The 2021 Takreem Awards, founded in 2009 to honour outstanding Arab men and women, was held on Friday in Lebanon.
The 11 winners highlighted Arab unity and focused in particular on Lebanon’s unprecedented economic crisis, which has plunged the country into social and political turmoil.
Winners hailed from across the region, including Lebanon, Sudan, the UAE, Iraq and Libya.
Takreem Awards winners 2021
Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)
Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)
Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)
Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)
Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)
Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)
Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)
“We want to recognise the achievements of those who work in silence. We’re not looking for the flashy types,” Takreem founder Ricardo Karam told The National. “We transcend political divides.”
The awards recognised their achievements in fields such as entrepreneurship, science and technology, culture, environmental sustainability, education, civic services and corporate leadership.
Organising the event, which was held in the Casino du Liban, north of Beirut, was challenging. The 2019 awards, which were supposed to take place in the Lebanese capital, were cancelled because of nationwide protests triggered by the country’s financial collapse. The 2020 awards were held online following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Today, Lebanon’s economic crisis shows no signs of abating, and the nation is plagued by poverty, inflation and political paralysis.
“We want to tell the world that Lebanon remains the cradle of culture,” said Mr Karam, a Lebanese television personality.
Mr Karam said that the idea of creating the award came to him after he was arrested as he was travelling to the US “because I had a Lebanese passport”.
“I’m a world citizen. I have never had legal problems. There was no reason to arrest me. Then I understood it was just because I belong to the Arab world. I decided to work towards changing negative perceptions of Arabs.”
The president and director of the Sharjah Art Foundation in the UAE, Hoor Al Qasimi, received the cultural excellence award. She said that it was a recognition of the institution’s efforts to “shed light on cultural initiatives with a high impact on Arab society".
Mohammed Slim Alouini, who won the scientific and technological achievement award, said that it was “a message of thanks and appreciation to all Arab researchers and scientists who have decided to contribute to education”.
Mr Alouini, a researcher in wireless communication systems, is a founding member of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia.
Aimed at creating role models and highlighting regional success stories, the awards “celebrate Arabs”, said Raya Ani, an Iraqi architect who won the environmental development and sustainability award.
In her acceptance speech, she recounted the trauma caused by the 1991 Gulf War that pushed her to leave her country for Germany at 25 years old.
“When I saw American planes flying in the sky, when I saw my parents making efforts to make us live in security (…) I realised that we were vulnerable, that we were weak,” said Ms Ani.
“It’s been 30 years and my dream came true. I built my career and gave the opportunity to my family to live a life full of dignity. I supported the Iraqi people by participating in the Iraq pavilion at the Dubai 2021 Expo,” she said. Ms Ani currently splits her time between Dubai and New York.
The awards particularly focused on the achievements of those fighting for social justice and gender equality in politics.
Balghis Badri from Sudan, who won the outstanding Arab woman award, said in a recorded speech that she “paid tribute to Sudanese citizens fighting for their freedom, peace and stability”. Ms Badri, who was unable to travel to Lebanon for Friday’s ceremony, seemed to be referring to the current political unrest in her country.
I want to tell Beirut: you remain the most beautiful city
Suad Al Amiry,
Palestinian activist, writer and architect
Lebanon’s political and economic crisis as well as tension with the Gulf caused by a recently resigned minister’s pro-Houthi comments in late October were persistent themes throughout the night.
“In the hope that Arabs return to Beirut, we’ll listen now to [orchestra conductor] Lubnan Baalbaki and the beautiful music performed by his group. If Arabs will not be united in politics, let the music be their unifying factor,” said the master of ceremony, Iraqi television anchor Laila Al Shaikhli, as a live orchestra launched into a medley of music from across the region.
Georgina Rizk, who won the Miss Universe title in 1971, lamented the “sadness in our country and indifference of our officials who lack all sense of responsibility” before giving the lifetime achievement award to Palestinian activist, writer and architect Suad Al Amiry.
Ms Al Amiry is the founder of Riwaq, a centre for architectural conservation in Ramallah. She studied architecture at the American University of Beirut in the 1970s.
“I want to tell Beirut: you remain the most beautiful city,” she said.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
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Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters
The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.
Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.
A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.
The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.
The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.
Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.
Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment
But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.
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Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
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The years Ramadan fell in May
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
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Favourite book: I constantly find myself reading The Bible.
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Favourite holiday destination: I love visiting Melbourne as I have family there and it’s a wonderful place. New York at Christmas is also magical.
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Takreem Awards winners 2021
Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)
Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)
Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)
Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)
Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)
Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)
Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)
