March 13, 2022

Bybit Powers Art in the Metaverse with Art Dubai 2022’s Inaugural Digital Section

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Media OutReach – 13 March 2022 – Bybit, the world’s fastest growing cryptocurrency exchange, is pleased to support the digital art chapter of Art Dubai 2022 at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. After a three-year break, the global platform for artistic expressions from the Middle East and Global South goes beyond the realms of physical art to empower creatives in the digital dimension in its 15th edition, its most ambitious and extensive to date.

Bybit is delighted to welcome Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum into the Bybit universe for our inaugural participation as Lead Partner of Art Dubai 2022 on March 9, 2022

Bybit is the Lead Partner of Art Dubai Digital, a new section of the iconic art fair to bridge between the rapidly-developing crypto-sphere and the international art market.

Bybit and Art Dubai meet at the intersection of digital art forms and human creativity amidst the paradigm shift of our times. Artists and creatives are no strangers to digital innovations and the blurring of boundaries between visions and realities, with roots in digital artistry going back to the 1980s. The global pandemic has accelerated the building of new worlds and the coming together of new artistic communities in the digital space.

The new Art Dubai Digital section brings to life art forms transcending conventional constraints. Showcasing 17 presentations from both traditional galleries and digitally native ones, the digital section gives a voice to emerging artists and market participants, many of whom are first-timers at an international art fair.

Art lovers looking to experience the art or support an artist can join the fair through the Bybit NFT Marketplace, now offering 15 artworks from the participating galleries of Art Dubai.

Art Dubai 2022 also presents Bybit Talks, a new addition to facilitate dialogues between the crypto space and the art world to make crypto, web3 digital practices and NFTs concepts and opportunities more accessible to the public.

Bybit’s presence at Art Dubai 2022 includes a limited run of NFTs at the booth featuring artists and art collectives MIRL (Made in Real Life), Song Ting, Viia Yeon, Maruchef, Hyuck, S.R Innovation Lab, Oscar Oiwa, Yeo Huang Joo, Saule Dyussenbina, Ziyang Wu, Yasuo Nomura, Kevin Heisner and SIM_Moby.

The timely drive for digital art highlights the zeitgeist of a post-pandemic world of mixed realities. The Bybit NFT Marketplace provides an integrated one-stop destination for artists, creators and collectors, to create, and sell or trade on the Ethereum ERC-721 standard through their spot accounts — providing the tools of digital ownership to collectors of all knowledge and skill levels.

“Art Dubai’s admirable work in elevating talent to the global stage, particularly with artists from underrepresented regions, echoes Bybit’s endeavor to democratize next level trading for the broader public. NFTs are one of the new tools to reinvent and rewire the art market, and a new generation of artists and art patrons are drawn to a new parallel world that rewards authenticity and the imaginative minds,” said Igneus Terrenus, Head of Communications at Bybit.

“There are two important legs in the projects. We have galleries from the physical world and galleries that only exist in the metaverse. And to complement these and help understand what they’re going to be showcasing, we have one of the most exciting educational programs today, among them is Bybit Talks by Bybit, the sponsor of the digital section, and the Global Art Forum,” said Pablo del Val, Artistic Director of Art Dubai at the opening address.

“In the last two years, the 3D world lost approximately half a dimension. At the same time, new multiple dimensions have been discovered online. We are now extensions of our devices and this changes everything. It’s the kind of paradigm shift that civilization sees every few 100 years. We’ve been going through these changes arguably for the last 30 years and now in a more and more accelerated manner, evidenced in the mainstreaming of crypto, blockchain technologies and NFTs over just the last year. In the two and a half dimension, digital artifacts and crypto economies are as real or unreal as anything else. And there’s such rapid growth in digital platforms, it’s often difficult to keep track even for seasoned insiders. So the Bybit talks will explore the unknown past and the possible futures of NFT, how our ideas and experiences of media buy change with decentralized institutions, and what kind of values beyond merely the monetary is at stake with these new technologies,” remarked Shumon Basar, Commissioner, Global Art Forum.

About Bybit

Bybit is a cryptocurrency exchange established in March 2018 to offer a professional platform where crypto traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, excellent customer service, and multilingual community support. The company provides innovative online spot and derivatives trading services, mining and staking products, as well as API support, to retail and institutional clients around the world, and strives to be the most reliable exchange for the emerging digital asset class. Bybit is the proud partner of Formula One racing team Oracle Red Bull Racing, esports teams like NAVI, Alliance, Astralis, and Virtus.pro; German soccer club Borussia Dortmund and Japanese soccer club Avispa Fukuoka.

For more information please visit: https://www.bybit.com/

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About Art Dubai

Founded in 2007, Art Dubai is the premier platform to see and buy modern and contemporary art from the Global South. Featuring Contemporary, Modern and Digital gallery sections, annual artist commissions and year-round collector and education programmes, Art Dubai champions art and artists from across the Global South, providing a relevant and increasingly important alternative to mainstream, largely Western-led narratives.

Art Dubai is held in partnership with A.R.M. Holding. The fair is sponsored by leading Swiss wealth management group, Julius Baer. The Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) is the fair’s strategic partner. Bybit is the lead partner of Art Dubai Digital.

Contact:

press@bybit.com

March 13, 2022

Zimbabwe’s potential US$1bn media industry eyes Abu Dhabi’s Global Media Congress for opportunities: Minister

ABU DHABI, Zimbabwe is planning to build a US$1 billion media industry and looking forward to the Global Media Congress to be held in Abu Dhabi in November to find new ideas, partners and collaborators from across the globe, a senior official told the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

“Zimbabwe’s ‘Vision 2030’ envisages uplifting the country’s 15 million people into a middle and upper middle-income population by 2030. This will be a gamechanger and the plans to build a $US1 billion media industry will contribute to realise that vision,” said Monica Mutsvangwa, Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting.

In an exclusive interview with WAM during her official visit to Dubai, she said the media sector in Zimbabwe is looking forward to collaboration with media organisations across the globe, especially in the UAE and the Arabian Gulf, in digital content creation, website hosting and film production.

“There are also many other opportunities, especially in TV and radio. I think the Global Media Congress in Abu Dhabi will be a golden opportunity for us to present the potential of Zimbabwe’s media sector and seek partners and investors to join our efforts for further growth,” Mutsvangwa stressed.

Global Media Congress

The minister was referring to the first edition of the Global Media Congress, to be held in Abu Dhabi from 15th to 17th November 2022 and organised by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) in a strategic partnership with the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the event will include a media conference and exhibition, which will enable various media organisations to discuss partnership and cooperation agreements.

Prominent media leaders and global influencers, in addition to academics and students, will attend the Congress, which will discuss several key topics such as digital communication, artificial intelligence, advanced technologies and innovation in the media sector. It will host specialist sessions covering journalism, radio, television, internet, social media and international influencers.

The event will serve as a platform for international companies interested in engaging in media markets in the Gulf region, the Middle East and North Africa, according to the organisers.

Radio, TV and media digitalisation

The minister said Zimbabwe is very keen to participate in the Congress to present US$1 billion worth opportunities in its media sector. There was only one TV channel and six radio stations for the past 40 years in Zimbabwe. However, the present government has licensed seven commercial TV channels and more than 38 radio stations. “Still there is a lot of potential,” she pointed out.

Zimbabwe started a digitalisation project in media sector in 2015, but unfortunately, due to lack of financing, it was not completed, Mutsvangwa revealed.

“We would like to complete it. We are still growing. This is an industry which is still almost in its infancy. It can grow many times. So, there are lots of opportunities in digitalisation. We would like to get investors who can come on board to get licences or work together with local companies to make sure that our media sector grows further,” she explained.

Zimbabwe’s media sector is also looking for training opportunities, modern studios and the latest equipment for broadcasting and film production, and digitalising the existing analogue television channels, the minister said.

Media event, National Day at Expo 2020 Dubai

Major Zimbabwean media organisations presented such opportunities at a media event organised by Zimbabwe on Friday at the Expo 2020 Dubai, Mutsvangwa said.

“Media has benefited a lot from this Expo 2020. So, we are excited about Expo. Hence our media came here. Some of the biggest media partners in our country participated in the media event.”

Zimbabwe will celebrate its National Day at its Pavilion at the Expo on Monday in the presence of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa.

The president and senior officials in his official delegation will also address a business forum in Dubai on Monday, which will be “another opportunity for Zimbabwean businesspersons to meet with their UAE counterparts and others from the 190 countries participating at this very special Expo,” the minister said.

“The UAE is our very good partner, as a gateway to the middle Eastern, Asian and European markets.”

Zimbabwe seeks investments and partnerships in farming, mining, pharmaceuticals, energy sectors. “There are many win-win opportunities between both countries,” Mutsvangwa said.

Source: Emirates News Agency

March 13, 2022

SCAD signs agreement with G42 Cloud to advance adoption of AI solutions across its operations

ABU DHABI, The Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD) has signed a partnership agreement with G42 Cloud, the leading Abu Dhabi-based AI and cloud computing company, to utilise its advanced digital and AI solutions for improving SCAD’s statistical portfolio.

The agreement was signed by Ahmed Mahmoud Fikri, Director-General of SCAD, and Talal Al Kaissi, CEO of G42 Cloud.

The signing ceremony was attended by Badria Abdallah, Executive Director of Foresight and Communication Sector, Ahmed AlShaiba Al Sheryani, Executive Director of the Data Sector, and Yousuf Fahd, Acting Executive Director of Strategy and Planning Sector from SCAD, and Hisham Sari, Executive Business Development Principal from G42 Cloud.

The partnership will see SCAD leveraging G42 Cloud’s hosting services and deployment of cloud-based software and systems, advanced platforms for big data processing and analysis, as well as technical consultancy support. The Centre is going to develop high-quality descriptive, analytical and predictive statistical models across all its operations, utilising advanced AI applications and data sources. The new collaboration aligns with G42 Cloud’s goals to support digital innovation in government services by offering SCAD a holistic set of AI solutions with highly advanced analytics capabilities to support its digital transformation efforts.

Ahmed Fikri said, “At SCAD, we are keen to adopt advanced technologies and AI solutions to process various types of data accurately and objectively. We aim to provide reliable and high-quality statistics, analysis and research that support Abu Dhabi’s comprehensive and sustainable development process, as was the case for the Insights and Foresights platform, which contributes to improving the user experience in the government and private sectors, while supporting SCAD’s continuous efforts to provide added value services and enhance the solutions we offer our public and private sector partners.

“This partnership will enhance SCAD’s vital role in developing fast, reliable and effective digital solutions for processing big data, and finding new statistical methods and applications, which in turn contribute to foresighting and identifying needs and challenges. It formulates policies at all possible levels through effective integration of AI and data,” he added.

Talal Al Kaissi said, “This partnership provides a remarkable opportunity to support the development and digitisation of SCAD’s data processing and analysis processes. Many government entities, organisations and companies rely on G42 Cloud services to meet a variety of use cases. We are very honored to contribute to SCAD’s journey of digital transformation and support the development of its operations by utilising our intelligent, innovative and impactful solutions as part of our efforts to leverage AI technology across sectors to improve results.”

SCAD had recently launched its advanced Insights and Foresights Platform (IFP) to provide statistical data, analytical models and advanced simulations using latest AI technologies in the field of data analysis. IFP will enable decision makers within Abu Dhabi Government to study social and economic impacts of various policies as it can predict the ones with highest efficiency in resource management and integration across the government.

Source: Emirates News Agency

March 13, 2022

Arab Youth Council on Climate Change collaborates with HSBC to empower youth in climate action

ABU DHABI, The Arab Youth Council on Climate Change (AYCCC), one of the initiatives of the Arab Youth Centre, and HSBC signed a Memorandum of Understanding to implement a “Sustainability Education” initiative, to train higher education students in the Arab world on climate action, build their capacities, and develop their skills in the sectors of sustainability and innovative climate solutions.

This educational initiative will be carried out in cooperation with the AYCCC’s official knowledge partner, the Posterity Institute.

Under this partnership, the two parties would cooperate to implement an interactive curriculum project available to all students of universities, colleges and higher institutes in the Arab world to have direct access, based on the open-source principle, to various educational, awareness and training materials on the causes of climate change, and mechanisms for creating qualitative solutions to confront it and advance sustainability goals set by the United Nations and the Paris Agreement signed in 2015 and the COP26 climate summit in the United Kingdom in 2021.

The partnership was announced at the Youth Pavilion at Expo 2020 in the presence of Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice President of the Arab Youth Centre (AYC), and signed by Saeed Al Nazari, Director-General of the Federal Youth Authority and the Chief Strategy Officer at the Arab Youth Centre, and Abdulfattah Sharaf, Chief Executive Officer, HSBC UAE and Head of International, HSBC Bank Middle East Limited.

Shamma Al Mazrui emphasised, “the Arab region’s hosting of two successive global climate summits, COP27 in Egypt this year and COP28 in the United Arab Emirates in 2023, requires the preparation of qualified young Arab leaders in various climate action fields, which will reflect positively on the sustainability of the resources of our region and the preservation of its capabilities for future generations.

She added, “In October 2021, the UAE announced its national strategy to achieve Net Zero by 2050, same as many countries in the region. Therefore, cooperation with regional and international institutions and the conclusion of strategic partnerships with those keen to support the work of young people in the public and private sectors through effective and purposeful initiatives that accelerate climate action and involve young people in developing its mechanisms and solutions is the best path to achieve these ambitious goals to protect the future of the planet, its environment and its biodiversity.”

Saeed Al Nazari stated, “The Arab Youth Council for Climate Change (AYCCC) was established to help Arab countries realise their goals in addressing climate change while providing Arab youth with the skills necessary to accelerate that process. The AYCCC includes leaders from the public and private sectors. Through AYC, it will continually expand its cooperation with regional and global institutions that target empowering Arab youth in climate action.”

Al Nazari added, “The Sustainability Education project -which will build Arab youth capacities in climate action through a cooperation agreement with HSBC and the Posterity Institute- constitutes a model for environmental education and training programs.”

Abdulfattah Sharaf said, “HSBC has a longstanding commitment to supporting the communities in which we operate. Developing future skills is an important element of our community outreach and our partnership with the Arab Youth Council on this new sustainability education initiative for undergraduates in the region reflects that.”

Dr. Yasar Jarrar, Managing Director of the Posterity Institute, said, “Sustainability education is the key to address climate change and unemployment threats in our region. This kind of partnership with HSBC is a great example of how the private sector can positively impact the global sustainability agenda.”

The Sustainability Education programme aims to build Arab youth capacities by including sustainability skills in academic courses.

HSBC sponsors the programme that provides open-source sustainability skills, ideas and solutions to all university and college students in the MENA region.

Source: Emirates News Agency

March 13, 2022

Saif bin Zayed witnesses closing ceremony of MoI’s Golden Jubilee celebrations

ABU DHABI, H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, witnessed the closing ceremony of the Ministry of Interior’s Golden Jubilee was held in Abu Dhabi, as part of the UAE’s celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the Union.

The closing ceremony was like the other performances across the Emirates from the start of the celebrations in December 2021. Celebrations were a national event where the Ministry of Interior gave a glimpse of the progress and achievements over the past fifty decades.

The ministry also presented its vision and current strategy in line with the vision of the judicious leadership towards excellence, leadership, and preparedness for the next fifty years.

Sheikh Zayed bin Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi, and Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, attended the ceremony.

Other attendees included Lt. General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police; Major General Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police; Major General Salem Ali Mubarak Al Shamsi, Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Interior for Resources and Support Service; General Commanders of the State Police; Major General Maktoum Ali Al Sharifi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Police, and Abu Dhabi Police directors of sectors; Major General Ahmed Mohamed Rafie, Head of the Secretariat of the Organising Committee for the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Ministry of Interior, several officers of the ministries of interior and defence, and many directors of government departments in Abu Dhabi.

Major General Al Mazrouei said in his speech on the occasion, “We are pleased to meet you today in this exceptional event that is being part of the Ministry of Interior’s celebration of the Golden Jubilee, coinciding with the UAE’s 50th-anniversary celebrations. It is an occasion to express gratitude for the giving and sacrifices of our founding fathers.”

He pointed out that the celebration of the achievements was and is still admired by the world, as the Emiratis embody the most wonderful images of loyalty and renewal of love for the homeland to which the people of the Emirates belong and the nations are proud of, concluding with the celebrations and events organised by the Ministry of Interior.

The ceremony began along the Abu Dhabi Corniche with the national anthem, followed by national activities, including a military parade, marches of personnel, patrols, vehicles, and police planes. All sectors of the Ministry of Interior and the police general HQs took part in the ceremony which featured a silent drill platoon and educational and recreational activities.

Source: Emirates News Agency