Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, on Sunday attended the first Global Arabic Language Summit at Expo 2020.
He was accompanied by the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Arab Ministers of Culture.
“The Arabic language deserves many summits because it is a summit [pinnacle] in beauty, a summit in breadth and comprehensiveness, and a summit in being a vessel for civilisation in all its dimensions,” Sheikh Mohammed wrote on Twitter.
“I also witnessed the signing of the UAE Declaration on the Arabic Language. I signed it with the Arab Ministers of Culture.
“We declare our commitment to it as the language of our identity, culture and sciences.”
“We gather today to write together a new chapter of co-operation and partnership aimed at supporting and empowering the Arabic language ... to become the language of knowledge and civilised communication.”
The inaugural event, happening in conjunction with Arab Culture Ministers at Expo 2020 Dubai, is hosted by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, under the theme “Bridging Cultures. Connecting Civilisations”.
Experts will discuss the importance of the Arabic language through a series of panel discussions and workshops on December 19 and 20.
The summit aims to have a meaningful discussion on the future of the language and its importance in boosting the region’s global presence, Ms Al Kaabi said.
“Our meeting today is a window of hope from which we look at a bright and promising future for our language,” she said.
The Arabic language is still alive and capable and for nations who are also capable
Ahmed Aboul Gheit,
Secretary General of the Arab League
The opening of the event coincides with World Arabic Language Day, celebrated on December 18 every year.
It was on this date in 1973, that the General Assembly of the UN adopted Arabic as the sixth official language of the organisation.
“The Arabic language is still alive and capable and for nations who are also capable,” said Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Arab League.
“Arabic is the language of the Quran – a language we use to read the holy book.”
Dr Mojeb Al Zahrani, general director of Institut du Monde Arabe, was honoured as the personality of the year for his contribution to the Arabic language.
Iraqi singer Kadim Al Sahir performed at the event to thank countries and people who are working to raise the profile of the language.
What is the UAE Arabic Declaration?
The UAE Arabic Declaration has 10 principles.
1. The Arabic language is intrinsic to the Arab identity;
2. New ways of teaching and studying the language in schools should be developed, with work carried out with specialist research centres to introduce modern curriculums based on international best practice and to develop programmes for teachers of the Arabic language. This can help them to teach it in a scientific way;
3. The declaration emphasised the importance of improving the quality of Arabic digital content to provide Arab users with useful and reliable material that helps them in their lives and work;
4. Technology should be used to build digital infrastructure that incorporates the use of Arabic;
5. The fifth principle focuses on education and media sectors in promoting the use of the Arabic language. It emphasises the need to introduce grants and build a framework in which intellectual property rights are protected;
6. The development and investment in translation services for Arabic are necessary to grow its contribution to knowledge globally;
7. The declaration calls for investing in the translation of science and research papers to make them available to researchers and scientists. Their work should also be translated in other languages;
8. The eighth principle focuses on Arabic as a global language. Knowledge should be shared by building global partnerships with academic institutions and cultural centres;
9. The ninth principle is national references and policies. Arab societies need sound linguistic planning, to be drawn by governments and community institutions, to be translated into linguistic policies concerning the Arabic language in education, media and industry;
10. The 10th and final principle is devoted to the declaration on the future of the Arabic language. The aim is to establish modern approaches to counter the challenges the language faces today.
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
more from Janine di Giovanni
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The%20specs%20
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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
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
More coverage from the Future Forum
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2a)
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Samaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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."
