Sheikh Abdullah urges educators to champion Emirati culture and Arabic language

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, has called on schools and universities across the country to step up efforts to promote national identity and culture and the Arabic language.

Sheikh Abdullah, chairman of the Education and Human Resources Council, spoke of the need to integrate core Emirati values into curriculums and teaching methods from early years through to higher education studies.

The senior minister set out his vision during a virtual meeting of the Education and Human Resources Council, state news agency Wam reported.

Sheikh Abdullah said that Emirati history was full of notable achievements that could enrich children's knowledge and teach moral lessons while enabling them to become future leaders.

During the meeting, Minister of Culture and Youth Noura Al Kaabi reviewed the national framework of Emirati cultural activities in schools.

It aims to develop Emirati national identity and cultural values in pupils through participation in activities, contests, events, school trips, and workshops during and after school hours.

The strategy targets various topics in Emirati heritage traditions, social activities, the Arabic language, folk art and traditional sports, as well as Emirati literature.

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Future Technology and chairwoman of Emirates Schools Establishment, UAE's public education regulator, reviewed the ESE's priorities for the next year, and also explained its priorities that include improving students' educational achievements and enhancing their skills.

In June, the ruler of Sharjah urged teachers to promote Arabic in schools.

Sheikh Dr Sultan stressed the importance of teaching Arabic to school pupils, focusing on the need to develop new teaching methods for the language as well as encouraging youngsters to learn it.

“The Arabic language is our belonging to the Quran,” he said in an address to teaching staff at the Sharjah Education Academy.

“The Arabic language is a stockpile of our history, our knowledge and our culture. The Arabic language is what holds firm our belief in our religion. The Arabic language is what unites us from the furthest corners of the Earth — from the far East to the far West, we are united under one language.”

Learning Arabic in the UAE - in pictures

Siblings Laila, 6, and Mourad, 8, are learning Arabic at home. Ruel Pableo for The National

Mourad and Laila's mother Amira Abdel-Rahman said Arabic is battling against the predominance of English as the common language of the UAE. Ruel Pableo for The National

Amira said she and her husband speak Arabic at home almost all the time to encourage Mourad and Laila to learn. Ruel Pableo for The National

Lebanese teacher Munir Jamal says encouraging interaction in Arabic among pupils in class at Hartland International School Dubai has helped with the teaching of the language.

Mr Jamal says parent-teacher conferences are important opportunities to show the co-operation and care for the future of the student and development of their linguistic skills.

Maha Al Halawani, head of Arabic at the American Academy for Girls in Mirdif, said they offer one-to-one support to pupils who struggle with the Arabic language.

Dubai Arabian American Private School, like most schools, have English and Arabic signs for pupils. Antonie Robertson/The National

American Academy for Girls school encourage parents’ involvement in their children's learning. Antonie Robertson/The National

Lebanese teacher Mohammed Saad, who will join Dubai Arabian American Private School as principal this year, said training Arabic teachers is important in improving pupils' learning of the language.

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

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The biog

Name: Sarah Al Senaani

Age: 35

Martial status: Married with three children - aged 8, 6 and 2

Education: Masters of arts in cultural communication and tourism

Favourite movie: Captain Corelli’s Mandolin

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Occupation: Communication specialist at a government agency and the owner of Atelier

Favourite cuisine: Definitely Emirati - harees is my favourite dish

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German plea

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the German parliament that. Russia had erected a new wall across Europe.

"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelenskyy told MPs.

Mr Zelenskyy was applauded by MPs in the Bundestag as he addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly.

"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he said, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

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Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

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The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler

Price, base / as tested Dh57,000

Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine

Transmission Six-speed gearbox

Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm

Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km

Hotel Data Cloud profile

Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)