Two artists with disabilities in Dubai have been awarded a golden visa that they say opens the door to greater independence.
Zambian painter Victor Sitali, Indian artist Sharan Budhrani and their art teacher Gulshan Kavarana received the 10-year residency for their cultural contribution.
The artistic community said the UAE visa was a tribute to their talent and spirit.
I now have independence. I can think only of working hard.”
Victor Sitali,
Zambian artist
“It gives me the opportunity to expand my ideas for my art. I can work harder and dream bigger,” Mr Sitali communicated in sign language.
“I am very happy. I now have independence. I can think only of working hard.”
Mr Sitali lost his hearing at the age of three and was introduced to art as a teenager by Ms Kavarana.
His distinctive oil and acrylic work on canvas earned him studio space in Tashkeel, an art gallery, in Dubai.
The 31-year-old holds domestic and overseas exhibitions, as well as workshops for students, adults and children with disabilities.
The Sitali family has lived in the UAE for more than a decade. His mother Dorothy said the family was proud of his latest achievement.
“This has brought us unbelievable joy,” she said. “We thought this visa was for senior executives. It came as a total surprise, a good surprise.”
Ms Kavarana, 57, met the family when she worked as a volunteer with the Dubai Centre for Special Needs.
“I worked with Victor when he was only 16 and he didn’t know anything about painting. I soon realised how talented he was,” she said.
Ms Kavarana said it was “wonderful” to be recognised.
“I dedicated my life to working with people of determination, doing art with them and taking them to the next level. I thank the UAE government for giving us this opportunity.”
Mr Sitali and Mr Budhrani were part of a vibrant artist community at Mawaheb, a studio in Dubai that nurtured the creative skills of young adults with disabilities.
Mr Budhrani has muscular dystrophy that weakens his muscles and limits his mobility. Seated in a wheelchair, he uses remote-controlled cars, spoons and sticks to paint on large canvasses.
“This is very exciting news,” said the 30-year-old, who was born in the Emirates and has always known the country as home.
“I feel there is hope ahead in the future for me. I can still go on my creative journey to inspire and motivate more people with art.
Currently recovering from a severe bout of pneumonia, he requires a tracheostomy tube and a ventilator to breathe at night.
He has not stopped painting despite the discomfort of being fitted with the tube to open up his air passage.
“I feel I must always keep going and never give up,” he said.
Ms Kavarana said the golden visa acknowledged the resilience of the artists.
“Sharan has a never-give-up attitude. He is on the ventilator but there is nothing stopping him from his passion of art,” she said.
Nasser Juma bin Sulaiman, manager of the Al Fahidi historical neighbourhood, nominated Mr Budhrani and Ms Kavarana to the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
“These are very special cases. Dubai Culture gave these artists an opportunity so they can make their own business here and also make Dubai their home,” he said.
Lisa Ball-Lechgar, Tashkeel's deputy director, nominated Mr Sitali and described his contribution as vital to the community.
She said he recently ventured into abstract art demonstrating his appetite for experimentation.
“He works with passion and energy as a full-time creative professional in Dubai and deserves to be acknowledged for his unwavering commitment and dedication,” she said.
The golden visa was launched in May 2019, to give exceptional workers and foreign investors the opportunity to establish deeper roots in the country.
The 10-year residency scheme was expanded to attract people in the fields of health, engineering science and art.
Art studio Mawaheb’s final exhibition - in pictures
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 3
Sadio Man 28'
Andrew Robertson 34'
Diogo Jota 88'
Arsenal 1
Lacazette 25'
Man of the match
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
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About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Jawan
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