Social media posts represent the good, the bad and the ugly. But every now and then, a post will represent the truly absurd. Al Jazeera Arabic pushed out a tweet saying that a photograph of a Buddhist sculpture in Abu Dhabi has led to "commentators saying there is a return of idol worship to the Arabian Peninsula". The Qatar-owned news organisation was insinuating that the sculpture was against the teachings of Islam, and invited comments about the statue. It did not, however, bother to explain what is behind it.
As The National reported, the statue, which sits on the side of the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway is not a religious monument. It is, in fact, a reproduction of a 1,000-year-old artefact currently on display at Louvre Abu Dhabi. It is part of an initiative by the museum to bring the best of the world's cultures to the UAE and to raise awareness of historic artefacts. It also seeks to liven up people's commute, and is joined by nine others along the E11 route. Starting on Sunday, drivers will be able to hear a 30-second story on the radio about each artefact as they cruise along the road.
Some on Twitter sought to dispel these ridiculous rumours and bring much needed clarity. However, even in the face of the facts, some remain unconvinced. Misinformation must not be allowed to turn a cultural initiative into a tool for baseless fear-mongering. From Iraq and Lebanon, to Egypt and the Gulf, a wide array of communities have traditionally coexisted peacefully. The UAE is home to Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Buddhist residents, among others, and has actively promoted inclusivity with initiatives such as the 2019 Year of Tolerance. It was also the first Gulf nation to welcome the head of the Catholic Church, when Pope Francis visited Abu Dhabi in February. Such divisive rhetoric is an unwarranted threat at a time when the world is tackling extremism and xenophobia. We all have a responsibility to call it out both online and in our daily lives.
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UAE rugby in numbers
5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons
700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams
Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams
Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season
Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
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
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
How to volunteer
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
