A child uses the beach designed for people with visual impairments on Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Photo: Abu Dhabi City Municipality
A child uses the beach designed for people with visual impairments on Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Photo: Abu Dhabi City Municipality
A child uses the beach designed for people with visual impairments on Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Photo: Abu Dhabi City Municipality
A child uses the beach designed for people with visual impairments on Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Photo: Abu Dhabi City Municipality

Abu Dhabi opens beach for people with visual impairments


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Abu Dhabi has opened a beach designed for people with visual impairments as part of a major government drive to broaden access to public spaces and champion inclusivity.

Abu Dhabi City Municipality joined forces with the Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination to develop the 1,000-square-metre beach, near the Gate 3 area of the Corniche.

Authorities on Friday said the beach had been “designated exclusively for the visually impaired, offering a safe and enjoyable environment with comprehensive security, safety and entertainment facilities”.

The beach – which is free of charge for visually impaired visitors and one guest – includes a variety of facilities set up to cater to the needs of people with visual impairments, allowing them to enjoy a day out at the beach while maintaining their independence.

Boosting beach access

Children enjoy a day at the newly opened beach in Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Photo: Photo: Abu Dhabi City Municipality
Children enjoy a day at the newly opened beach in Abu Dhabi's Corniche. Photo: Photo: Abu Dhabi City Municipality

Abu Dhabi City Municipality has ensured that the designated swimming and leisure area on the Corniche provides services designed specifically for the visually impaired. These include:

• A dedicated vehicle service for people of determination to facilitate transport to the beach.

• Paved guidance paths with specialised tactile tiles extending along the walkway.

• An instructional Braille signboard detailing the proper use of the swimming area.

• A fenced path equipped with a guiding rope and alert bells at both ends emitting sound cues to direct users to the swimming area.

• A designated swimming zone supervised by a trained lifeguard to ensure safety.

• A Braille service guide providing comprehensive details to ensure a seamless experience for visually impaired visitors of all ages.

The leisure space also features accessible walkways for people with disabilities and the elderly, dedicated restrooms for those with disabilities, floating wheelchairs designed for access to the waters, complementary drinking water stations, free transport services for people with disabilities and senior citizens and designated parking spaces.

The beach is open from 6am until midnight each day, with swimming permitted from 6am until sunset.

A licensed nurse is also available on-site throughout the beach’s operating hours to provide first aid assistance, if required.

Inclusivity drive

In December 2023, the Department of Municipalities and Transport teamed up with Mubadala, the emirate's strategic investment arm, to put in place remote control-operated ramps that allow people with disabilities to enjoy the waters independently.

Solar-powered tracks – designed by Greek company Seatrac – are fitted with a chair that transports users from the sand to the sea. Beach-goers can use the rails of the ramp to lower themselves into the sea and to lift themselves back into the chair.

The Seatrac system will be launched at Corniche Public Beach, Corniche Family Beach, Corniche Sahil Beach, Al Bateen Public Beach and Al Bateen Ladies' Beach.

Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners

Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta​​​​​​​
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)

SPECS
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Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

Scoreline:

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The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass

Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)

Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm

Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km

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Transmission: 10-speed auto

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Ferrari
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Ant-Man%20and%20the%20Wasp%3A%20Quantumania
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Price, base / as tested: Dh263,235 / Dh420,000

Engine: 3.0-litre supercharged V6

Power 375hp @ 6,500rpm

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The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

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Emirates Red Crescent

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Gulf for Good

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Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

Company profile

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Thursday    500.75 million (25.23m)

Friday         280.25m (14.12m)

Saturday     220.75m (11.21m)

Sunday       170.25m (8.58m)

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Retail gloom

Online grocer Ocado revealed retail sales fell 5.7 per cen in its first quarter as customers switched back to pre-pandemic shopping patterns.

It was a tough comparison from a year earlier, when the UK was in lockdown, but on a two-year basis its retail division, a joint venture with Marks&Spencer, rose 31.7 per cent over the quarter.

The group added that a 15 per cent drop in customer basket size offset an 11.6. per cent rise in the number of customer transactions.

SPEC%20SHEET
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Need to know

The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours. 

The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.

When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend  are  January-February and September-October.  Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.

Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.

The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Padmaavat

Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

Updated: April 18, 2025, 10:26 AM`