In The Road To Fulfilment, an Expo 2020 Dubai film, director Nayla Al Khaja highlights the vibrancy and potential of the UAE ecosystem, as well as the importance of conservation efforts that have significant ripples in our daily lives.
The short documentary won the Silver Dolphin at this year’s Cannes Corporate Media and TV Awards in September, regarded as one of the leading prizes in the corporate film industry. The work is divided into three parts, dedicated to the UAE’s air, earth and water, and features leading experts from each field.
Among these is Phil Dunn, senior manager of Terra – the Sustainability Pavilion at Expo City Dubai.
In the documentary, Dunn speaks about his efforts as part of his Sustainable Human Project, in which he spent a year living off food grown at his home in The Sustainable City, Dubai. He also developed a barter system, in which he would exchange woodwork he created from recycled materials, for food from his neighbours.
The Sustainable City is unlike other neighbourhoods in the city. It features 11 biodome greenhouses as well as a solar power system capable of delivering 10 megawatts of power. The neighbourhood was designed to prove that a wholly sustainable community in Dubai is not a far-fetched idea.
“There's a big misconception that the UAE is just a vast, barren desert,” Dunn tells The National. “That is so far from the truth. There is very, very good infrastructure that is starting to take place. There is a whole ministry that is focused on food security. It’s such a big mandate for the UAE. In the right season, anyone can grow food. Growing food outside is quite simple to do, given a bit of time and effort and responsibility to your plant babies.”
The Road to Fulfilment highlights Dunn’s efforts, showing how his Sustainable Human Project is a testament to the possibility of living sustainably in Dubai and the communal spirit it nurtures.
“The film was a vision of the sustainability department at Expo 2020,” Dunn says. “They wanted to tell the story of how the UAE is an agent of change, [and that] things are happening around sustainability, and tell it through human stories.
“It just so happened that my story around the Sustainable Human Project was chosen as one of the three stories,” he says.
The film was shot in September 2021, when Dunn was already halfway into the project. He had all his systems in place for growing his own food. “I had a good understanding of what it took to do those sorts of things,” he says. “On top of that, I was also working at Expo 2020, at the education and culture department, specifically in Terra. The Sustainability Pavilion is really leading on that message of how individual action can make a difference towards climate change.”
The Road to Fulfilment sustains that message, Dunn says, by showing how three individuals can trigger positive environmental consequences, and by extension inspire a larger community to take action.
“In my instance, growing your own food can lead to an awareness that brings you to bigger topics and bigger subjects that we all need to be talking about,” he says. “For instance, in the UAE, that conversation around food security is a big one.
“The biggest misconception that the film, I hope, tries to tackle is the idea that our individual actions don't make a difference,” Dunn says. “That the problems we're facing are too large that we can't act alone.”
Highlighting the UAE’s marine life in The Road to Fulfilment is Noora Albalooshi.
A scientist at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, Albalooshi details how dolphins are part of a complex social network, with a language that is more sophisticated than most people think.
“Dolphins are excessively talkative creatures,” she says in the documentary. “Dolphins not only whistle and click, they also emit loud broadband packets of sound called burst pulse sounds to discipline their young and chase away sharks.”
Albalooshi’s research on dolphin acoustics makes use of hydrophones, which she says, are some “of the first of their kind in the UAE”. She also looks back at her career in marine biology in the film, saying it was not an easy path when she started. “It was possible to count the number of women on one’s fingertips,” she says, before adding: “Today more and more women are involved.”
Speaking on marine conservation efforts, she says initiatives such as the Hammour House – an art installation and community project at Expo 2020 Dubai dedicated to endangered coral ecosystems – are integral in helping the public understand what scientists are working on. It also helps inspire a new generation of marine biologists, saying that her own passion and love for marine life began at a young age with “values instilled by my grandfather”.
Sheikh Salem bin Sultan Al Qasimi, meanwhile, who is the first of the three subjects to appear in the film, underscores the importance of bees in the local and global environment.
“In my lifetime the common bumblebee has gone from being prolific in every garden to being endangered,” Sheikh Salem, a conservationist and chairman of the One Hive initiative, says in the film. “That’s hard to conceive but it is true. When I’m around bees, I feel responsibility towards them. To sustain them and to sustain Mother Earth.”
“A lot of people don’t know the importance of bees, what they contribute to our food system, our industry and our Mother Earth,” he says, before adding: “Life will stop after four years if bees disappear.”
Efforts to bring the local bee population back to its former splendour include planting the right flora for bees, stopping the use of pesticides and adapting the hive to the environment to ensure it will thrive. “If you adapt the hive, you become the ambassador of bees,” Sheikh Salem says in the film.
The three stories in The Road to Fulfilment, coupled with Al Khaja’s sprawling and tender shots of the local flora and fauna, is a moving watch, which upends the dry expectations of what a corporate film could be. The film, as Dunn highlights, is a visual extension of the sustainability values Expo 2020 Dubai and Terra hope to impart. Even after Expo 2020 Dubai wrapped up last year, Terra – the Sustainability pavilion is continuing its initiatives.
“In the lead-up to Cop28, there are several initiatives that are happening in Expo city and Terra that specifically talk about food security, how to grow your own food and urban farming,” Dunn says.
“Terra is the hub of green education in the UAE. We’re really delivering a lot of green education programmes out of Terra, focused on UAE schools. We've had about 16,000 students since the beginning of the year come to Terra. We offer them workshops on all different things from waste to water to energy and habitat and biodiversity.”
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Canada
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Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.4-litre%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470bhp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E637Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh375%2C900%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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.
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
The years Ramadan fell in May
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Ultra processed foods
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
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.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
DUNE%3A%20PART%20TWO
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Denis%20Villeneuve%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Timothee%20Chamalet%2C%20Zendaya%2C%20Austin%20Butler%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
Sector: Tech
Size: 20 employees
Stage of funding: Seed
Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
It brought together 25 state-owned and independent companies specialising in weapons systems, cyber protection and electronic warfare.
Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
Some of the companies include Nimr, a maker of armoured vehicles, Caracal, which manufactures guns and ammunitions company, Lahab
