Six-year-old Kaggwa Johnbosco and Kakooza Muhammad and five-year-old Prince Suuna Ayaan are also dressed in tartan red shirts with smiles on their faces as they arrive at Dubai’s Global Village. Social media stars from Masaka Kids Africana, an NGO based in Uganda’s Masaka district, had just been on rides and were preparing for their dance performance at the theatre. Wearing white t-shirts and with ID cards around their necks, two men follow close behind, who appear to be in their late thirties. As a parent would take care of his child, the men, who were from the NGO to accompany the children on their very first trip to the United Arab Emirates, bring the children up on stage.
The children sat at the edge of the stage and swung their legs, while the men from the Ugandan non-governmental organization (NGO) – Suuna Hassan, CEO, Director and Founder of Masaka Kids Africana and choreographer Kityamuwesi John or ‘Johnny ‘ squat on the floor below. I sit next to Johnny who tells me that like a shadow, he follows the children and Hassan wherever they go. The kids look at Johnny and start giggling, their faces beaming with happiness – a sight that puts a smile on all of our faces.
However, you can also see sadness in Johnny’s eyes, who tells me that there are over 25 children in the NGO dancing and singing – as you might have seen on their masakakidsafricana social media account which has over five million online followers.
“Today we only brought three kids to play in Global Village and they represent the kids who stayed in Masaka,” says Johnny.
Masaka Kids Africana uses music and dance to bring out the potential of children.
Image Credit: Supplied
Doctors, teachers and music
I ask the kids a few questions, but they just smile and seem to be looking at Johnny with some kind of approval. Johnny insists that they speak to me directly in English and that’s where I learn their names and ages and how much little Jonbosco wants to be a lawyer. “I learned that justice is important and I want to help my people,” he says.
“I want to be a doctor to help my people and take care of them,” Muhammad says. Ayaan wants to be a musician because he “likes to sing and dance”.7960a104-7068-479f-aed8-df7d3b26c836
I want to be a doctor to help my people and take care of them.
– Kakooza Muhammad, who is six years old.
At no point in our conversation does anyone call the Masaka Kids Africana organization an NGO, instead Hassan and Johnny call it “house” and its members, “a community“.
I want to be a lawyer. learned that justice is important and that I want to help my people.
– Kaggwa Johnbosco, 6 years old
“In our home, we have over 25 children from over 10 tribes, who have lost one or both parents and have had some of the worst experiences a child can ever face. We care for all of them and in our community, we have a program called the Community Empowering Program, through which we help many children in Africa, there are many orphans, many live on the streets and they all need help .
“There are over two million orphaned children in Uganda. Poverty, famine, disease and civil strife take lives. We try to help as many of these young people as possible. We give the children a home and access to education and We strive to give children the life skills they need to succeed in the future.
Always ready to sing and dance
Today, the future lawyer, doctor and musician had a 15-minute slot to show off his singing and dancing skills as well as a bit of acting in front of a packed theater. I ask them how long it takes to learn the steps and the children answer “not very long”.
“They’re very talented and it only takes them a few seconds or a few minutes to catch up on the choreography even if it’s something new or something you don’t think they could dance,” Johnny explains.
Everyone in the community is working with me to help find these steps. We upload children’s performances on social media to spread the message that Ugandan children or any child for that matter, who has lost a lot, still has a lot of potential for a bright future.
– Kityamuwesi John, choreographer of Masaka Kids Africana
“All members of the community are working with me to help put these steps in place. We upload the children’s performances on social media to spread the message that Ugandan children or any children for that matter, who have lost a lot, still have a lot of potential for a bright future when they receive the care they deserve,” he adds.
“They went to Turkey once to perform, maybe a month and a half ago, but this is their first trip to the UAE,” Johnny says.
I ask the children how they felt before the show and whether they enjoyed their stay in the UAE. However, nothing seems difficult for the courageous little trio and they show no sign of nervousness before their performance.
“I like everything, it’s not difficult,” says Bosco.
“I just feel…good,” Prince says, while Mohammad whispers, “It’s good.” The children said they missed home, especially their friends, as you could tell they used to play with them.
The children would dance to songs by local Ugandan artists. “When they perform on stage, they dress well, in matching outfits, but when they shoot their videos at home, they bring out the image of African children. Their outfits on the videos, the colors they wear represent the colors of their tribe and where they come from,” says Johnny.
“We choose music and dance to bring out the potential in our children because everyone loves music. It’s like medicine. If you are in a bad mood and you listen to a song, your mood changes. Music is like a language that everyone can understand.
dreams and hopes
It’s just after sunset and the theater is packed. The children are on stage and show their movements. Everyone sways and claps to African tunes and every step the children take is greeted with cheers and more applause.
During the school holidays, the children compose their own music and they share their message of hope and inspiration through these songs.
Image Credit: Supplied
Without knowing it, there was a feeling of inspiration that was spreading through the air to each of us here present. The children, who are indeed gifted with the talent of dancing and singing, are filled with joy and hope, without any manifestation of anguish or remorse about their lives before Masaka Kids Africana began to s take care of them.
After the show, the three kids meet Hassan and Suuna in the back, who are watching another group’s dance performance. Without taking his eyes off the performance in progress, Johnny explains that the dance troupe at home only practices when schools are closed for holidays or weekends. However, not everyone in the group wants to be a dancer or a singer because the kids are concentrating.
There are those who dream of becoming teachers. They [children in Masaka Kids Africana] always tell us that we can teach our young people or even the older ones in the community.
– Kityamuwesi John, choreographer of Masaka Kids Africana
“There are those who dream of becoming teachers. They always tell us that we can teach our young people or even the older ones in the community,” says Johnny.
We also do other cultural activities. Not all children have the same potential for dance and music. Even we adults don’t have the same intelligence. That’s what we know best, isn’t it?
– Suuna Hassan, Director of Masaka Kids Africana
According to Hassan, “When people see us on social media, they think that we only dance and sing. We also do other cultural activities. Not all children have the same potential for dance and music. Even us adults don’t have the same intelligence. That’s what we know best, isn’t it? So in our country, there are those who are good at football. There are those who are good at sewing. Some are good at carpentry. Some are good at poultry and agriculture. So our basic cultural activities include those things as well.
There are children who are only 2 years old and our instructors and I try to teach the children according to their age. Then there are the children in our local villages whom we care for through the community empowerment program.
– Kityamuwesi John, choreographer of Masaka Kids Africana
“There are children who are only 2 years old and our instructors and I try to teach the children according to their age. Then there are the children in our local villages whom we care for through the community empowerment program. We take care of more than 200 children from neighboring villages. We feed them and pay for them to go to school. We give them all the necessities that any child would like to have, even if the resources are scarce at home,” adds Johnny.
Lead with experience
The NGO was the brainchild of Hassan, who created Masaka Kids Africana in 2013 to help others. According to Johnny, Hassan was “a street kid” himself.
Director of Masaka Kids Africana, Suuna Hassan poses with the children after their performance.
Image Credit: Gulf News
“Suuna grew up knowing everything that happens on the streets. He knew that so many bad things were happening in our area. So he thought, what can I do to stop this? How do we remove these children from the streets and at least make them better people in the future? How to ensure that these children are loved by people instead of being perceived as street children?
Following us on social media is another way to support us. Thanks to social media, everyone can see our message and everyone can see what we are doing.
– Suuna Hassan, Director of Masaka Kids Africana
“Suuna wanted to raise these children. It’s not an easy thing to do. And if we can do it [support and educate the children]then others will find the inspiration to support our cause.
Hassan, who deals with engaging children and getting them to stick together, says his message is for “everyone who has tried and wants to give up.” He speaks in his mother tongue, the Ugandan language Luganda, which Johnny translates.
According to my journey and even the lives of these children, it is really very hard to live. But I never gave up. I never dreamed that one day I would be on one of those stages in Global Village and people would cheer for them and be happy to see them.
– Suuna Hassan, Director of Masaka Kids Africana
“I tell you not to give up. According to my journey and even the lives of these children, it is really very hard to live. But I never gave up. I never dreamed that one day I would be on one of those stages in Global Village and people would cheer for them and be happy to see them. I thank all those who support us, all those who love children’s performances and follow us. Following us on social media is another way to support us. Thanks to social media, everyone can see our message and everyone can see what we are doing.
Express press service
KOCHI: Traveling through the sprawling, ultra-clean six-lane roads amid Abu Dhabi’s tall skyscrapers, it’s hard not to be blown away by the city. As I land in this unexpected windy city on a Monday, on my first-ever four-day overseas trip – to attend the World Media Congress, I am amazed.
As taxi driver Ahmed Amir picks me up at the airport, the first thing he asks me is if I’m Indian. The next spontaneous question is: “From Kerala?” “Yes,” I answer. Soon he starts talking about football. Amir is not a football fan, he loves cricket. But, football being the flavor of the season, he added: “Manchester United are coming here for a friendly match. The match will take place in Abu Dhabi.
At the hotel, I am welcomed by the staff, mostly Malayalis. Other staff include Pakistanis and Africans.
According to Amir’s advice, I go to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque the same evening. Even collecting the ticket in a glass dome structure inside looks like a mall, I start the process of entering the mosque.
A true architectural marvel, the mosque is not just a place of worship, it’s a tourist hub with hundreds of people stopping to click their phones at every corner. Apart from the strict regulations at the entrance, where people have to dress according to local cultural norms (for me that meant covering their heads with an appropriate scarf), the whole place has a touristy feel to it.
The intricate chandeliers, hand-woven carpets are found here which is considered to be the largest carpet in the world – calligraphy inscriptions and columns along the prayer hall make this mosque a must-see landmark.
For foreigners, myself included, all dressed in various types of religious attire, some in red or green abayas, it was about creating a moment to appreciate the culture.
It’s also not hard not to notice a sense of commodification in Abu Dhabi. From the man-made beaches, where place names appear with a hashtag for Insta photos, to the endless number of shopping malls, Abu Dhabi has truly become a melting pot of Arab and Western cultures. It’s a poster city for all things luxurious and aesthetically wonderful.
In this truly commercial cityscape, which generally seems calm, people are rarely seen on the roads. Someone like me, who is used to busy Indian cities, would find something wrong. An ethereal calm. After the twilight hours, one can find a few people jogging in shorts and crop tops with air capsules, a handful of people in the malls, and tourists strolling the beaches. However, most of Abu Dhabi, the second most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, seems devoid of faces.
Most taxi drivers are nice and would strike up a conversation easily, suggest the best Indian restaurants (in case the ‘family food’ is missing) and recommend events in the city. “You come here for the work, the money. Not for the future,” says one.
Fast forward to my last night in Abu Dhabi. I drive past the stadium. This is where the friendly match mentioned by Amir takes place. Well, it’s not Manchester United, but Messi-led Argentina playing against the United Arab Emirates. Amir clearly wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t like football.
And, finally, I see people. Hundreds of people walk in front of the Mohamed bin Zayed stadium, as traffic almost comes to a standstill. The United Arab Emirates were beaten 0-5. The colors of Argentina dominate the wave of people. I wonder if it is not the Malayalis who live true to their nature in this foreign country.
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The UAE will continue to promote its maritime transport sector as it recognizes the essential role of the maritime sector in keeping trade flowing smoothly, its senior official said.
Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister of Maritime Transport, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates, underlined that seafarers are undoubtedly the backbone of the maritime and maritime sector.
“Our goal is to increase the volume of containers handled by the country to 50 million by 2032, with a growth rate of around 150%. This is in addition to our ambition to increase the number of UAE-flagged vessels and tankers to 2,000 vessels,” Al Malek said at the 4th Annual Maritime Security Conference in Dubai.
The conference was held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and Tristar Group Marine Logistics Division and brought together industry players, experts and sector executives shipping and shipping.
The event highlighted issues related to the physical and mental well-being of seafarers and addressed pressing issues such as decarbonisation, energy efficiency, digitalisation and the role of AI in the development of the sector.
Al Malek said the UAE has led the way by taking action and launching groundbreaking initiatives.
“At the height of the pandemic, we were the first country in the world to facilitate the safe exchange of more than 240,000 seafarers and their safe return to their home countries,” she said. .
Referring to recent initiatives such as ‘Salmeen’, ‘Sailing Safely’ and ‘Supporting our Blue Army’, the adviser said that these initiatives improve the quality of life of seafarers and strengthen maritime safety to protect the people’s lives.
“It is necessary that we continue our efforts to ensure a better life for our ‘blue army’, which has played and will continue to play a major role in the success of the industry,” Al Malek said.
Boasting a coastline of over 1,650 km, the UAE’s strategic location at the crossroads of global shipping routes makes the country a key trade and logistics hub. This is evidenced by the fact that the country’s ports receive more than 21,000 ships a year and its ports handle more than 17 million containers each year.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), which also participated in the event, expressed its belief that Tristar’s continued initiative will greatly contribute to safety at sea. It commended the efforts of the United Arab Emirates, which have was one of the first countries to classify seafarers as “worker priority” and facilitated the safe exchange of more than 240,000 seafarers, who were helped to return to their countries of origin safely safety, as well as medical treatment and Covid-19 vaccines.
In his opening address, IMO Secretary General Kitack Lim said that IMO would continue to work tirelessly to address maritime security challenges through a multi-pronged approach, including policy development, direct response from our Seafarer Crisis Action Team (SCAT), and inter-agency and industry partnerships.
“We will continue to work with governments, industry players and other international organizations to improve maritime safety and security,” Lim said.
Eugene Mayne, Founder and CEO of Tristar Group, addresses the conference and sailors and says the past three years have changed things.
“The world has taken note of the many challenges you face, whether pandemic-related or not. When the United Nations designated you as a ‘key worker’, it opened many doors: recognition, safe repatriations, faster crew changes and travel assistance,” he said.
“The support and solidarity of the International Maritime Organization, the International Labor Organization and many other authorities, in addition to their new protocols, will open more doors for you,” he said.
Maritime transport today carries more than 80% of world trade, providing a reliable and inexpensive way to move goods around the world, facilitating trade and contributing to the prosperity of nations and peoples. According to the IMO, the Covid-19 pandemic and other challenges facing the global shipping industry have resulted in huge hardships for seafarers.
“Now is the perfect time for a reset at sea, with the cooperation and participation of states, shipowners, governments and authorities. Today we look beyond borders and borders, and our competitors , as we work to achieve a greater common good for all of our seafarers,” said Mayne.
Copyright © 2022 Khaleej Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
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Dubai, the world’s busiest airport for international passengers before the Covid-19 pandemic, had 18,455,938 visitors in the three months to September, the highest number since 17.8 million in the first quarter of 2020.
Dubai Airports CEO Paul Griffiths said the recovery in the number of passengers traveling directly to and from Dubai, rather than transiting through the commercial capital of the United Arab Emirates, had “exceeded our expectations”.
“The recovery of the point-to-point market, people coming to and from Dubai, has been faster than the transfer market,” he told AFP.
“It’s understandable because much of the transfer market, particularly in South East Asia, Australasia and China, has taken a very long time to recover.”
The passenger forecast was raised to 64.3 million for 2022 with “the prospect of a stronger increase on the horizon” in the final quarter, according to a statement from the company.
The airport handled 46.3 million passengers from January to September, up 167.6 percent year-on-year and 72 percent of the number recorded in the same period of 2019.
Annual projections stand at 77.8 million for next year and 87.4 million for 2024, which would surpass the pre-pandemic level of 86.4 million seen in 2019, Griffiths said.
The annual figure is expected to reach a record 93.3 million passengers in 2025, beating the current mark of 89.2 million set in 2018.
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The plaintiff said he was shocked when the defendant filed a complaint against him for allegedly beating and insulting her at his workplace.
A man had filed a lawsuit against his female colleague accusing him of damaging her reputation when he took him to court for allegedly insulting and assaulting her.
He demanded 250,000 Dh in compensation for moral and material damage.
The Arab man said in his trial that he worked with the defendant and that she asked him for help because she was having financial problems.
He said he loaned the woman money but she only returned it after filing a complaint against her.
The complainant said he was shocked when the woman filed a complaint against him for allegedly beating and insulting her at his workplace.
The court, however, acquitted him of the charges due to lack of evidence.
The man also took the woman to the Abu Dhabi Family and Civil Administrative Court to seek compensation for the damages the woman caused him due to false accusations.
The Arab man said he was a reputable member of the community and at work. He added that the baseless allegations made against him had damaged his reputation.
After hearing all parties, the court dismissed the lawsuit pointing out that there was no evidence to prove his reputation had been tarnished.
The judge also pointed out that the woman had used her legal rights.
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Authorities said serious offenses are not included in the program
Fujairah Police have announced a 50% reduction in traffic fines as part of the celebration of the country’s 51st National Day. The program will be implemented from November 29 and will operate for 60 days on offenses registered by motorists before November 26.
The Fujairah Police General Command announced the reduction of traffic fines by 50% and the cancellation of black spots. However, serious traffic offenses are not included, the emirate’s media office said on Monday.
The decision, under the guidance of Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, aims to add cheer and joy among citizens and residents on the happy occasion.
A senior Fujairah Police official has confirmed that the authority is keen to implement the initiative to assist residents and help them carry out their traffic transactions easily.
He called on community members to seize the opportunity and expedite the payment of violations, avail of the discount during this period and put an end to accumulated traffic violations.
Fujairah is the third emirate to announce a reduction in traffic fines this month. Earlier, Umm Al Quwain Police announced a similar discount for residents and said the discount is applicable from December 1, 2022 to January 6, 2023.
Ajman Police also said that a 50% discount is applicable on penalties from November 21, 2022 to January 6, 2023.
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]]>Seven-year-old Alain trains with two dozen other children in Doha, the host city of the World Cup, struggling to lose weight in pursuit of his dream of becoming a professional footballer.
Dribbling around the cones on a hot, sticky evening, he is part of a massive campaign to encourage health and fitness in the Gulf, which is home to alarming levels of obesity.
“I’m here to lose weight and become a footballer…because this sport makes me happy,” smiles Alain, wiping the sweat from his brow.
The boy isn’t alone in wanting to improve his fitness in the resource-rich Gulf, whose wealth and daunting heat for exercise have combined to produce some of the world’s most overweight populations.
The hundreds of fit international footballers currently in Qatar for the World Cup, which begins on Sunday, are an anomaly for the desert peninsula where 70% of adults are overweight.
It’s a similar story in the region, with 66% of Omanis overweight or obese, according to official figures, and a 2020 study putting childhood obesity in Kuwait at 35%-40%.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), childhood obesity has risen from 12% to 17.4% in just two years to 2020, the health ministry said.
Unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles are to blame in a region that imports most of its food and experiences some of the hottest summers in the world, making exercising outdoors dangerous.
Ali Koteich, director of the Cedars Sports Academy where Alain trains, said physical activity was vital for children in Doha, where options are largely limited to “going to malls or parks”.
“In a place like Doha, sport is very important for children,” the 39-year-old told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
“Connected sport and health”
Some 24% of adult deaths in the emirate are due to heart problems and 7% are due to diabetes, according to the health ministry.
In a report on physical inactivity released last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) said nearly half a billion people will develop associated medical conditions by 2030 and called on governments to “take urgent action”.
“Obesity is linked to multiple chronic diseases, including diabetes and stress,” said Yousef al-Maslamani, a doctor and health spokesperson for the 2022 World Cup.
“That’s why it’s so important to show how sport and health are linked.”
Gulf countries have started promoting healthy lifestyles, including a fun run organized by the WHO in Doha on Saturday.
Dubai, the commercial capital of the United Arab Emirates an hour’s flight away, is in the midst of a “30×30” campaign, encouraging residents to exercise 30 minutes a day for a month.
And at the World Cup, children are encouraged to send in videos of dance moves that players can use as goal celebrations, in a FIFA-backed bid to get them more active.
“We know the negative impact on children’s health that a lack of exercise can have,” said FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.
Whether hosting major sporting events can improve a nation’s health is debatable.
In 2019, the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research said the London 2012 Olympics had only “small and transient” effects on the physical activity of nearby residents.
But healthy messages are at least being heard. Back at the football academy, nine-year-old Oubay el-Sayyed gives a pep talk to his teammates as his mother, Nada, looks on approvingly.
“You shouldn’t play with your phone all the time because you need to exercise,” he tells them. “Football will make your life easier and help you.”
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Dubai: Over 12,000 football fans in the United Arab Emirates have booked luxury hospitality packages to attend matches to be played at the Doha World Cup venues from Sunday evening November 20. This makes them the highest ever UAE contingent for the FIFA World Cup tournament. It helps, of course, that Doha is only a short flight away.
The “Match Club” experience, worth $950 per person for a group match, is the cheapest package. Match Pavilion tickets are $1,900, while Match Business seats are $3,050. The private suite option offers a dining experience and access to first-class stadium seating, and is priced at $22,450 per suite. From Dubai, peak demand is coming from British, Lebanese and Iranian expats, with an increase in bookings also coming from fans in the UAE, says Alan Holt, Managing Director of Expat Sport, the exclusive commercial agent for the UAE for the official match of the FIFA World Cup 2022. Hospitality program. “Unfortunately the challenge now is availability, but we still have options for most games – (it’s) just extremely limited on the most popular ones.”
Requests for tickets to matches in Qatar have increased by 500% in the last 10 days. “We also have people who already have tickets but are now looking to add family members or secure shuttle flights around the games,” Holt said. “So the focus is now on logistics and planning.”
Ahmed Soliman, Managing Director of Travel Connections Arabia (TCA), said: “Sports travel experiences are nothing new in the luxury travel industry – from golf to horse racing, tennis to football and even the Games. Olympics. Travel concierge services can create packages that provide end-to-end solutions for high net worth individuals that deliver an experience beyond the sport itself.
During the World Cup in Doha, only the most “affordable” high-end packages for a quarter-final match can start from $11,000 for a single day, including air transfers, accommodation in four-star hotel and access to the match for two people. “The prices will only go up from there, and you could be looking at spending upwards of $20,000 for semi-finals and finals, all for 90 minutes of football (excluding overtime),” Soliman said. . Since most football fans prefer to take shuttle flights to spend the day rather than stay the full duration in Doha, the demand for luxury football-related experiences in Dubai has skyrocketed in the run-up to matches.
“The top countries where bookings come from are South America, Mexico, the UK, China and India,” Holt said. “We have also just released a ‘Saudi Fans’ package to stay in Dubai for four days over the UAE National Day weekend, plus a flight to see the game Saudi Arabia vs Mexico in the daytime shuttle . We published it at the end of last week and have already received several inquiries.
Most popular with UAE fans
The England v Iran match proves to be hugely popular with the UAE fans, as well as all the legends of the game.
The most popular package outside of the group matches has been the quarter-finals, which take place over a long weekend. “Fly over Friday December 9, watch two games over two days – something that has not been possible at other World Cups due to geographical distance,” said Alan Holt of Expat Sport.
SeaWorld’s first theme park outside the United States, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, will open in the United Arab Emirates next year with six marine environments, five floors of indoor attractions and zero killer whales.
John Linn, SeaWorld’s vice president of global theme park development, said the park is the culmination of more than 50 years of SeaWorld’s theme park experience and will include “all the exciting things we wanted do and for which we never got approval”.
“We’re not going to have to work very hard at all to differentiate ourselves. [from similar attractions]”, Linn said. “Frankly, the problem I’m going to have personally is how to explain to our board of directors that this phenomenal product that we have in the Middle East – why don’t we do it in the United States ?”
speaking monday At the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions exhibit in Orlando, Linn declined to reveal details about the park’s contents, but said it would rank among the best aquariums and marine attractions in the world. world.
“Although I cannot reveal any secrets, I can say without hesitation that what we are doing, what we are about to achieve, will surprise everyone,” he said. “It will be something different and unique.”
Abu Dhabi developer Miral, which is partnering with Orlando-based SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment on the project, said in September it had reached 90% construction completion on the Yas Island development. and planned to open in 2023. SeaWorld CEO Marc Swanson recently confirmed this general opening schedule during an earnings call on Nov. 9.
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi was announced in 2016 with an initial target opening date of 2022. When it opens, the park will feature one of the largest aquariums in the world, with over 6.6 million gallons of water and 68,000 marine animals, plus interactive exhibits, rides and a conservation-focused search and rescue center.
Since the park’s announcement, SeaWorld has said the park will not include orcas, also known as “killer whales” for their natural hunting habits.
SeaWorld has worked to break away from its orca-laden past over the past decade. The backlash grew after the 2013 documentary “Blackfish” used the story of SeaWorld Orlando’s orca Tilikum, which caused the deaths of three people, including trainer Dawn Brancheau, to highlight the difficulties of the orcas living in captivity.
In recent years, SeaWorld has ended its killer whale breeding program, phased out its entertainment-based orca shows, and emphasized its longstanding focus on marine life conservation.
“Although killer whales are not part of the theme park, we will provide opportunities to educate the community and raise awareness of this inspiring creature alongside other species of sea life,” SeaWorld Abu Dhabi’s website says. .
In an unsigned statement, SeaWorld said the park will include the UAE’s “first dedicated center for the search, rescue, rehabilitation and return of marine life” which will specialize in ecosystems of life. native marine in the Persian Gulf and will work to advance global conservation efforts.
Swanson said the park “truly showcases what the next generation of SeaWorld could and will be” as it extends the SeaWorld brand to an international level spectators.
The park’s habitats will be entirely indoors, which Linn said he was initially “frightened” by because of the attraction’s emphasis on the natural world. But Miral helped the project exceed expectations, he said.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the way we executed it,” he said.
One of the challenges of the interior decor was recreating natural lighting for its resident sea creatures. Linn said SeaWorld teams created innovative lighting technology to mimic the full spectrum of sunlight.
“I can’t share numbers, but you could buy a minor attraction, maybe even a major attraction for the amount we invested in this project and the lighting for our animals,” he said.
Theme park companies have chosen Abu Dhabi to expand their brands in recent years. Warner Bros. opened the world’s largest indoor theme park, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, in 2018 and this week announced a Harry Potter-themed addition to the park.
SeaWorld has been trying to expand into the Middle Eastern country since 2006, Linn said. The company’s first attempt, the defunct Worlds of Discovery Dubai project, was canceled after the 2008 financial crisis.
He said SeaWorld was also looking to build an attraction in China, but ultimately “the UAE really felt like the right place for us,” he said during the panel titled “The ‘future of entertainment and leisure in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi’. ”
It turned out to be a lucky move, Linn said, as China’s “zero COVID” policies have closed theme parks such as Shanghai Disney several times during the pandemic.
“I’m glad we landed where we did,” Linn said. “I can’t imagine having worked on a project like this…anywhere but Abu Dhabi.”
The property only scratches the surface of SeaWorld’s expansion plans. As the company completes this project, it is already planning future international properties elsewhere, Swanson said Nov. 9.
“We continue to push forward discussions related to other international opportunities and expect to have more to share over the coming quarters,” Swanson said.
[email protected] and @katievrice on Twitter
]]>The brainchild of longtime friends Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger and Constance Jablonski, French Bloom was born out of an idea that celebrations should not come with the possibility of exclusion, but rather should elevate social gatherings and make everyone feel included. Launched at the end of 2021, French Bloom quickly succeeded in creating a new category and positioning itself as a market leader in the category of super premium 0.0% alcohol sparkling wines.
Made from a unique blend of organic wines from France, French Bloom sparkling wines have undergone a manual dealcoholization process to retain flavor integrity while remaining fully organic, resulting in a 0.0% alcohol free drink. ‘alcohol. Other natural and organic ingredients, such as lemon juice, are added to ensure its aromatic balance and length, resulting in an elegant and flavorful non-alcoholic French sparkling wine with an elevated flavor architecture.
Maggie and Constance first met in New York and became close friends following their similar wellness journeys. Constance, a supermodel living a hectic lifestyle, struggled to balance the industry’s demand for physical perfection with a social life that gave her the relationships and connections she needed to maintain her sanity. Maggie, a foodie, was pregnant and found there were few pregnancy-friendly alternatives to the sparkling wine she usually paired with exquisite dishes when dining with friends and family. Both women felt that there was no product that met their expectations for high and sophisticated non-alcoholic wines.
After several years of research and development, under the masterful direction of Carl Héline, former boss of Champagne Krug USA and France, and Rodolphe Frerejean-Taittinger, founder of Champagne Frerejean Freres, French Bloom has achieved nuance and aromatic complexity with its two cuvées: French Bloom White and French Bloom Rosé. Created and bottled in the South West of France, French Bloom sparkling wines are not only organic but also certified vegan and halal, with no added sugar and no sulfites or preservatives, making them the ideal drink of choice for those who prefer be part of it. party without sacrificing their well-being. With the aim of revolutionizing the culture of gatherings and showing that partying can be both inviting and limitless.
“We’ve seen an incredible response to French Bloom around the world so far and with our expansion to over 18 countries in just one year, it’s clear the zero alcohol revolution is here to stay.” Said Maggie Frerejean-Taittingerco-founder, French Bloom.
“We are excited to enter the Middle East market through another female-led company – DrinkDry, the UAE’s first premium soft drink marketplace, and we look forward to seeing French Bloom become a key part of the region’s celebratory events and more.”
In just over a year, French Bloom has expanded to more than 18 countries with an ultra-selective and premium distribution strategy. French Bloom can be found in the best addresses around the world, including Le Ritz-Paris, Annabel’s London, The Carlyle NYC, The Beverly Hills Hotel, Cheval Blanc Saint-Tropez and many more.
Voted by a panel of expert blind tasters as the “World’s Best Non-Alcoholic Sparkling” at the renowned World’s Best Sparkling Awards 2022, distribution is growing rapidly as the brand enters the Middle East market via DrinkDry, the UAE’s leading premium soft drink market who breaks the boundaries of the food and beverage industry by championing the zero alcohol revolution. Recently selected as official non-alcoholic wine for the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Michelin Guide, the debut of French Bloom in the region begins.
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