Sites across the UAE will go dark such as when the Burj Al Arab went dark last year for Earth Hour 2020. Courtesy Emirates Nature-WWF
Sites across the UAE will go dark such as when the Burj Al Arab went dark last year for Earth Hour 2020. Courtesy Emirates Nature-WWF
Sites across the UAE will go dark such as when the Burj Al Arab went dark last year for Earth Hour 2020. Courtesy Emirates Nature-WWF
Sites across the UAE will go dark such as when the Burj Al Arab went dark last year for Earth Hour 2020. Courtesy Emirates Nature-WWF

Earth Hour 2021: how to participate in the UAE


Farah Andrews
  • English
  • Arabic

Earth Hour 2021, an hour with no electronics or light, is taking place this week in a bid to raise environmental awareness.

This year Laila Mostafa Abdullatif, director general at Emirates Nature-WWF, says the event is more important than ever.

"Human health and the health of our environment are inextricably linked. Our collective resilience, well-being, nutrition, and ability to avert disease is fully connected to the food we eat, the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the ways we interact with nature," says Abdullatif.

"Earth Hour 2021 gives us a golden opportunity to join hand-in-hand and drive change together, as an active civil society, towards a green recovery for the UAE."

A family marking Earth Hour by candle light in 2020. Ruel Pableo for The National
A family marking Earth Hour by candle light in 2020. Ruel Pableo for The National

What is Earth Hour?

Earth Hour is a global call to action organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). It takes place at 8.30pm annually on the on the last Saturday of March, urging people around the world to switch off their lights and any unnecessary electronics for one hour.

Here we round-up ways to mark Earth Hour in the UAE...

Get a free plant sapling at The Tap House 

To mark Earth Hour, The Tap House at Club Vista Mare is giving a sapling to all customers who arrive wearing green on Saturday as a symbol of giving back to the planet.

The Tap House, Club Vista Mare, Dubai; Saturday; 04 514 3778

The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach

The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach is recognising Earth Hour with a number of deals. The Shore House restaurant is set to go dark for 60 minutes at 8.30pm, where there will be 10 per cent off candlelit dining experiences on the beach and 20 per cent off select beverages at Shore House restaurant.

Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach; Saturday; 07 204 8888

The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert

The Farmhouse at the Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert will go dark for Earth Hour. Courtesy Ritz-Carlton
The Farmhouse at the Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert will go dark for Earth Hour. Courtesy Ritz-Carlton

The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach's sister hotel The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert is also offering Earth Hour deals. The dune-side luxury hotel's Farmhouse and Moorish restaurants are set to go dark for 60-minutes at 8.30pm. There will also be a candle lighting ceremony outside Farmhouse restaurant and a happy hour offering 50 per cent off selected drinks at Moon Bar.

Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert; March 27; 07 206 7777

Yoga at Zero Gravity 

Get mindful during Earth Hour with a candle-lit yoga session on the beach at Dubai's Zero Gravity with yogi Karina Onga.

A gentle Vinyasa flow session, which will be suitable for all levels, the beach will be candle-lit from 7pm until 11pm, in preparation for the 8.30pm hour-long session.

The class costs Dh50, which is fully redeemable on food and beverages on the beach before or after the class.

Earth Hour beach yoga, Zero Gravity, Dubai; 8.30pm-9.30pm, Saturday; Dh50; 04 300 0009; info@0-gravity.ae

Earth Hour at the Armed Forces Officers Club and Hotel and Remal Hotel

Both the Armed Forces Officers Club and Hotel and the Remal Hotel in Abu Dhabi will be taking part in Earth Hour. The hotels will be switching their lights off 8.30pm until 9.30pm, so any guests checked in, don't be surprised when it all goes dark.

Armed Forces Officers Club and Hotel and Remal Hotel, Abu Dhabi; 8.30pm-9.30pm, Saturday; 02 809 2222; afoc.ae

Celebrate at home 

Reading by candle light is one way to observe Earth Hour. Unsplash
Reading by candle light is one way to observe Earth Hour. Unsplash

Of course, you don't need to go out to mark Earth Hour. Switch off all of your electronics, make sure to squeeze in that one last Netflix episode, and just light a few candles around your home.

Playing a board game with family members, reading a book by candle light or taking a walk around your neighbourhood to check out how many people are observing Earth Hour are a few other ways to pass the time.

The biog

From: Upper Egypt

Age: 78

Family: a daughter in Egypt; a son in Dubai and his wife, Nabila

Favourite Abu Dhabi activity: walking near to Emirates Palace

Favourite building in Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace

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Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Essentials

The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours 
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

Haemoglobin disorders explained

Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.

Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.

The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.

The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.

A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:

Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE

Game is on BeIN Sports

How to donate

Text the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

6025 - Dh 20

2252 - Dh 50

2208 - Dh 100

6020 - Dh 200 

*numbers work for both Etisalat and du

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10

*November 15 to November 24

*Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

*Tickets: Start at Dh10, from ttensports.com

*TV: Ten Sports

*Streaming: Jio Live

*2017 winners: Kerala Kings

*2018 winners: Northern Warriors

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Bantamweight 56.4kg
Abrorbek Madiminbekov v Mehdi El Jamari

Super heavyweight 94 kg
Adnan Mohammad v Mohammed Ajaraam

Lightweight 60kg
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Light heavyweight 81.4kg
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Results:

2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.

Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).

2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.

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3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.

Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.

Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.

Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.

4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.

Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.

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