The UAE will begin its three-day Government Annual Meetings in Abu Dhabi on Monday with more than 500 leaders and officials gathering to set out an ambitious roadmap for the country's future development. The sixth nationwide summit – held under the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai – will this year put national identity, family and artificial intelligence on top of the agenda.
The event will begin with "day zero" on Monday, which will feature meetings of the UAE Cabinet, five federal councils and national and local committees. Mohammed Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, said the Emirates remained committed to bolstering government performance and competitiveness to make it the most efficient in the world.
“The UAE maintains its proactive commitment to providing the most efficient government model," Mr Al Gergawi said in comments shared by the UAE Government Media Office on Sunday. "This model, emphasised since the inaugural UAE Government Annual Meetings in 2017, is further reflected in the comprehensive improvements evident in this year's sixth session. These enhancements align with national priorities, supporting the UAE government's strategic aims and advancing its overall effectiveness.
“Key additions introduced as of this year’s Annual Meetings include national retreats, dedicated sessions with local governments, focus on empowering young national government leaders, amplifying citizen voices in the meetings, celebrating the exceptional achievements of national projects and recognising those responsible for their implementation. These initiatives will be part of an interactive agenda with increased participation from federal and local government entities."
The minister said the series of high-level meetings would examine the UAE's strategies in a range of sectors, including the economy and investment, AI, education, sports, family, and community empowerment. The 2024 meetings will also review the outcomes of national strategies and plans adopted within the "We the UAE 2031" vision.
Government Annual Meetings 2023 – in pictures
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The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
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To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
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- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
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The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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The five pillars of Islam
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