Ireland will use Expo 2020 Dubai as an opportunity to re-engage with a world that is continuing to slowly emerge from the pandemic.
The event will also be an opportunity to showcase Irish creativity, technology and hospitality, particularly as it looks to get its tourism back on track, Pat Hennessy, Ireland Expo 2020 commissioner general told The National.
“This is the first large scale, in person, global event post-pandemic and I think for the world, for Dubai and for Ireland, it's an occasion of renewal that I think we will all come to it with that very positive spirit, full of enthusiasm and full of ambition. That provides a great backdrop for a successful Expo,” said Mr Hennessy.
The commissioner general will be familiar to Irish residents in the UAE, having spent four years as ambassador before handing over to the incumbent, Aidan Cronin.
Our pavilion is a fusion of Irish and Arab influences
After successive lockdowns, Ireland is starting to slowly unwind its Covid-19 related restrictions, which include opening its borders to visitors from July 17. It marks the start of what the government hopes will be a recovery in its domestic economy.
Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney was in the UAE on Tuesday and met Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.
In addition to the high-level talks in Abu Dhabi, Mr Coveney travelled to Dubai to visit the Expo 2020 site, view the pavilion and meet with Irish officials who will oversee the country’s participation in the six-month event.
“For us, as with the world at large, this is a very timely and welcome opportunity to reengage with the world,” Mr Hennessy said.
“So the timing could not be better from our point of view and I suspect that's also true for all of the other participants. [Mr Coveney’s visit] was a very strong message of support for Expo and of the determination of the Irish government to participate actively and fully across the full breadth of activities within Expo.”
Shared experiences
There has been strong growth in the Irish population in the UAE, and the country is now home to more than 10,000 Irish nationals.
The two countries are both set to surpass some significant milestones this year.
The UAE will celebrate its jubilee year on National Day, December 2. Four days later, Ireland will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the State on December 6.
While there’s nothing planned to mark the date at the Irish pavilion at Expo, Mr Hennessy said there’s a shared experience between the countries.
“We're ancient nations with relatively new states so we kind of understand each other in the task of nation building and all of the great things that go into taking your place on the world stage,” he said.
“There's also the fact that next year, and this is quite unique, both Ireland and the UAE will be together on the United Nations Security Council.”
Fusion of Irish and Arab influences
Ireland, Mr Hennessy proudly pointed out, was the first country to complete its Expo pavilion structure, which was inspired by the megalithic Newgrange light box.
Newgrange, a world heritage site, is a prehistoric monument in County Meath, Ireland, 8km west of Drogheda.
The ancient passage tomb, which dates back 5,000 years, is lit up completely once a year at the time of winter solstice when the sun shines through a 'roofbox' and floods the inner chamber.
The Ireland Expo pavilion has a distinctive cone-shaped funnel based on the Newgrange light box.
The sun will enter through the skylight at the top of the cone, lighting up the main exhibition space called Oculus, where the seating is based on basalt columns found at the Giant’s Causeway in Co Antrim – a Unesco heritage site.
“Our pavilion is a fusion of Irish and Arab influences,” said Mr Hennessy.
“We have our Oculus, or our permanent exhibition space, which very much evokes the Newgrange site that’s a reminder of the creativity of our ancestors 5,000 years ago as they attracted the light of the sun.
“It's a living reminder of the genius of those people 5,000 years ago. It links very much to our theme of creativity.
“Alongside that, we have some very fine Arab influences. We have our garden of ideas, which is a cloistered courtyard quite reminiscent of the traditional Arab garden.”
Mr Hennessy said the panels that surround the pavilion reflect the rock art from Knowth, which is another ancient site in Ireland, close to Newgrange.
“In terms of the aesthetics of the pavilion it's imbued very much with both Arab and Irish symbolism,” he said.
“For us, that evokes the very warm relationship there is between Ireland and the Arab world, and we see the Expo and our participation in the Expo, as contributing to strengthening that still further.”
He said visitors to the pavilion will receive “a warm Irish welcome”.
The ‘Garden’ area is a multipurpose event and performance space that will be used for the majority of Ireland’s programme in the pavilion, including regular Irish music events.
The pavilion also includes an ‘Innovation Hub’ that will host most of the pavilion’s schools programme, including the Coder Dojo workshops that teach computer programming to schoolchildren.
On a larger scale, Mr Hennessy said they were working with Expo authorities on events at the adjacent Jubilee Park venue, which has a capacity of 15,000 (pre-Covid).
The planned events are around Halloween, the New Year and St Patrick’s Day, with Irish artists expected to come to Dubai.
“There will be a strong Irish presence on stage and around those periods,” said Mr Hennessy.
Given that St. Patrick’s Day falls within the six months of Expo, he said the celebrations will be extra special.
"It will be a great Irish occasion. We have plans to have an amazing Irish celebration to which the world is invited."
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
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Publisher: Namco Bandai
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It Was Just an Accident
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What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
