Month: December 2021

ABU DHABI, President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has sent cables of congratulations to Their Highnesses and Majesties, Presidents, Kings and Princes of friendly countries around the world, on the occasion of the New Year, 2022.

President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa wished them good health and more progress and prosperity to their peoples.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, also dispatched similar cables on the occasion.

Source: Emirates News Agency

AL DHAFRA, Four people were injured in a motorbike-vehicle collision in Al Dhafra desert in Abu Dhabi.

The injured, aged between 14-35, were airlifted from accident site to the Zayed Hospital, according to the Abu Dhabi Police.

Colonel Hamdan Seif Mansouri, Director of Al-Dhafra Region Police Directorate of the Criminal Security Sector of Abu Dhabi Police, urged the residents to exercise maximum attention while driving practising their hobbies.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination and Abu Dhabi Airports launched new sensory rooms at Abu Dhabi International Airport, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority.

The launch follows a joint Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination with Abu Dhabi Airports earlier this year as part of an ambitious project, which aims to establish six sensory rooms across a number of commercial centres and key public areas in Abu Dhabi.

The two sensory units located in the play areas in Terminal One and Terminal Three, incorporate educational, recreational and therapeutic techniques, through an integrated set of sensory experiences for children in an environment that helps them relax, focus and learn. Sensory rooms represent a modern relaxation method used as part of treatment and early intervention programmes for children with autism.

Abdullah Abdulalee Al Humaidan, Secretary-General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, praised the strategic partnership saying, “Our collaboration with Abu Dhabi Airports is a perfect model of teamwork among national organisations in Abu Dhabi to empower and integrate people of determination in the community. The launch of the facilities at Abu Dhabi International Airport is a significant milestone in this project due to the position of Abu Dhabi Airports as a leader in the aviation sector.

He added, “Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination supports the framework of treatment and rehabilitation, whether in commercial centres or key public spaces, in order to achieve Abu Dhabi’s vision of providing the most innovative and advanced services for our people of determination, to ensure their social inclusion.”

Shareef Hashim Al Hashmi, CEO of Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “This partnership aligns with our corporate social responsibility framework which aims to enhance the people of determination’s experience at Abu Dhabi International Airport, leveraging the latest technology and equipment to provide an easy and smooth travel experience for them and their families”.

He added, “Abu Dhabi Airports is committed to providing maximum levels of support for people of determination, in cooperation with partners, to reinforce the emirate’s position as an inclusive community for everyone.”

Sana Mohammed Suhail, Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, said, “We are dedicated to supporting the comprehensive development of the child, with a focus on empowering and enhancing the well-being of children of determination. Ensuring health, wellbeing and living standards of children and facilitating their social inclusion is at the heart of what we do.”

The sensory rooms initiative contributes to the integration of children with social, emotional or sensory challenges by providing calming facilities in crowded public spaces, enabling them to regulate brain negative reactions to external stimuli, providing a quiet haven and helping children develop coping skills.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Visitors to Expo 2020 are enthusiastic about what the new year will bring. Speaking on Friday ahead of the start of 2022, both tourists and Dubai residents were upbeat.

Reem Al Muhairi from Ras Al Khimah in the UAE said: “I came to Expo before with my friends and I enjoyed that visit, so I encouraged my family to come today, especially since it is New Year’s Eve and the rainy weather is wonderful for us.”

As far as 2022 is concerned, she said: “This year has gone by so fast and I haven’t done much. But I hope that next year will be the end of COVID-19. On a personal level, I am preparing to study for a master’s degree and start a new job.”

Sayad Abd Al Rahaim, an Agricultural engineer from Sudan who came especially from Abu Dhabi to visit Expo 2020 on the advice of his friends, said: “The pandemic was all over the news and it almost ended, so it was a quiet year. I hope the pandemic will end forever. I plan to visit Sudan and arrange to visit Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj and Umrah.”

Kaushi Karanam, an Indian resident in the UAE, was happy to bring his mother, Mani, to the Expo site. He said: “We’re looking forward to a more sustainable future [in] 2022, utilising technology more. Of course, we’re also looking forward to more joy. Also, Expo 2020 Dubai provides a platform to show us how the future is going to look.”

His mother, Mani Karanam, added: “I’m a retired engineer so I’m very interested in technology and technological developments and I want to see what happens in 2022.”

Turkish tourist, Aktug Birinci, who visited Expo 2020 for the first time, said: “I’m looking forward to everything, but I want to see the technological innovations on display and we want to visit Mobility and Sustainability. We only have four or five hours today so we just want to get a feel for it, and we’ll probably come back before it finishes.”

As for the year that has been and the year to come, he said: “2021 was okay – we were in Spain where COVID regulations were quite relaxed. It wasn’t easy but it wasn’t hard. In 2022, my partner will go back to her atelier and I will open a Turkish grill restaurant in Spain.”

Romanian tourist, Daniel Enachescu, was particularly optimistic about the COVID-19 pandemic. He said: “2021 was a year full of sacrifices but it’s important not to stop and to keep going and to not be afraid of this pandemic. It will finish and everything will be okay. In 2022, I’m looking forward to the end of the pandemic and for life to continue as it was before.”

Travel featured strongly on the 2022 wish list for Colombians José Torres and Irene Sanaga.

Torres, a Dubai resident, said: “I like how multicultural Expo is. 2021 was good and in 2022 I’m looking forward to being able to travel!”

Sanaga, who enjoyed standing in the rain that washed over the entrance to the Dubai Exhibition Centre said: “This is a great atmosphere to bid farewell to the year with wonderful memories, which is my first visit to Expo 2020 I certainly want to travel in the new year and develop my work.”

Source: Emirates News Agency