Category: Business & Economy

KUWAIT: Dr Ammar Bahman and Dr Nasser Al-Sayegh, 2 Kuwaiti Researchers Patent Device That Could Improve Efficiency of Power Plants

After three years of research during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kuwaiti researchers  Ammar Bahman and Nasser Al-Sayegh have come up with an invention that could help reduce energy consumption in power plants.

Bahman is an assistant professor in the department of mechanical engineering at Kuwait University, and Al-Sayegh is an associate research scientist at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research.

Their idea, which has been registered with the U.S. Patent Office, revolves around the creation of a device that can calculate the physical state of nanoparticles dispersed in advanced thermal fluids called nanofluids.

The significance of Bayman and Al-Sayegh’s invention lies in contributing directly to the improvement of thermal systems used in Kuwait for power generation and water desalination. The invention will allow scientists to test the qualities of a nanofluid before offering it as an alternative to the conventional fluids currently used.

The researchers used virtual Internet meetings to continue working together throughout the Covid-19 curfews in Kuwait, moving through stages of clarifying the problem, discussing solutions, describing and illustrating their idea, and sending off the patent for examination.

Practical Benefit of the Invention

Bahman, who obtained a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in the United States four years ago, told Al-Fanar Media that his work on this invention came from a desire to find solutions to common problems between different disciplines.

He explained that the invention is based on the scientific and practical benefit of using nanofluids to improve the efficiency of the cooling processes, because nanofluids have higher thermal properties than traditional liquids. Bahman said the invention offers a solution to a problem facing nanofluids, which is that the suspended nanoparticles are prone to settle under the liquid over time. This means that these liquids eventually lose their advanced thermal properties.

The new invention calculates the percentage of a nanofluid that has lost its thermal properties, and the time it takes for the nanofluid to complete the precipitation process. Such calculations are vital to the research and industrial sector, Bahman said, because they allow scientists, companies, and decision-makers to know the sustainability of energy-generation and conservation devices when used with nanofluids.

Al-Sayegh said the real benefit of the invention would be seen at power plants and water desalination plants, because they depend on heat transfer. The patent will allow specific nanofluids to be introduced to increase the plants’ efficiency by reducing the fuel used, thus saving electrical energy consumption, he told Al-Fanar Media.

Al-Sayegh said creating a device capable of characterising the physical state of particles suspended in nanofluids would revolutionise Kuwait’s thermal systems systems in terms of operational efficiency and fuel consumption challenges.

Research Environment in the Arab World

With the Patent Office at Kuwait University, Bahman plans to employ research results in the country’s industrial sector.

He wants to establish an energy centre affiliated with Kuwait University to conduct scientific and experimental research, offer consultations to the public and private sectors, and provide training opportunities for students, technicians, and specialist engineers.

He believes that to encourage innovation, researchers need an appropriate research environment and access to knowledge and human resources.

Bahman also thinks scientific criticism should be included in school curricula, along with the presentation of scientific problems to encourage innovative solutions. This could be achieved through joint scientific programmes with international universities and student exchange programmes, he said.

Current conditions in the Arab world “do not stimulate scientific research,” Bahman said. “The research process requires great focus, effort and time from the researcher, as well as a stable environment for those conducting scientific research. This can only be achieved when there is abundant financial support.”

Al-Sayegh added that he and Bahman were trying to establish a company to market their inventions, and turn them into practical products that serve a large number of people.

source/content: al-fanarmedia.org (for text -headline edited), (pixs: ovpr.ku.edu.kw)

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Dr. Ammar Bahman
Dr. Nasser Al-Sayegh

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KUWAIT

Global Islamic Refugee Fund Launched with $100m Deposit

 Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, supervisor general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, recently represented the Kingdom at the launch ceremony of the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees.

The fund is supported by UNHCR and the Islamic Development Bank’s Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development, with an initial amount of $100 million, on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

In his speech, Al-Rabeeah expressed his happiness about the fruitful partnership between UNHCR and IDB to help millions of people around the world who are forcibly displaced, by offering constant support for refugees and displaced persons and their host communities.

He noted the importance of strengthening collective action and partnership to better respond and develop innovative, sustainable and comprehensive solutions, in line with the 17th sustainable development goal.

Al-Rabeeah said that the Kingdom was optimistic about UNHCR and IDB’s partnership, which embodies the values of humanity, justice and equality in developing innovative solutions for the refugee crisis.

Al-Rabeeah said: “Amid an increasing number of crises around the world, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation region accommodates the largest number of refugees in the world; we are all aware and fulfill our responsibility by providing all the refugees and displaced people’s needs to lead a safe, healthy and decent life.”

He said that the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees “would help us achieve this humanitarian objective, and given the significant economic challenges the world is facing and due to the limited donor base, this is the best time to present innovative ways to increase the funding modalities.”

Al-Rabeeah said that Islam encourages charitable work, that zakat is the duty of all Muslims who are capable of donating, and that this was the best time to establish the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees. He indicated that the success of this fund relies on the participation of authorized partners and project-based funding, with a transparent monitoring process.

Addressing the needs of refugees and displaced people in the OIC region is an example of zakat and charitable funding, he said, wishing the Global Islamic Fund for Refugees success.

The Global Islamic Fund for Refugees is to be a financing tool for refugees, in compliance with the provisions and principles of Islamic Shariah.

This fund consists of an endowment and nonendowment account to receive and invest donations, in accordance with Islamic financing’s principles. The revenue is deposited in a trust account to fund the response programs for refugees, displaced people and their host communities in the IDB member states.

The Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development has donated $50 million to the endowment account, while the UNHCR has donated $50 million to the nonendowment account, as an initial capital to launch this initiative with $100 million.

The fund also aims to raise additional capital of $400 million as a minimum target by allowing donations from people wishing to contribute.

source/content: arabnews.com

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KSrelief Supervisor General Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner sign an a cooperation agreement. (SPA)

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SAUDI ARABIA: 23rd September 2022 – 92nd Saudi National Day. Celebrates National Day with Arts, Theater, Air Shows and Music

The marking of Saudi Arabia’s 92nd National Day comes at a momentous time in the nation’s history because of its remarkable journey of transformation and development.

Citizens and residents alike will be celebrating over the course of the week to come, with events paying homage to the Kingdom’s heritage, art and culture.

Riyadh

Riyadh is set to celebrate Saudi National Day with a range of events and activities including music, theater and a specially designed Cirque du Soleil show.

In preparation, the capital city’s main roads have been bedecked with hundreds of green national flags.

The sky will light up with fireworks in front of Al-Thaghr Plaza on Sept. 23 from 9 p.m.

The Royal Saudi Air Force will have an acrobatics display with jets and civilian aircraft that can be viewed from Um Ajlan Park on Sept. 22 and 23 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The Royal Guard will conduct a parade at Riyadh Front to the tune of the national anthem played by a military band, ahead of a procession of classic cars on Sept. 23 from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission is free to the fireworks display, airshow and Royal Guard parade.

In addition, Jump Saudi will host a two-day showjumping competition. Tickets are SR57.50 ($15.30) and can be obtained online through Riyadh Platinum or Enjoy Saudi via the General Entertainment Authority website. The event will take place on Sept. 22 and 23 from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

This year, the national circus is presenting a specially designed Cirque du Soleil show entitled “The Wealth of a Nation” at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University theater from Sept. 21 to 24 from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight.

Arab musicians Ahlam and Abady Al-Johar will perform on Sept. 23 at Abo Baker Salim stage from 9 p.m. to 12 midnight.

The Ministry of Interior is organizing its own festivities under the slogan “The Pride of The Nation” at Riyadh Front from Sept. 21 to 24. The event will also feature a live orchestra and 12 interactive pavilions.

A festival will be held at the Diplomatic Quarter’s Grassy Park from Sept. 21 to 24, which will include heritage shows, handicrafts displays, a dancing fountain, action games for children and food stalls.

The AMC-2 theater auditorium is set to feature a live 90-minute stand-up comedy show on Sept. 22 from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., with three international acts alongside a Saudi performer.

Jeddah

The General Entertainment Authority has organized several events for Jeddah’s citizens and residents to mark the country’s 92nd National Day celebrations, including fireworks, air and marine military shows, music concerts, and interactive festivals.

The city’s coastline will be lit up with a massive, seven-minute fireworks show on Sept. 23 at the Jeddah Season carpark area, which is expected to be seen from any location in the city. This show will coincide with 17 other similar displays around the country.

For three days, from Sept. 18 to 20, Jeddah residents can enjoy an airshow near the Hilton Hotel on the corniche, beginning from 4:30 p.m. This will also be the location for a marine show on Sept. 23.

Jeddawis can also enjoy a military parade at 5 p.m. on national day organized by the Ministry of Interior at the Jeddah Art Promenade. The venue will also see fireworks displays from 9 p.m. on Sept. 22, 23 and 24.

In addition, the Jeddah Art Promenade area will feature a light-and-sound display on Sept. 23. There will also be a Saudi folklore show from 6 p.m. to midnight on Sept. 22, 23 and 24. Moreover, there will be “Layali Watan” events and activities held over the same period.

In addition, the Jeddah Art Promenade will feature a Mosaic Wall with various pieces of art on Sept. 22, 23 and 24, showcasing the history of the Kingdom.

The promenade will also have a National Day Corner, with a Photography Kiosk and an exclusive show for children on Sept. 22, 23 and 24.

The venue will have several music concerts, with Saud Sanan performing on Thursday Sept. 23, female singer Dukhuon on the same day, and Ahmed Ashour on Sept. 24.

Egyptian singer Angham and her compatriot Ahmed Saad will perform at Benchmark Theatre on King’s Road at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday Sept. 24. According to the Ticketing Box Office website, all VVIP tickets have been sold.

There will also be festivals held from 5 p.m. to midnight at the city’s Prince Majed Park, from Sept. 21 to 24.

Eastern Province

The Eastern Province has a series of fun events for all ages to celebrate the Kingdom’s 92nd National Day including live performances, fireworks, and marine and air shows.

King Abdullah Park in Dammam is set to host a four-day celebration from Sept. 21 to 24 from 5 p.m. to midnight, featuring a variety of festivities including folkloric dances and fountain shows.

During the celebrations, performers will roam through the park dressed in traditional attire. There will be several action games and giveaways for families. The event is free and open to children of all ages.

Families are encouraged to dress up in traditional attire for the events throughout the week.

Dammam will host the annual fireworks show that will be visible from the corniche on Sept. 23 from 9 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages.

Eighteen cities across the Kingdom will feature fireworks displays simultaneously with Dammam including Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Tabuk and Al-Ahsa.

Nearby Alkhobar will also be hosting a marine show led by the Royal Naval Forces. The show will take place on Sept. 23 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the corniche.

Following the marine show, the corniche seafront will hold an airshow from Sept. 25 to 26 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

In addition, King Abdullah Cultural Center in Jubail will hold live concerts featuring some of the most popular regional performers including Moudi Alshamrani, Sultan Khalifa, Shamma Hamdan and Khadijah Moath, from Sept. 21 to 24.

Children will not be allowed to attend the concerts. Tickets are available on the Enjoy Saudi website.

Southern and Northern regions

The southern and northern regions of the Kingdom are preparing to celebrate the 92nd National Day on Sept. 23 with various shows and concerts including “A Homeland Salute” by the Royal Saudi Air Force.

On Sept. 23 from 9 p.m., a massive five-minute fireworks display will be held across several cities.

In Jouf, north of the Kingdom, Sakaka’s residents will be able to gather at King Abdullah Cultural Center to watch the show.

In the Northern Borders region, spectators in Arar can see it at the city’s Water Tower Park.

In the southwest, it can be enjoyed in Al-Nahdah district in Najran, while in Abha in Asir they can do so at Sama Abha Park.

The activities include air and marine shows.

The Royal Saudi Air Force will perform for 10 days with Typhoon, F-15, Tornado, and F-15C fighter jets across 14 cities. The show is titled “A Homeland Salute,” to celebrate the country’s achievements under its leadership.

In Abha, the airshow will be held at Abha Airport Park on Sept. 22 and 23 at 5:30 p.m.

Various festivals with folklore dances, games and handicrafts will be held at several public parks from Sept. 21 to 24 from 5 p.m. to midnight.

People in the north can celebrate at Al-Nakheel Park in Sakaka, and in Al-Refa District in Arar.

Those commemorating the day in the south can participate at Sama Abha Park in Abha, and Aba Al-Rashash Park in Najran.

Prominent artists are set to perform on the occasion. In Abha, a concert by Mohamed Abdo, led by Maestro Walid Fayed, will be held at Talal Maddah Theatre on Sept. 24.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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SAUDI ARABIA

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YEMEN: Queen Elizabeth II’s Death Recalls Memories of Colonial Past. Yemen – The Only Arab Territory to be a British Colony.

 In 1954, large crowds turned out for a historic visit by Queen Elizabeth II to Aden. At the time, this city on the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula was a colony of the British Empire and was one of the busiest and most important ports in the world.


Now the queen’s death after a 70-year reign has prompted some Yemenis to remember a part of history not often evoked.


Her death has brought waves of grief and sympathy from around the globe.
But it has also raised calls for a re-examination of the death and deprivation inflicted by Britain’s colonial rule in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.


In Aden, now the second largest city in Yemen, many remember colonial rule as a time of oppression that entrenched some of the problems still plaguing the city and the country.

FAST FACT

Hassan Al-Awaidi, a university student, knows his grandfather was among those waving from the street in Aden when the queen and her husband, Prince Phillip, passed by.

Some today still remember Elizabeth’s visit with admiration and credit British rule with advances in the country. Hassan Al-Awaidi, a university student, knows his grandfather was among those waving from the street when the queen and her husband, Prince Phillip, passed by.


But Al-Awadi says his generation now knows better.
“In the context of the 21st century, such practices are seen as a reflection of contemporary global issues like racism, inequality and white supremacy,” he said.
“They cracked down on people who wanted to end the colonial occupation of this land. Thousands of people were killed in the struggle to root out colonialism. They should be prosecuted and pay for their crimes.”


Aden was the only Arab territory to have been a British colony. Other British outposts in the Middle East like Egypt, Palestine and in the Arabian Gulf were mandates or protectorates, not outright colonies.


Aden was first occupied by the British in 1839. Britain went on to seize surrounding parts of southern Yemen as protectorates, clashing with the other colonizers of the peninsula, the Ottomans.


Finally, the two established a border splitting north and south Yemen — a division that has endured throughout the country’s modern history and has flared again in the current civil war.


Aden was officially declared a Crown Colony in 1937. Positioned just outside the Red Sea, the city was a vital refueling and commercial port between Europe and Asia, particularly Britain’s colony of India.


Elizabeth stopped by on the way back from Australia, part of her first tour of the Commonwealth two years after ascending to the throne.


Photos of the visit on the website of the British-Yemeni Society, a UK charity, show British officers, dignitaries and Yemeni leaders greeting the young queen and her husband.


Large numbers of Yemenis met them wherever they went. A ceremony was held for the queen to award a knighthood to local leader Sayyid Abubakr bin Shaikh al-Kaff. To receive it, al-Kaff knelt on a chair in what was explained as a refusal to bow before the queen because of his Muslim faith.


The royals also watched a military parade featuring British and local Yemeni forces.
But not long after the visit, an uprising emerged, fueled by pan-Arab nationalism. After years of fighting, the British were finally forced to withdraw.


When the last batch of British troops left Aden in late November 1967, the People’s Republic of South Yemen was born, with Aden its capital. It would be the only Marxist country to ever exist in the Arab world, lasting until unification with the north in 1990.


Some in Aden recall British rule as bringing order and development.


Bilal Gulamhussein, a writer and researcher of the modern history of Aden, said many “long for the past they lived during the days of British rule, because everything was going in order, as if you were living in Britain exactly.”


He said that much of the beginnings of infrastructure and basic services, including health and education, date to the colonial time.


“Britain laid the foundations of the civil administration in Aden from the first beginnings of the occupation,” he said.


A few small reminders remain.
A statue of Queen Victoria stands in a main square, nicked by bullets that grazed it during crossfires in the current civil war. A clocktower resembling London’s Big Ben overlooks the city from a hilltop. A plaque commemorates Queen Elizabeth’s laying of the founding stone of a main hospital.


Salem al Yamani, a schoolteacher in the southern province of Abyan, said that even amid the current chaos, nostalgia for colonial times sparked by Elizabeth’s death is misplaced.


“The idea of having good roads and services does not mean they (the colonizers) were good. They were occupiers who served their own interest at the first place,” he said.


“That the situation now is dire doesn’t mean we want them back again,” he said.
“This is our own problem, and it will be resolved if foreign powers stopped meddling in our affairs.”

source/contents: arabnews.com (headline edited0

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A historical statue of Queen Victoria sits in a central square in Aden. (AP)

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YEMEN

PALESTINIAN-AMERICAN: Meet Nujoud Fahoum, the Palestinian-American Woman helping Plan Nasa’s Artemis missions

Nujoud Fahoum Merancy started the Twitter hashtag ‘YallaToTheMoon’ to support latest mission.

A Palestinian-American woman is one of the leaders of the Artemis missions, a programme by Nasa that aims to fly astronauts to the Moon.

Nujoud Fahoum Merancy, 43, is the chief of exploration mission planning at the US space agency and has been working in the space sector for more than two decades.

She started the Twitter hashtag ‘YallaToTheMoon’ to support the Artemis 1 mission, which is scheduled for another launch attempt on Saturday, from Florida’s Kennedy Space Centre. ‘Yalla’ is an Arabic word that translates to ‘let’s go’ or ‘come on’.

Before the historic event, Ms Merancy spoke to The National about her Palestinian roots and her involvement in the Artemis programme.

A stellar career

The Artemis 1 mission is an unmanned flight around the Moon that will test the performance of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.

If successful, it would pave the way for Nasa to launch Artemis 2 and 3, crewed flights around the Moon and the first human lunar landing mission under the programme.

“As a Palestinian-American, I’m very excited to be a part of this programme,” she said.

“And, really, Nasa and Artemis, it is a much more diverse workforce than it was during the Apollo era.

“It’s important to me and to a lot of us that it represents all of humanity and Artemis itself is international because we have international partners.”

Ms Merancy, a mother-of-two, earned her bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Washington in Seattle.

From there, she joined the aerospace company Boeing to work on the International Space Station.

She then started working on the development of Orion, the spacecraft launching on top of Nasa’s mega Moon rocket on Saturday that will fly around the Moon — and one day carry astronauts.

“From that, I’ve transitioned into the mission planning for Artemis, which is designing and integrating the missions across all the programmes for Artemis, and that’s my current role,” she said.

Connecting with her Palestinian roots

Ms Merancy went viral on the internet in 2019 when she posted her official Nasa photo, in which she wore a blazer embroidered with Palestinian tatreez, a traditional cross-stitch, that she bought during a visit to her father’s home town of Nazareth.

Her father moved to the US more than 40 years ago to go to college.

Although she was born in the US and does not speak fluent Arabic, she said her Palestinian roots were important to her.

“I don’t speak Arabic, unfortunately, it’s one of those regrets that I’ll always have,” she said.

“I know the basics, a few words here and there, and the polite greetings.

“But I do enjoy the food and that is something I grew up on. And then as an adult, I started cooking.

“So, I have a whole bunch of Palestinian cookbooks just to learn other recipes that my family didn’t teach me.

“I do like to cook Palestinian food and that’s probably the biggest connection to the culture that I have.”

Palestinian presence in the space sector

Other Palestinians are involved in the Artemis programme or are making a name for themselves in the US space sector through other projects.

Soha Alqeshawi, born and raised in Gaza city with her seven siblings, currently works for Lockheed Martin as a software engineering associate manager and looks after Orion’s back up-flight software.

And Loay Elbasyouni is a Palestinian-American electrical engineer who helped design Nasa’s Mars rover, Perseverance.

“My parents did their best to provide me and my siblings with a good education and shield us from the effects of the continuous horrific conflict that Gaza has been living under,” Ms Alqeshawi told Portuguese journalist Margarida Santos Lopes in 2015.

“Living under constant fear and despair where everything is uncertain and basic life necessities such as electricity and sometimes water are unavailable for most of the day.

“Although I was the only one in my family who had the opportunity to leave Gaza for the US to study and work, all of my brothers and sisters are college-educated with degrees in science, engineering and business.”

“Going to school was sometimes a dangerous journey that could have death waiting at any step of the way.

“However, that made us more determined to achieve our dreams in receiving an education.’

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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Nujoud Fahoum Merancy went viral in 2019 when she posted her official Nasa photo, in which she wore a blazer embroidered with Palestinian tatreez, a traditional cross-stitch that she purchased during a visit to her father’s hometown of Nazareth. Photo: @nujoud

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AMERICAN / PALESTINIAN

LEBANON: Lebanese Fans Celebrate Mayyas Winning ‘America’s Got Talent 2022’ with tears of joy and hope

As the country battles a severe economic downturn, supporters at home and abroad say they finally have something to cheer about.

Mayyas winning America’s Got Talent was worth so much more than $1 million for Lebanese viewers.

The dance troupe’s victory, which earned them the seven-figure prize , offered a sliver of hope to the country and its population, who continue to battle a flurry of crises and bad news.

“We haven’t shed happy tears in so long in this country and Mayyas made it happen,” says Reem Nasra, 24, a recruiter in Beirut.

Mayyas first made international headlines when they received a golden buzzer from judge Sofia Vergara for their performance during the auditions, securing their spot in the semi-finals.

“There are no words to explain to you what we were feeling over here,” Vergara said at the time. “It was the most beautiful, creative dancing I have ever seen.”

Since then, the Lebanese group put on a series of breathtaking routines as they advanced to the final. And, their journey to the top connected with compatriots around the world.

“They are an example of what a synchronised group of Lebanese are able to achieve,” says Eli Lattouf, 26, a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School in the US. “Such a win delivers a global message.”

Lebanon is currently facing an economic crisis described as one of the worst in 150 years by the World Bank. According to a UN study, the financial collapse has pushed more than 80 per cent of the population into poverty while inflation and living expenses reached record highs.

The country’s plight has made global news, highlighting everything from its fuel crisis to the deadly Beirut port blast in 2020.

To see Lebanon represented in a different light, as a beacon of art and culture, was refreshing, says Lattouf.

“Most people know the Lebanon they see on the news, which might not be totally misleading, unfortunately,” he tells The National. “This time the world sees not one, but a group of Lebanese, full of art, creativity and discipline.”

Lattouf’s sentiment is echoed by many other Lebanese people, who are proud of the group’s outstanding representation on a global platform.

“This is our Lebanon, the real one,” says Rima Hijazi, 26.

Watching from her home in Choueifat, south-east of Beirut, the agricultural engineer fortunately had electricity overnight to stream the final live. Many other households across Lebanon were without power, which prompted private TV station LBCI to campaign for generator owners to keep the lights on ahead of the show.

Lebanon’s electricity crisis is merely one of the many obstacles Mayyas had to overcome while rehearsing.

Despite the many hindrances, the girls put in long hours of work, determined to grab the title.

According to the group’s founder and choreographer Nadim Cherfan, the team were in the studio on a daily basis and would “only leave when the power goes off”.

“When it’s about art, nothing stands in your way,” he previously told The National.

Their hard work and diligence made them all the more deserving of the win, according to many Lebanese. It is also testament to the country’s potential, despite the odds.

“This win means that despite everything we are going through, our will to live and be successful beats all miseries,” says Yara Youssef, 25, a marketing coordinator in Beirut.

Between pride and hope, Mayyas also evoked a solemn feeling for some.

“It’s a bit sad knowing that if you have potential here in Lebanon, you have to leave in order to reach your goals,” Hijazi tells The National. “We’re in the wrong spot to bloom.”

But despite their international achievement, Mayyas are returning to Lebanon, where they will continue to work on their art.

While Cherfan has been asked why he continues to work in Beirut, he is adamant on going back to where they started.

“I’m never leaving my country because my country has never left me,” he says.

Watch the moment Mayyas won on ‘America’s Got Talent’ here (below):

source/content: thenationalnews.com (headline edited)

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youtube.com

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LEBANON

SYRIA: Looking Back at Queen Elizabeth II’s Wedding Gown Made with Syrian Brocade

As the world looks back on the storied life of Queen Elizabeth II, fashion lovers could be pleasantly surprised to find the longest-serving British monarch championed Arab creativity on one of the most memorable days of her life.

On Nov. 20, 1947, the then-21-year-old princess married naval officer Prince Philip of Greece in a gown created by court designer Norman Hartnell.

The regal dress was made of ivory silk from China — not Japan or Italy given the recent end of World War II — and featured 10,000 seed pearls imported from the US — as well as show-stealing Damask brocade from Damascus, Syria.

The brocade fabric was brought from the Al-Muznar factory in the Bab Sharqi neighborhood of Damascus’s Old City and featured embroidery of “two love birds” exchanging kisses in a pattern known locally as “the lover and the beloved.” Woven with 12-karat gold thread, the brocade fabric was reportedly sent to the queen by Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli.

The luxurious fabric is one of many gifts sent from the Arab world throughout the royal’s life.

The dress was meant to symbolize “rebirth and growth” in Britain after the war, according to the Royal Collection Trust.

It took 350 women seven weeks to make, and featured elaborate floral motifs of jasmine, smilax, lilac and white rose-like blossoms added to the train. The design was inspired by Italian artist Botticelli’s 1482 painting of Primavera.

source/content: arabnews.com (headline edited)

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On Nov. 20, 1947, the then-21-year-old princess married naval officer Prince Philip of Greece. (Getty Images)

Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress, designed by Norman Hartnell, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Naval uniform are displayed at an exhibition at Buckingham Palace on July 27, 2007 in London. (Getty Images)

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SYRIA

SOMALI-ITALIAN: Architect Omar Degan ‘Architecture as Culture: Designing for Community in Mogadishu’

Architect Omar Degan reflects on the experience of designing a restaurant that celebrates local identity and cultural tradition in the Somali capital.

Think back to your childhood. Even if the memories are blurred, many of the flavours and aromas remain. The time we spent with parents and grandparents is often remembered in scents and spices — returning us to those moments, even after many years. Passed down through the generations, dishes and cuisines are vessels of culture and tradition and embodiments of the world’s diversity. Think of a plate of tagliatelle in Bologna, a freshly baked naan in New Delhi, the sweet taste of a chai bought in the streets of Mogadishu, or a mate tea savoured in Buenos Aires. Each is a powerful reflection of its place and people. 

I think about architecture in the same way. Just as culture and tradition is conveyed through gastronomy, the built environment can be a physical representation of local knowledge, passed down through the generations. Like food, buildings can convey ways of knowing, rooted in working with local materials and resources, and adapting to climate and culture. In this way, architecture should celebrate and enhance the places it transforms. It’s a paradigm few would disagree with — yet one that’s rarely reflected in how we build.

A neo-colonial conception of modernity still shapes buildings around the world. It’s a flat, globalized approach in which a tower in Toronto is similar to one in Shanghai, and in which the glass used for a New York skyscraper can be nearly indistinguishable from the cladding of a residential building in Mombasa. This is an architecture that does not earnestly strive to understand places, people and traditions, but seeks to pursue a vision of universal modernity which finds its expression in a detachment from local knowledge.

So how can architecture celebrate cultural diversity? As a Somali practitioner — and principal of Mogadishu-based DO Architecture Group — my answer is always rooted in the local community. And appropriately enough, it’s reflected in a recent project that brought together food and architecture: In 2019, I designed a restaurant called Salsabiil in the outskirts of Mogadishu.

From outside, Salsabiil’s façade appears modest and simple — almost private and introverted. But like an old book cover with layers of dust on its surface, a surprise awaits inside. Crisp white walls, ceilings and floors greet visitors as they enter, with the room framed by plantings that hint at the once-abundant local greenery that’s been lost through decades of deforestation.

Mogadishu was once known as “The White Pearl of the Indian Ocean” for its white buildings, beautiful palm trees and stunning blue coastal waters. As a reminder of the city before the civil war, the restaurant interior is pure and clean, white and simple. Decorating this crisp white canvas, traditional Somali fabrics adorn the pillows and upholstery, including the textiles traditionally used for women’s dresses (a fabric called Halindi) and men’s macawiis sarongs.

The motif also extends to the ground floor restrooms, where fabric patterns traditionally associated with men’s and women’s clothing are used as door coverings. In lieu of formal signage — and the western gender binary that it reflects — the restrooms are rooted in the culture and tradition of Somalia. Regardless of age or social background, the designs are a signifier that every local person knows.

Throughout the restaurant, photos portraying scenes of daily life in pre-war Mogadishu guiding visitors through a visual journey of stories and nostalgia. Designing Salsabiil was also a personal journey through my own culture and identity. I explored and studied things that I’d never had the possibility to experience — from discussing old ways of building furniture with community elders to finding the appropriate pictures to frame, the creation of this space was an adventure.

As a resident of Mogadishu, my hope is that Salsabiil continues to serve as a local landmark and a meeting place for the community — and as a representation of the cultural identity of Somalia. As an architect, I hope it offers a modest case study of integrating architecture and culture, demonstrating the power of weaving cultural identity and social fabric into the built environment. I didn’t want to impose a design vision on the community; I wanted the community’s culture to become the main protagonist of the space. It’s a contemporary environment, but one strongly rooted in tradition.

Salsabiil’s case is not unique in the world. It doesn’t matter if you are in Somalia, New York City or the mountains of Peru. If we understand the knowledge embedded in culture, community and history, then we also understand how to make a humble but substantial architecture — an architecture that embraces its environment. On a global level, it translates to an embrace of the world’s cultural diversity. Like local cuisines, local designs are something to celebrate.

On Twitter, I’ve documented the tremendous variety of African architecture, chronicling how vernacular building styles offer a culturally rich and climate-sensitive response to local conditions. From humble residential interiors to major cultural landmarks, traditional structures across the continent present diverse alternatives to the ubiquitous — and carbon-intensive — concrete, glass and steel design introduced in the colonial period. And today, globally renowned African practitioners like Diébédo Francis Keré and Mariam Kamara are introducing traditional methods into contemporary practice, nourishing richer and more culturally responsive new architectural traditions.

My own practice follows the same principles. To me, designing for a better future means embracing locality and diversity. In this way, I hope the design process itself can — directly or indirectly — become a means to fight climate change, racism, inequality, poverty and much more. Of course, these are large and intractable problems, and their solutions lie far beyond the drafting table alone. But I know this much for a start: The architecture of the future is not made of glass and steel, but of community, culture and diversity.

Omar Degan is a Somali Architect, Principal and founder of DO Architecture Group, an office specialized in post-conflict reconstruction and cultural diversity. Born in 1990, Omar has dedicated his career in the study of emergency contexts and developing countries, focusing on the interactions between culture and architecture. In 2021, he was selected as one of the African Leaders by the Obama Foundation, recognizing his work in the post-conflict reconstruction of Somalia.

source/content: azuremagazine.com (headline edited)

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ITALIAN / SOMALIAN

EGYPT: On the trail of the Holy Family in Egypt

As Egypt promotes the trail of the Holy Family as a major tourist experience, Ahram Online republishes an account of stops and cities where the Virgin Mary, Joseph and Jesus found safety and shelter in the country.

“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” 

(Matthew 2:1-2)

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The story of the holy family’s journey from Palestine to Egypt has long been recorded with dedication by historians and authors around the world. Many look upon the journey as a mark in the history of Egypt, not merely a religious event. Egyptians look with fondness and pride on the passage of the holy mother and her child through the land of Egypt, and the fact that they found solace here.

The flight to Egypt

The Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem of Judaea in Palestine. Upon his birth, wise men preached to the people of the city, declaring that Jesus was the chosen one, and that, “according to prophecies” they had seen in the stars, he would become the next king of the Jews. Upon hearing the news, King Herod was overcome by terror at the possibility of losing his throne. He decided that killing Jesus was the only way to protect his royal status.

In a dream, Joseph, the carpenter, was ordered by God to escort Jesus and his mother to Egypt, where they would find refuge. Both Western and Eastern traditions agree that the method of transport most likely used by the holy family on their journey to Egypt would have been a donkey. In this situation, the Virgin Mary would have been seated on the donkey, holding the child Jesus in her arms and Joseph would have walked by their side, leading the way.

The holy family in Sinai

Keller writes in his book, The Bible as History (1955): “A day’s journey from Gaza brought the holy family to the ancient township of Jenysos, which is mentioned by Herodotus, the Greek historian.” Today, this village, which is part of the Gaza Strip, is known as Khan Younis. “The next town on the holy family’s route would have been Raphia (Rafah), the frontier town between the Gaza Strip and the province of Egypt.”

Continuing for another 44 kilometres, beyond Raphia, and after almost two days of traveling, the mother and child reach Wadi Al-Arish, a point at which they are safe enough to obtain food and shelter. The holy family passes by other towns in Sinai such as Al-Muhammadia and Al-Farma, located 35 kilometres east of El-Qantara City. Churches from the 5th and 6th century have recently been discovered in Al-Farma.

Route to the Nile Delta

The holy family continued on its trip to the Nile Delta, stopping at the city of Musturod, only 10 kilometres from Cairo. “The Virgin Lady”, a 12th century church, was found in the city.

Keller adds in his book: “The city of Musturod was again visited by the holy family on their return journey to Palestine.” After leaving Musturod and passing by Belbes, the holy family travel west to the Valley of Natroun, crossing the western branch of the Nile (the Rasheed branch).

The holy family in Cairo

The movie Journey of the Holy Family portrays the settlement of the blessed family in Al-Mataraya district near Ein Shams (Old Heliopolis). They find shade under a sycamore tree that came to be known as “Mariam’s Tree,” which has evolved into an engrossing attraction for religious tourists. The holy “Mayron oil,” or the “Chrism,” is nowadays prepared from the oil of the tree.

An ancient church was built in the area by the name of “The Virgin Mary” and is visited by people to this day. Paintings can be found inside the church, including maps of the holy family’s journey, as well as a statue of Jesus and his blessed mother guarded by Joseph the Carpenter.

In his book The Geography of Coptic Egypt (1989), French historian Amelenio narrates some of the stories passed down about the miracles of “Mariam’s Tree.”

One such story tells how “the French army sat by the tree, drank from its well and wrote their names on its stems.” It is believed that some of the wounded soldiers were healed by its oil. Amelenio adds: “Al-Matarya district became the most popular shrine in Egypt; a place where people flooded to for blessings and spiritual remedies.”

The second district visited by the holy family in Cairo was Al-Zeitun, where a church by the name “The Virgin Mary” was constructed in Toman Bey Street. It is said that appearances of the blessed lady were witnessed around the domes of the church up until recent years.

Another spot visited by the holy family was Zowela Avenue on at Been El-Soreen Street in El-Gamaleya district. An ancient church is found there with the same name, “The Virgin Mary”. It is considered one of the largest churches in Egypt and is distinguished by its basaltic style.

The holy family moved on to “Old Egypt” (Al-Fustaat) where they dwelled for a short time in a cave in Abi Serja’s Church, within the walls of the Roman Babylon fortress. “The cave is about 20 feet tall, 15 feet wide and does not have any windows,” as described by Amelenio, who believes the holy family’s stay in the cave did not exceed a week. After leaving Al-Fustaat, they moved to Maadi district and settled at the location where the Virgin Mary Monastery and church were later built by the Nile.

Amelenio explains that during Ottoman rule in Egypt, the church had a marina for boats allocated for the transport of people and soldiers traveling to and from Egypt. Some villages in Upper Egypt were visited by the holy family such as Assiut and Minya. In the book History of the Coptic Nation, author Samy Saleh records that the holy family took the same route on their journey back to Palestine. They first go to Maadi, passing through Old Egypt, then follow the road to Ein Shams, back to the city of Mustorod, and finally El-Arish, and from there to Gaza.

The trail of the blessed

At present, many Egyptian historians and archeologists are calling for a project to track each town or city visited by the holy family, so as to make it easier for tourists to visit the blessed spots, thus reviving the symbolism of the holy journey and its message of peace and goodwill to all men.

*This story was first publised in Christmas 2012.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg (headline edited)

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EGYPT

IRAQ: Chemistry Scientist and Researcher Dr.Suhad Yasin’s Work on Purifying Water Has Been a Journey of Perseverance

The Iraqi scholar Suhad Yasin has waged a long battle against financial and administrative obstacles to continue her work on purifying polluted water.

Her graduate studies started later than most and became a long journey over 13 years of dropping out and restarting, but she persevered. Two years ago, the University of Duhok awarded her a doctorate in polymer chemistry.

Now Yasin works from an independent laboratory she set up at the University of Duhok, where she and her students use cheap, available materials to treat polluted water.

Iraq, like many Arab countries,  suffers from water scarcity and stress. One study predicts  the Tigris and Euphrates rivers will dry up completely by 2040. 

Apart from the scarcity issue, some Iraqi waterways also face problems with contamination by heavy metals like aluminum, cadmium and chromium, adding urgency to research like Yasin’s.

An Interrupted Academic Journey

In an interview with Al-Fanar Media, Yasin described her career in industry and academe.

After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at the University of Mosul in 1993, she joined a laboratory in a local pharmaceutical factory, eventually becoming production manager.

As violence increased in Mosul over the next decade, however, Yasin was forced to return to her family’s home city of Duhok in 2006. She got an administrative job at the Ministry of Industry of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

But she did not find administrative work satisfying, Yasin said, so she took a competitive exam to study for a master’s degree at the University of Duhok.

By then a wife and mother, Yasin faced challenges in studying at the University of Duhok, both with learning in English and in overcoming the skepticism of some academics. Her thesis supervisor questioned her ability to complete the work. “He told me, ‘I regret being involved in the supervision of your thesis. It will be difficult for you to complete your studies at your age because of your family responsibilities.’”

But Yasin said his words only increased her motivation. “I needed to prove to my supervisor and myself that I was not a problem, but an energetic researcher who had missed an opportunity,” she said.

Yasin got her master’s degree with excellence in 2009 with a thesis on removing chromium from water using modified pomegranate peel .

Starting from Scratch on a Ph.D.

She then applied to transfer from her job at the ministry to work as an assistant teacher in the chemistry department of the University of Duhok’s Faculty of Science.

She taught at the University of Duhok   for six years but was not given an opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. because the university lacked facilities and funds for research in her specialisation. Throughout this time, she continued her research on purifying polluted water.

In 2015, the university offered her an opportunity to pursue a doctorate and she took it. There was considerable opposition to her studying for a Ph.D. at the age of 50, but she managed to convince the head of the department.

Based on the advice of her master’s supervisor, who had changed his mind about her ability, she chose nanofiber technology as the subject of her doctorate. Her new supervisor initially opposed the idea, saying the university could not afford the materials required for research on this topic. But he finally relented when she persisted.

Yasin said she had nothing but the lab walls when she started her doctoral research: no equipment, devices, or “cofactors”, molecular compounds needed in certain chemical reactions. “The resources were almost zero,” she said. “I had to buy everything myself and start from scratch.” 

Lining up Support

Yasin contacted professors and scholars from various Arab countries to ask for help. By chance, she heard of a physics professor at the University of Basrah who had designed a device that would help her with her research. “I contacted the professor at the University of Basrah immediately and she agreed to help me,” Yasin said.

Yasin then had to convince her dean at the University of Duhok to manufacture a similar device so she could work. He agreed, but she still needed funding for her research.

She wrote to several international organisations asking for financial support and eventually received a three-year grant of about $207,000 from the National Academy of Sciences in the United States, in 2018. She used the money to establish an independent laboratory at the University of Duhok to conduct her research on using nanomaterials to treat water.

Yasin acknowledges that funding scientific research is a general problem in Arab countries, but she insists that scholars themselves have a duty to find funding for their research.

“We must not stand idly by. I work day and night to get new financial support,” she said. “With each refusal, I realise that I have to work more.”

source/content: al-fanarmedia.org (headline edited)

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Suhad Yasin, of the University of Duhok, overcame many obstacles during 13 years of interrupted graduate study to continue her research on purifying polluted water. (Photo courtesy of Suhad Yasin)

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IRAQ