both the broader market and its peers in 2018. The S&P 500 Index dropped 4.4 per cent, including dividends, while the HFRX Global Hedge Fund Index, an early indicator of industry performance, fell 7 per cent through December. 28.
At the start of the year, Greenlight managed $6.3 billion in assets, according to a regulatory filing. By May, the firm was down to $5.5bn.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Pots for the Asian Qualifiers
Pot 1: Iran, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, China
Pot 2: Iraq, Uzbekistan, Syria, Oman, Lebanon, Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Jordan
Pot 3: Palestine, India, Bahrain, Thailand, Tajikistan, North Korea, Chinese Taipei, Philippines
Pot 4: Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Hong Kong, Yemen, Afghanistan, Maldives, Kuwait, Malaysia
Pot 5: Indonesia, Singapore, Nepal, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Guam, Macau/Sri Lanka
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness'
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong, Xochitl Gomez, Michael Stuhlbarg and Rachel McAdams
Rating: 3/5
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If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
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Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
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SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 6
08.00-15.00 Technical scrutineering
15.00-17.00 Extra free practice
Friday, December 7
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 1
15.30 BRM F1 qualifying
Saturday, December 8
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 2
15.30 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi
