Category: Amazing Feats

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE – Spectacular #RAKNYE 2022 Fireworks Show Sets 2 GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles : 01 Jan 2022

Ras Al Khaimah ushers in New Year with record-breaking firework drones flying at 1,055.8 meters high (over 1KM) and 452 firework drones simultaneously launching a breathtakingly choreographed ‘Happy New Year’ message in the sky

Spectacular #RAKNYE 2022 fireworks show sets two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles, mesmerising thousands of visitors

  • 12-minute show with over 15,000 firework effects pays glorious tribute to the nation as it marks its 50th anniversary
  • The dazzling show marked a moment for people to reunite, with visitors arriving to Ras Al Khaimah from across the world to celebrate the New Year
  • Two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles set for the ‘Most Remote Operated Multirotors/Drones Launching Fireworks Simultaneously’ and ‘Highest Altitude Multirotor/Drone Firework Display’

Welcoming hundreds of thousands of spectators from around the world, the Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve Celebrations (#RAKNYE 2022) dazzled all with a never-before-seen fireworks display that smashed two GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles.

Rising majestically from the Arabian Gulf, the fireworks display featured innovative pyrotechnic drone performances, over 15,000 effects, spanning an area of over 4.7 kilometres. The 12-minute spectacle was specially choreographed to reflect the joy of reunion with six themes set to epic orchestral music.

A Six-Act Show of Wonders

#RAKNYE 2020 fireworks display was conducted in a six-act sequence starting with the countdown just before midnight setting the stage for an ephemeral theatre of wonder. Ushering in the New Year with a spectacular tower of lights at a height of 1,055.8 metres (over 1 km) taller than any building in the world. This was followed by the ‘Happy New Year’ message written in the sky with firework drones, the sequence lit up the arena in multiple hues. These two sequences broke two new GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ for Ras Al Khaimah.

Record-breaking feats

Setting the first GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the ‘Highest Altitude Multirotor/Drone Fireworks Display’ was the tower of fireworks 1,055.8 metres high, taller than any skyscraper in the world.

The second GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title was for the ‘Most Remote Operated Multirotors/Drones Launching Fireworks Simultaneously’, when 452 drones launched fireworks simultaneously to create the ‘Happy New Year’ visual in the sky.

More than 5,000 hours of work went into preparing for the show that also deployed over 130 sea pontoons and a fleet of hundreds of pyrotechnic drones.

A community event like no other

Many others followed the celebration live on raknye.com.

Ras Al Khaimah had welcomed 2021 with a dazzling 10-minute fireworks show that underlined the UAE’s message of hope, peace and achievements. Ras Al Khaimah also made history with the New Year’s Eve Gala of 2020, which broke the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ titles for the ‘Most remote operated Multirotors/drones launching fireworks simultaneously’ and the ‘Longest Firework Waterfall.’ The Emirate secured two GUINNESS ORLD RECORDS™ titles for the ‘Longest chain of fireworks’ and the ‘Longest straight-line fireworks display’ with the 2019 New Year’s Eve Fireworks.

source/content: rakmediaoffice.ae

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RAS AL KHAIMAH (RAK), UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Saudia’s ‘Ithra’ Celebrates a Busy & Award-Winning 2021

The King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture aka Ithra, presented more than 7,000 programs and won five local and international awards this year.

Ithra presented more than 7,000 programs and initiatives in art, knowledge, culture, creativity and society this year, and welcomed more than 500,000 local and international visitors, the organization said.

In addition, about 4,000 male and female volunteers participated in the center’s local, regional and international events and activities, contributing 13,000 hours of work.

Ithra won five local and international awards in the past 12 months, including the 2021 Cultural Institutes Award in the private sector track by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture.

Ithra was also recognized with three prestigious accolades from MarCom, one of the largest and most respected creative competitions in the world. Among 6,000 entries, Ithra achieved platinum in the ‘Team Achievement’ and ‘Pro Bono’ categories, and gold in the ‘Social Content’ category for its efforts on World Book Day.

The center was also recognized locally by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development with numerous awards, including the first volunteer unit to implement the national volunteering standard, the first center to introduce volunteering in the private sector, and a Gold “Mowaamah” certification, for the accessible ecosystem that the center provides to support those with special needs, in accordance with their required standards and needs.

Ithra’s annual flagship creativity festival, held under the theme Tools — Crafting Creativity, Tanween 2021 attracted more than 25,000 visitors over the course of three weeks.

The festival featured international and local experts in 30 talks, 10 masterclasses, 7 workshops and 4 big experiences. One of the main features of Tanween was the Smartphone Orchestra, which sorted the public based on the data they provided themselves in this interactive and immersive activity. Another highlight featured mass drone swarms that interacted with the audience in one of the largest co-created drone/human light paintings ever made.

Currently on display at the first Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale, Ithra Art Prize-winner Nadia Kaabi-Linke’s piece underlines the new Pan-Arab direction of the prize. This is the first year one of the most significant art prizes in the region is open to regional artists, while simultaneously representing a homecoming for the award which was presented at Art Dubai for its first three editions. Consisting of 19 canvasses nearly 20 meters long together, E Pluribus Unum – A Modern Fossil is described as a metaphor for modern times.

Ithra also cemented its reputation as a leading Saudi film producer with roadshows at the 74th Cannes International Film Festival and at the Red Sea International Film Festival, the Kingdom’s first international film fair. Produced under the Ithra Film Productions banner, celebrated Egyptian screenwriter and producer Mohamed Hefzy’s Sea of Sands and Saudi award-winning independent filmmaker Khalid Fahad’s Valley Road are both scheduled for release in 2023. The feature-length documentary film Anti-Cinema, meanwhile, is currently in post-production and is expected to hit the international film festival circuit shortly. Winner of the Ithra Content Commission Initiative, Ali Saeed and Hassan Saeed’s film brings Saudi Arabia’s film history to the big screen.

source/content: arabnews.com

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Ithra presented more than 7,000 programs and initiatives in art, knowledge, culture, creativity and society this year, and welcomed more than 500,000 local and international visitors. (Shutterstock) / pix: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

UAE’s Mohammed Ben Sulayem appointed President of World Motorsport. First non-European to be elected as FIA President : December 2021

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been elected President of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) following the FIA Annual General Assembly gathered in Paris , on December 17th, 2021

Mohammed Ben Sulayem of the UAE will be the first non-European president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), motorsport’s world governing body.

The 60-year-old Dubai-born former rally driver was standing against British lawyer Graham Stoker, who has been Todt’s deputy president for sport since 2009.

The FIA is the governing body for Formula One, the World Rally Championship, World Endurance, and Formula E among other series. “The votes are in and we’ve won. We are thrilled that 62% of all clubs have given us their vote,” said Ben Sulayem’s ‘FIA for Members’ campaign on Twitter. An FIA spokesman confirmed the result.

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pix: fia.com

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Egypt is One of the Global Leaders in Urea Production – Ranked No.6th in the World

Egypt 6th in world in urea production.

Egypt produces 7.8 million tons of nitrogen fertilizers, according to the Egyptian Minister of Public Enterprise Sector Hisham Tawfik, explaining that this country is the sixth in the world in urea production with 6.7 million tons.

There are 9 factories involved in the production of nitrogen fertilizers.

source/content: egypttoday.com

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File – Minister of Public Business Sector , Hisham Tawfik- / Egypt Today

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EGYPT

Omani Photographers Sulaiman AlShuaili, Mahir AlKhusaibi & Zamzam Oraba – Bag World Cups – International Federation of Photographic Arts (FIAP) : December 2021

Mohammed Sulaiman Al Shuaili. Mahir Naseer Al Khusaibi. Zamzam Bain Oraba.

For the 5th time in a row, the Sultanate of Oman has won the two world cups of the International Federation of Photographic Arts (FIAP) in its 40th round, within the age-group of 16 years and the age-group of 21 years.

Oman bagged 462 points through the presentation of 20 works submitted by 13 of its photographers.

In the age-group of 21 years, Oman bagged 457 points through the entries of 13 photographers who submitted 20 works.

In the age-group of 21 years, Mohammed Sulaiman Al Shuaili won gold medal for his photograph titled “Tafkeer” (Thinking), while Mahir Naseer Al Khusaibi bagged silver medal for his photo titled “Iltwaa” (inflection) and Zamzam Bani Oraba won the bronze for her photo titled “Talashi” (blackout).

source/content: omannews.gov.om

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Mohammed Sulaiman Al Shuaili – “Tafkeer” (Thinking)
‘Iltwaa’ by Mahir Naseer al Khusaibi
‘Talashi’ by Zamzam Bani Oraba

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OMAN

Kuwait’s Mohamed Al-Sharikh and Morocco’s Mohamed Mechbal amongst 5 Winners of ‘The 2021 King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam’

The 2021 King Faisal Prize for Service to Islam has been awarded to Mohamed Al-Sharikh from Kuwait, chairman of Sakhr Software Company.

He is one of five winners chosen by a selection committee led by Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, chairman of the King Faisal Prize Board.


The others are Moroccan Professor Mohamed Mechbal of Abdul-Malik Al-Saadi University in Tétouan, Morrocco (Arabic language and literature); Stephen Mark Strittmatter, an American neurologist at Yale School of Medicine, and British Professor Robin Franklin of the Wellcome Trust-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (co-winners in medicine), and Professor Stuart Parkin from the UK, an experimental physicist at Stanford University in California (science).

Mechbel was recognized for work that lays the foundations for the creation of modern Arab rhetoric within a vision inspired by the call for renewal.

Previous winners in this category of the King Faisal Prize have included rulers, heads of state, thought leaders and social scientists, as well as many distinguished institutions

source/content: arabnews.com

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KUWAIT / MOROCCO

International Organisations hail establishment of ‘National Human Rights Institution’ in UAE : December 23rd, 2021

International organisations have hailed the establishment of the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) in the UAE as an independent entity in line with the Paris Principles to promote and ensure the protection of human rights in accordance with international best practices.

The heads of these organisations have issued separate statements where they commended the formation of the NHRI and the appointment of its Board of Trustees from qualified Emirati cadres enjoying long experience in the field.

Advisor Issa Rashid Al Arabi, President of the Arab Federation for Human Rights (AFHR), said that the NHRI’s establishment in the UAE is a major stride, noting that it reflects the keenness of the UAE’s wise leadership to ensure that human rights are respected, and its firm belief in the importance of promoting human values.

Lawyer Ala Chalabi, the Chairman of the Arab Organisation for Human Rights, an entity with an advisory capacity at the United Nations, has commended the formation of the Institution, stressing that it will contribute to safeguarding human rights in the UAE and the entire Arabian Gulf region.

Dr Amjad Shamout, the former head of the Standing Arab Human Rights Committee at the Arab League, who is also the Chairman of Al-Jisr Al-Arabi Human Rights Centre in Jordan, said the establishment of NHRI is a qualitative addition to the efforts made in the human rights field in the Emirates that reflects the UAE leadership’s strong will to prioritise human rights and ensure all those living in the country enjoy the same rights without any discrimination.

Ayman Nasri, the Head of the Arab- European Forum for Dialogue and Human Rights, another entity with an advisory capacity at the UN, said the formation of the NHRI is a step forward toward reinforcing cooperation between local and international human rights agencies and organisations that will significantly contribute to establishing human rights organisations capable of communicating efficiently with the international community.

Khalid Al Ajami, Chairman of the Board of Kuwait Human Rights Society, noted that the establishment of NHRI is a step in the right direction toward reinforcing the human rights-related initiatives taken by the UAE in line with the determination of their leadership to promote human rights in continuation of the efforts pioneered by the Founding Father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

For his part, Mohamed Fazie’, the former Chairman of the Human Rights Committee at the Arab League, congratulated the UAE on forming the NHRI, which he described as a culmination of the diligent efforts being made by the UAE for long years to protect human dignity and empower the human capital being the mainstay of sustainable development.

Dr. Abduljabbar Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Chairman of the Bahrain Jurists Society, another entity with an advisory status at the UN, said that the UAE leadership’s keenness to ensure 50 percent of the NHRI members are women in line with the Paris Principles reflects the pioneering role played by women in the UAE.

It’s worth mentioning that President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Al Nahyan has issued federal law No. 12 of 2021 pertaining to the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI).

source/content: wam.ae

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Saudi Arabia sets World Record for ‘Biggest SAXAUL TREE Botanical Garden’ : December 2021

‘Al-Ghadha Park in Unaizah (Makkah), which covers an area of more than 172 million square meters, has earned a Guinness World Record for the largest saxaul tree botanical garden.

“The saxaul trees give the area a unique beauty and magic that draws hikers from the Qassim region and beyond.”

Saleh Al-Waneen, a spokesperson for the Saxaul Association, told Arab News how the trees evolved to withstand the harsh desert climate.

“The tree grows and reproduces without any human intervention, and can go without water for many months,” he said. “In fact, this type of tree flowers, grows and thrives in the hottest temperatures in the summer without any irrigation or rain. It loves the heat and direct sun. Temperatures sometimes reach 58 C.

source/content : arabnews.com

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The people of Unaizah, a governorate in Al-Qassim Province, have cared for the indigenous trees for more than five decades, and there are strict laws against cutting them down. (Supplied) / arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

Mariam Abuzahra, 13-year old Egyptian-Hungarian Violinist, Wins ‘Silver Nutcracker’ in Moscow : December 06th, 2021

Mariam Abuzahra. Violinist.

The 13-year-old Egyptian-Hungarian violinist Mariam Abuzahra won the silver award at the Nutcracker International Television Contest for Young Musicians in Moscow, Russia, on 6 December.

Abuzahra, representing Germany and Austria, participated in the third and final round of the Nutcracker, a renowned contest organised by the state cultural TV channel ‘Russia-K’, whose most recent edition took place in Moscow at the Tchaikovsky Hall.

In the string instruments category, Abuzahra competed with two other young finalists: Franz Ludwig Serafin Kraggerud (8) from Norway and violinist Sofia Demetriades (14), representing Great Britain and Russia.

Mariam Abuzahra started playing violin at the age of three, following the example of her elder sister Amira. Both sisters have been performing extensively and winning in international contests, such as the German youth national competition, the Virtuózok Talent show in Hungary and many others.

Just recently in 2020, the sisters received the highest awards at one of the most prestigious competitions for young violinists, the International Arthur Grumiaux Competition in Belgium.

Born to a Hungarian mother, Nóra Emödy, and an Egyptian father, Ahmed Abuzahra, both pianists, the young musician is also the granddaughter of famous Egyptian actor Abdelrahman Abuzahra.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg

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Egyptian-Hungarian violinist Mariam Abuzahra

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EGYPTIAN / HUNGARIAN

UAE bag two silver medals at Asian Karate Championships 2021 in Kazakhstan : December 22nd, 2021

AE bagged two silver medals at the Asian Karate Championships 2021 hosted by Kazakhstan on December 18-22.

UAE female Karate player Salwa Ahmed Al Mansouri won the Kumite silver for the +59kg category, while Mohamed Ahmed Al Ameri got the same in the Men’s Kumite +76kg.

Major General Nasser Al Razooqi, Vice President of World Karate Federation, and President of UAE and Asian Karate Federations, congratulated the players for their distinctive performance at the prestigious continental championship.

source/content: wam.ae

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)