Category: Women / Girls

‘LAQAH’ created by Oman’s Middle East College Students Wins Coveted ‘Injaz Oman’ Prize : November 2020

A group of students and alumni from Middle East College in Oman have developed a spray from palm pollen that helps protect trees and plants from pests, enabling them to thrive for longer.

Their product, named Laqah, (the Arabic word for ‘pollen’) recently won the Best Sustainable Prize at a competition organised by Injaz Oman, a company that provides training and resources to youths and encourages them to become entrepreneurs.

The team, consisting of MEC graduates Mouath Al Shuaili, as well as students Nasra Al Sawafi, Athari Al Hassani, Maysa Al Balushi, and Fatma Ali Rahbi, came up with the product to help Oman’s agricultural sector.

“This has helped us market our products and increase our customers’ confidence in us,” said Mouath Al Shuaili, who serves as the CEO of the company, which is also named Laqah

source: http://www.timesofoman.com

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pix: timesofoman.com

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OMAN

Egypt launches 1st Platform for Entrepreneurship in Middle East, N Africa (MENA) : February 2021

 The Ministry of Planning launched in cooperation with Facebook and Rise Up Foundation an interactive platform “SMB Business BOT” for entrepreneurship to support small and medium enterprises in the Middle East and North Africa.

Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Hala El-Said asserted the keenness of the ministry to provide mechanisms supporting the entrepreneurship thinking, saying the ministry is keen on establishing business incubators via “Rowad 2030” project that was launched by the ministry .

Facebook Managing Director in the Middle East and North Africa Ramez Shehadi said Facebook is committed to provide the tools that would enable small and medium enterprises push forward economic growth wheel, creating job opportunities and boosting local societies in Egypt,

The Founder of Rise Up Foundation Abdel Hamid Sharara said the Business BOT program will provide support needed by the different companies in the Middle East and North Africa. (MENA)

source: egypttoday.com

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Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Hala El-Said – Press photo / pix: egypttoday.com

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EGYPT

Sarah Al Amiri named in Time’s 2021 List of ‘Next 100 Most Influential People’ : 2021

Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency, has been named as one of Time’s 2021 list of the Next 100 Most Influential People in the World for successfully leading the UAE’s Hope Probe into Mars’ orbit, in the first-ever Arab interplanetary mission.

In addition to her work in sending the Arab world’s first spacecraft to Mars, Al Amiri is now ahead of bigger missions: to lead ambitious space and technology projects that contribute to the UAE’s bigger goal in establishing a knowledge-based economy. A lunar mission in 2024 and plans to build a human settlement on Mars by 2117 are among the ambitious projects that await the young minister who’s looking to promote research and development to create new industries as part of her role.

She took part in building the UAE’s first two satellites – DubaiSat-1 and DubaiSat-2, and the first entirely Emirati-made KhalifaSat.

She has been holding several responsibilities as the Chairwoman of the Emirates Scientists Council, Chairwoman of the Fourth Industrial Revolution Council and Chairwoman of the Dubai Future Academy Board of Trustees.

In 2017, she became the country’s first Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, a title that later changed in the latest cabinet reshuffle in August 2020 to the Minister of State for Advanced Technology. She was also then named the Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency.

In 2015, the World Economic Forum honoured her as one of its 50 Young Scientists for her contributions to science, technology and engineering.

She was also invited by the World Economic Forum to speak at Davos 2019 and became the first Emirati citizen to speak at an international TED event in 2017.

Mostly recently, she was selected in the BBC’s 100 Women 2020, a documentary that highlighted women leading change and making a difference during last year’s turbulent times.

source: wam.ae

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pix: wam.ae

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder – Abu Dhabi Festival

Huda I Alhamis-Kanoo, Patron of the Arts

  • Founder – Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) – 1996
  • Founder & Artistic Director : Abu Dhabi Festival (2004)

www.admaf.org / www.abudhabifestival.ae

Awards:

  • The Abu Dhabi Award and Abu Dhabi Medal (conferred by H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi)
  • The UN-affiliated Women Together Award
  • The Aspen Institute Emerging Voice Award for Cultural Stewardship
  • The Puccini Festival Foundation Award,
  • The Middle East Institute’s Visionary Award,
  • etc…

Orders Conferred:

  • The Commander of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic (Orden de Isabel la Católica), conferred upon her by HM Juan Carlos, former King of Spain, by order of HM Philip IV, King of Spain
  • The Medal of Civil Merit of Spain
  • The Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz)
  • Commendatore dell’Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà of Italy
  • Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur of France
  • Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France
  • The Belgian Officer of the Order of the Crown, bestowed upon her by HM Albert II, King of Belgium
  • The Gloria Artis Medal of Poland
  • Order of the British Empire (OBE), bestowed upon her by HM Queen Elizabeth the Second
  • etc…

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Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo is the founder of Admaf and artistic director of the Abu Dhabi Festival. Courtesy Abu Dhabi Festival / pix: thenationalnews.com

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

Saudi Arabia Opens Military Recruitment to Women : February 2021

Women can now join Saudi Arabia’s armed forces, following a ruling by the Saudi Ministry of Defense that opened the way for both genders to sign up through a unified admission portal starting Sunday.

Military ranks from soldier to sergeant will be available in the Saudi Arabian Army, Royal Saudi Air Defense, Royal Saudi Navy, Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force, and Armed Forces Medical Services.

Saudi female applicants must be between the age of 21 and 40 years old, have a height of 155 cm or taller, and cannot be a government employee.

Female submissions must also hold an independent national identity card and have at least a high school education. Applicants married to non-Saudi citizens will not be accepted.

source: arabnews.com

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All applicants must have a clean record and be medically fit for service. (Supplied) / pix: arabnews.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

AlAnoud Al Sharekh – First Kuwaiti Woman to Receive France’s Ordre National du Merite : 2016

Dr. AlAnoud Al Sharekh. Researcher. Academic. Author. Women’s Rights Activist.

Presently, Research Associate, The Chatham House and ‘The Arab Gulf Institute, Washington

Activity :

  • Founding Member – Abolish 153 (aka) Abolish Article 153
  • Founding Member – Mudhawi’s List
  • Director – Ibtkar Strategic Consulting

Awards:

  • First Kuwaiti Woman to receive France’s ‘Ordre National du Merite’ (National Order of Merit)
  • Listed among BBC’s 100 Women of 2019
  • Arab Prize – Best Publication in a Foreign Journal (2013-2014) by The Doha Institute (2014)
  • Voices of Success Kuwait Award (2018)

Education:

  • BA – Bachelor’s Degree – English, Kings College, London (1996)
  • MA – Masters Degree – Applied Linguistics and English-Arabic Language and Translation – School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), London
  • Ph.D – Doctorate – Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Comparative Literature and Feminism

Books:

  • Challenging Limitations: The Redefinition of Rules for Women in the GCC (2005)
  • Angry Words Softly Spoken: A Comparitive Study of English and Arabic Women Writers (2006)
  • The Gulf Family : Kinship Policies and Modernity (2007)
  • Popular Culture and Political Identity in the Arab Gulf States (2008)

http://www.alanoudalsharekh.com

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pix: alanoudalsharekh.com

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KUWAIT

Nisreen Krimed – UAE based Fashion Designer and Entrepreneur

Nisreen Krimed. Entrepreneur. Fashion Designer.

Founder of hand made womens’ wear fashion label – Canava Designs which specialises in stories created with Arabic Calligraphy and Cartography.

Education:

  • Alumnus – Esmod Fashion Institute, Dubai
  • B.A – Faculty of Fine Arts, Damascus, Syria – Design and Visual Communications (1995-1999)

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Canava Design blends fashion and graphic design. (Supplied) / pix: arabnews.com

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PALESTINE / SYRIA / UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E.)

Etihad Airways – First Airline in World with 100% of Flight Crew Vaccinated : February 2021

 Etihad Airways, the UAE national airline, has become the first airline in the world with all its operating pilots and cabin crew vaccinated to help curb the spread of COVID-19.


In January 2021, Etihad was awarded Diamond status for ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness and sanitisation in the inaugural ‘APEX Health Safety, powered by SimpliFlying’ audit.

This achievement was made possible through Etihad’s ‘Protected Together’ employee vaccination initiative which was formally launched in January this year.

Building on the UAE’s “Choose to Vaccinate” campaign, Protected Together is about helping staff take proactive, personal steps towards protecting themselves against COVID-19.

source: www.wam.ae

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pix: wam.ae

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Abeer Balubaid. First Saudi Female Pianist

Abeer Balubaid. Pianist. Composer.

Balubaid has also composed and performed two original pieces ‘Tempo’ and ‘Mystery’ with Saudi Jazz Band, Alfarbai at the King Abdulaziz Center For World Culture (Ithra) on September 23 on the occasion of 90th Saudi National Day.

She is also a Member of the Music Committee of Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and the Arts (SASCA).

Education:

  • B.E. : Bachelors degree in Architecture, Effat University, Saudi Arabia

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pix: abouther.com

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SAUDI ARABIA

A New Museum Dedicated to the Life of the Prophet (pbuh) inaugrated : February 02nd, 2021

The opening ceremony of the International Exhibition and Museum of the Life of the Prophet and Islamic Civilization took place in Madinah on February 02nd.

The International Exhibition and Museum of the Life of the Prophet and Islamic Civilization was launched under the supervision of the Muslim World League (MWL) and is the first in a series of Islamic museums scheduled to be constructed around the world under the organization’s umbrella.

Located next to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, the museum is open 24 hours a day, and is dedicated to the history of the Islamic world and the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The exhibition features dozens of paintings and interactive displays. At the moment, there are seven languages available to visitors — Arabic, English, Spanish, Urdu, French, Turkish and Indonesian. It also includes a 4DX theater, which screens a series of films about the Prophet’s life.

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FASTFACTS

The International Exhibition and Museum of the Life of the Prophet and Islamic Civilization

• Size: 5,000 square meters

• Location: Next to the Prophet’s Mosque, Madinah

• Number of floors: Two

• Exhibit and pavilion displays: 25 main pavilions

• 500 antique items from the Prophet’s era

• A main screen to feature the masterpieces found in the Qur’an and the Sunnah

• A movie theater showing a film about the Prophet’s life

• Virtual reality shows

• A special presentation of the Constitution of Madinah and the Makkah Document

• A presentation of the efforts of Saudi Arabia in serving the Qur’an and the Sunnah

• Languages: French, English, Urdu, Spanish, Turkish, Indonesian, Arabic

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source: arabnews.com

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pix: arabnews.com

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Madinah , SAUDI ARABIA