RECORDS IN MIDDLE EAST – Page 51 – Arabian Records (1st post : Eid Al Fitr – 01st Shawwal 1439 (AH) / 15th June 2018 ) / (BETA testing – Research

16 December 1971. Bahrain Declares its Independence from the United Kingdom

Bahrain declares its independence from the United Kingdom, after one hundred and ten years of British occupation – !6th December 1971.

16 December 2021:

HM King patronises Bahrain’s celebration of its National Days

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today patronised, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the celebration held at the Al-Sakhir Palace on the occasion of the kingdom’s National Days, in commemoration of the establishment of the modern Bahraini State as an Arab and Muslim state, founded by Ahmed Al Fateh in 1783, and the anniversary of His Majesty the King’s Accession to the Throne.

HM the King bestowed the “Prince Salman bin Hamad Medal for Medical Merit” upon the honourees.

Hamad Yacoub Al Mahameed conveyed to HM King Hamad the pride of the members of Team Bahrain, who are at the front lines of the fight against the pandemic, noting that they always draw inspiration from HM the King’s strong will and determination.

He underlined the frontliners’ honour to be essential partners in the national efforts, led by HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to defeat challenges and bring about more successes to kingdom in combating COVID-19, pledging that they will make all sacrifices for the sake of the cherished homeland, under HM the King’s wise leadership.

He also extended, on behalf of all the honourees, heartfelt thanks and gratitude to HM the King for the honouring, as well as deepest congratulations on the kingdom’s glorious National Days.

The honouree list included:

– His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Prime Minister
– Deputy Prime Minister, His Highness Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa A Khalifa
– National Guard Commander, General His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Isa Al Khalifa
– HM the King’s Personal Representative, His Highness Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa
– National Security Advisor and Royal Guard Commander, His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa
– Commander of the Royal Guard’s Special Force, His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa
– His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
– His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa
– Royal Court Minister, Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Salman Al Khalifa
– Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force, Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa
– Deputy Prime Minister, Jawad Salem Al Arrayed
– Deputy Prime Minister, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa
– Cabinet Affairs Minister, Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Mutawa
– President of the Supreme Council for Health, Lieutenant-General Dr. Shaikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Khalifa
– Interior Minister, General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa
– Follow-up Minister at the Royal Court, Shaikh Ahmed bin Atiyatillah Al Khalifa
– Minister of Finance and National Economy, Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa
– Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Zayed bin Rashid Al-Zayani
– Health Minister, Faeqa bint Said Al-Saleh
– King Hamad University Hospital Commander, Major-General Dr. Shaikh Salman bin Atiyatullah Al Khalifa
– Retired Major-General, Dr. Tariq Hameed Abdulhameed Shafee,
– Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Waleed Khalifa Al Manea
– CEO of the National Health Regulatory Authority, Dr Mariam Athbi Al-Jalahma.
– Director-General of the Office of the Prime Minister, Hamad Faisal Al-Maliki
– CEO of the Information and eGovernment Authority, Mohammed bin Ali Al Qaed
– Director of Military Security at the Bahrain Defense Force, Major-General Dr. Riyadh Nasser Al-Areej
– Executive Director of the Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Cardiac Specialist Centre, Major-General Dr. Fuad Abdulqader Mohamed Saeed
– Assistant Director of Officers and Personnel Affairs at the BDF, Brigadier General Hassan Ali Al-Mehanna
– Brigadier-General Dr. Hassan Mohamed Noor, Head of the Royal Medical Team
– Chief Physician, Chief of the Orthopedic Department at the Military Hospital, Colonel Dr. Shaikh Fahd bin Khalifa Al Khalifa
– Colonel Dr. Mohammad Khalifa Al-Dossary
– Colonel Hamad Mohammed Al-Khayyat
– Lieutenant-Colonel Fawaz Nasser Al-Jairan,
– Infectious Diseases Consultant and Microbiologist at the Military Hospital, Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Manaf Mohammed Al-Qahtani
– Undersecretary for Research and Projects at the Prime Minister’s Office and Head of the Operation Room to Combat COVOD-19, Hamad Yacoub Al Mahameed
– CEO of Government Hospitals, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al-Ansari
– Chief Executive Officer of Primary Health Care, Dr. Jaleela Al-Sayed Jawad
– Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Maryam Ibrahim Al-Hajri
– Director of the Public Health Directorate at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Najat Abu Al-Fateh
– Member of the WHO COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Guidance Development Group, Dr. Jameela Mohammed Al-Salman
– Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Health, Ibrahim Ali Al-Nawakhda
– Chief of Medical Services at Salmaniya Medical Complex Dr. Nabeel Ahmed Al Asheeri
– Member and Coordinator of the Supreme Council of Health, Dr. Mohammad Ali Al-Shaaban
– Representative of King Hamad University Hospital, Dr. Omar Ibrahim Al-Shareef
– Dr. Adel Salman Al-Sayyad- Health Ministry
– Aysha Al-Balushi (Procurement and Efficient Use of Antibodies)
– Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Amin (Cardiac Centre)
– Sarra Ahmed Buhejji- Office of the Prime Minister
– Mansoor Ali Mansoor – Health Ministry
– Mohammed Ahmed Muqbel- Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism

source/contents: bna.bh

_________

___________

BAHRAIN

Arabic Calligraphy Added to UNESCO Heritage List : December 2021

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced that Arabic calligraphy was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as a monumental cultural symbol in the Arab and Islamic worlds.

The addition was underpinned by the fact that Arabic calligraphy “represents the story of a civilization, heritage and culture, and that it is closely linked to the Arabic language,”

After a successful collaboration between 15 Arab countries, led by Saudi Arabia and under the supervision of the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization, Arabic Calligraphy: Knowledge, Skills and Practices has been officially added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In addition to the importance of its use in religious texts, calligraphy has played a pivotal role in the advancement of the Arabic language throughout history. For centuries, it has contributed to the transfer and spread of Arab culture, customs and religious values, in the process instilling a sense of pride and belonging among Arabs.

It is the ninth element registered by the Saudi Kingdom on this list, after registering eight elements of the intangible cultural heritage. Arabic calligraphy is a symbol of Arab identity, and has contributed to the transmission of culture and religious texts throughout history.

source/content: arabnews.com

___________

______________________________________

15 Nations by SAUDI ARABIA

Oman’s Hamad Al Riyami Wins ‘Best Jockey’ title at International Tent Pegging Championships : December 2021

The Omani jockey Hamad Al Riyami won the title of best jockey in the championship after topping the overall ranking points

Hamad Al Riyami is the best jockey and Oman national team is second at the conclusion of the International Tent Pegging championships in Duqm, Al Wusta Governorate.

In the overall ranking of the championship, the Iraqi team came first, the Sultanate of Oman ranked second, and Sudan ranked third. .

source/content : timesofoman.com

_________

________

OMAN

‘

UN Presents Special Award to UAE for its Role in Government Modernisation : December 2021

In a new achievement for the UAE, the United Nations (UN) honoured the UAE government with a special award in recognition of its role in government modernisation.

This recognition came during the United Nations Public Service Awards ceremony, the most prestigious global award in the field of public service.

The ceremony was attended by Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance at the UN.

Catherine Pollard: The UAE has developed an exceptional government work model

Catherine Pollard commended the experiences of the UAE government, and the advanced models it has developed in the field of public service.

She further noted that the special award presented by the UN reflects its appreciation of the efforts and initiatives of the UAE government, its unique model of government work, and its effective partnership with countries and international organisations for exchanging knowledge and sharing experiences.

Top Rankings on Global Competitiveness Indicators

Over the past years, the UAE government has launched strategic partnerships in the field of government modernisation under the umbrella of the government knowledge exchange program, with 9 countries worldwide. The partnerships yielded 241 successful initiatives in more than 55 work fields, and upskilled 290,000 employees and trainees through 3 millions training hours and 565 workshops.

The UAE ranked first regionally and 21st globally in the E-Government Survey 2020 conducted by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. According to the Global Competitiveness Report issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF), it ranked third globally on the Government’s Responsiveness to Change indicator and fourth on the Government Long-term Vision indicator.

The UAE also ranked third globally as the most trusted government according to the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer.

In addition, the UAE Government Accelerators, the first of its kind worldwide adopting acceleration and innovation to develop proactive solutions for addressing challenges, has become a hub for knowledge partnerships worldwide.

Moreover, the UAE government has also launched the World Government Summit, which serves as the largest global platform that brings together government officials and experts from around the world to shape the future. Since its launch, the Summit has held up to 1,000 sessions and hosted more than 25,000 participants and 40 international organisations. It also has signed more than 80 agreements and published more than 100 reports.

source/content: wam.ae

_____________

Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, and Catherine Pollard, Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance at the UN.

___________________________________

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Saudia’s Mansour Al-Saleem Wins Gold Medal, World Weightlifting Championships, Tashkent : December 07th, 2021

Mansour Al-Saleem (aka) Mansour Abdulrahim Al-Saleem . Weightlifter.

Mansour Al Saleem won Saudi Arabia’s first medal in the World Senior Weightlifting Championships, held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

He won the gold medal in the 118 kg category, and the silver medal went to Arly Chunti from Kazakhstan.

source/content: thenewsglory.com

__________

_________________

SAUDI ARABIA

Cairo Selected as ‘Culture Capital of Islamic World for 2022’ : December 2021

Minister of Culture Dr. Ines Abdel-Daim said Egypt being chosen as the capital of Islamic culture for 2022 attests to Egypt’s outstanding cultural role in the world.

Ines Abdel-Daim said Cairo is a city of diversity and cultural richness reflecting many of the salient features of human civilisation in general and the Islamic civilisation in particular, as it has always been a meeting-point of civilisations, old and modern, and a unique centre of art, intellect, and creativity.

Director General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) Salim bin Mohammad Al-Malik participated in the gathering that took place in the Cairo Opera House’s Small Hall to elaborate on the details marking the start of the festivity.

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg

_________

________

EGYPT

Algerian Athletes Skander Djamil Athmani & Safia Djelal, make History with Two World Records in one day – Tokyo Paralympics : September 2021

Two Algerian athletes set new world records on Thursday at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Skander Djamil Athmani and Safia Djelal smash world records as they take home the gold.

Skander Djamil Athmani :

Skander Djamil Athmani, 29, defeated his opponents in the men’s 400 metres T13 event to take home the country’s second gold of the games

Athmani smashed the world record, finishing with a dazzling time of 46.70 seconds. Morocco’s Mohamed Amguoun finished one second after Athmani, securing a silver medal, while Johannes Nambala of Namibia took home bronze.

Amguoun had held the previous world record of 46.92 seconds, which he set at the 2017 World Championships in London.

Algeria’s jubilation did not end there.

Safia Djelal :

Safia Djelal also went on to secure another gold for the North African country, as well as a new world record, this time in the women’s shotput F57 event.

With a staggering distance of 11.29 metres, Djelal gained a huge advantage over her opponents to take home the gold.

The previous record was held by Mexico’s Maria De Los Angele Ortiz Hernandez in Dubai in 2018 with a distance of 11.16 metres.

hina’s Xu Mian took silver with a throw of 10.81 metres. Meanwhile, Eucharia Iyiazi from Nigeria secured bronze.

On 27 August, Cherine Abdellaoui won Algeria its first gold medal of the Tokyo Games in the Paralympic women’s 52kg Judo event.

source/content: www.middleeasteye.net

___________

____________

ALGERIA

Emirati Doctor, First Arab Woman elected as President Designate of the International Hospital Federation (IHF) : November 2021

Dr. Muna Tahlak, CEO, DHA’s Latifa Hospital for Women and Children.

The United Arab Emirates achieved an important victory in the global health front as Emirati Dr. Muna Tahlak, CEO of DHA’s Latifa Hospital for Women and Children, was elected as the President of the International Hospital Federation. (IHF).

This is the first time that an Arab woman will hold this esteemed position, the highest international position in the history of the Union.

The IHF Governing Council voted to elect Dr Tahlak as the new IHF President Designate. In doing so, Dr Tahlak ends her term as Treasurer with IHF and now begins her two-year term as President Designate of the IHF.

She added that her work with the IHF over the past five years has helped her gain experience and gave her the opportunity to highlight the successful work of hospitals in the UAE on a global scale.

Awadh Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), congratulated Dr Muna Tahlak on this important and historic victory.

A few days ago the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (FIGO) selected Dr Muna Tahlak, CEO of Latifa Hospital for Women and Children, for the for the position of FIGO Regional Trustee Africa – Eastern Mediterranean 2021–2023.

source/content: wam.ae

__________

___________________________________

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Award Winners – 43rd Cairo International Film Festival (CIFF) : December 2021

Egyptian star Mohamed Mamdouh received the Best Actor Award for his role in Abu Saddam, which premiered at the festival.

The Best Actress Award went to Swamy Rotolo for her performance in A Chiara, directed by Jonas Carpignano (Italy – France), while The Golden Pyramid Award for Best Film went to The Hole In The Fence, by director Joaquin del Paso (Mexico, Poland), and produced by Fernanda de la Peza and Joaquin del Paso. Blind Spot, by director Lotfi Achour (Tunisia, France) won the Best Short Film Award.

creening over 111 films from 63 countries, the activities of the CIFF’s 43rd edition ran from 25 November to 5 December, including 34 world premieres, workshops, seminars, as well as ceremonies to honour a number of renowned filmmakers, including Egyptian actors Nelly, Karim Abdel-Aziz and Indian composer A.R. Rahman.

The CIFF awards went to:

International Competition awards

Henry Barakat Award for Best Artistic Contribution: Jose Angel Alayon for the cinematography of They Carry Death (Spain – Colombia)

Best Actress Award: Swamy Rotolo for her performance in A Chiara, directed by Jonas Carpignano (Italy – France)

Best Actor Award: Mohamed Mamdouh for his performance in Abu Saddam, directed by Nadine Khan (Egypt)

Naguib Mahfouz Award for Best Screenplay: Péter Kerekes and Ivan Ostrochovský for 107 Mothers, directed by Péter Kerekes (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic, Ukraine)

The Bronze Pyramid Award for Best First or Second Feature of a Director: Aloners, by director Hong Seong-Eun (South Korea)

The Silver Pyramid: Small Body, directed by Laura Samani (Italy, France)

Special Jury Award for Best Director: Laura Samani for Small Body (Italy, France, Slovenia)

The Golden Pyramid Award for Best Film: The Hole In The Fence, by director Joaquin del Paso (Mexico, Poland), produced by Fernanda de la Peza and Joaquin del Paso

International Short Film Competition awards

Youssef Chahine Award for Best Short Film: Blind Spot, by director Lotfi Achour (Tunisia, France)

The Special Jury Award: It’s Nothing Nagy, Just Hang Up!, by director Youhanna Nagy (Egypt)

The Horizons of Arab Cinema Competition awards

Saad Eldin Wahba Award for Best Film: Awarded for directors Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige for their film Memory Box (Lebanon, France)

The Special Jury Award: Fiasco, by director Nicolas Khoury (Lebanon, the Netherlands)

Best Non-Fiction Film Award: From Cairo, by director Hala Galal (Egypt)

Best Acting Performance Award: Afef Ben Mahmoud for her performance in Streams, directed by Mehdi Hmili (Tunisia, Luxembourg, France)

Special Mention: A Second Life, by director Anis Lassoued (Tunisia)

International Critics’ Week Competition awards

Shadi Abdel-Salam Award for Best Film: Awarded to Ameer Fakher Eldin, director of The Stranger (Syria, Palestine, Germany)

The Special Jury Award: Wild Roots, by Hajni Kis (Hungary, Slovakia)

Special Mention: Actress Arcelia Ramírez for her performance in La Civil, by director Teodora Ana Mihai (Belgium, Romania, Mexico)

Best Arab Film Award: The Stranger, by Ameer Fakher Eldin (Syria, Palestine, Germany), produced by Tony Copti, Jiries Copti, and Dorothe Beinemeier

Special Mention: Fiasco, by Nicolas Khoury (Lebanon, Netherlands)

FIPRESCI Award: Tomorrow, directed by Dhafer L’Abidine (Tunisia)

Audience Award: Daughters of Abdel-Rahman’, directed by Zaid Abu Hamdan (Jordan)

www.ciff.org.eg

source/content: english.ahram.org.eg

___________

____________________________________________________________

EGYPT / FRANCE / JORDAN / PALESTINE / SYRIA / TUNISIA

‘The Houses of Beirut’ — Preserving a City’s Architectural Heritage : Republished 2021

Nayla Audi. Daughters Yasmine Audi and Julie Audi.

Twenty-four years ago, Nayla Audi published her only book: “The Houses of Beirut.” It was created for children — an oversized book in the shape of a house — but at Dubai Design Week last month, adults, too, were opening the ‘doors’ of its cover to reveal the old-school watercolors (created by Audi’s friend, the painter Flavia Codsi) within.

The book’s current revival was made possible by Audi’s two daughters, Yasmine and Julie, who published a new edition in the wake of the Beirut Port explosion last year, having found a copy of the book — a nostalgic memento of their childhood — that had survived the damage inflicted on their family home in the city’s Gemmayze neighborhood.

“It really affected us personally,” Julie, who lives in London, told Arab News. “We thought we needed to do everything we can to preserve this book — to re-edit and try our best for these houses to stay. We grew up taking all these things for granted. But now, with a bit of maturity and age, we also realize that it’s important for us to continue what our mom started.”

The original version of the book, published in both English and French, was, Julie said, popular among the Lebanese.

Many of those heritage houses, some of which were built over a century ago, were seriously affected by the explosion and the sisters have stipulated that all proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to the Beirut Heritage Initiative, launched in 2020 to restore badly damaged historical buildings.

For the reprinting of the hand-bound book, the sisters kept the story as it was, (although they printed the English version only) and even turned to the same family-run printing press — Anis, established in the late 1950s — that published it in the first place. Like many businesses in Beirut, Anis was practically destroyed, so getting things off the ground has been a struggle.

Both Julie and Yasmine were born in the US, but feel a strong attachment to Lebanon. They flew to Beirut after the explosion and that experience reinforced their belief in the necessity of chronicling the city’s architectural traditions.

source/content: arabnews.com

__________

Nayla, Yasmine and Julie Audi. (Supplied) / arabnews.com

__________________________

AMERICAN / LEBANESE