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| A comprehensive guide
to current and future events and exhibitions in the UAE |
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Valuable concise reference source on the UAE,
covering political system, economy, business, history and heritage,
education, women, healthcare, tourism and environment. |
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Natural history of the UAE,
covering all animals and plants recorded in the Emirates. |
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HISTORY & TRADITIONS - TRADITION
 Hospitality a key part of tradition
Posted on 02/08/2009
Around the world, cultural traditions and ways of life are handed down. Emiratis across the country and around the world are proud of and cherish their heritage even today, and endeavour to maintain their traditions even in the face of tremendous change and the rapid development of recent decades.
In the UAE, many of those traditions reflect the people's historical reputation for generosity, courtesy and love of community. Emirati households, for example, ensure the majlis (reception area)
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 Camel festival promises thrills
Posted on 22/12/2008
More than 2,000 camel owners have registered to take part in the Al Dhafra Camel Festival 2009 - with more than 24,000 camels expected to compete in the event. The festival has been scheduled for tomorrow in the western region.
"The fair has become, in record time, a stunning heritage carnival, not only for the heritage of the UAE, but also for the region as a whole," said Mohammad Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Director General of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach), who is also the
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 A voice for women and the Bedouin way of life
Posted on 18/12/2008
Haneen Ajarneh has everything to play for. She is one of only three women out of 48 finalists in this year's Millions Poet television show.
"I was so happy to have been admitted to the finals and to have reached the Arab public across the Arab world,ā€¯ says Ms Ajarneh, a psychologist from Naour, one of many Bedouin villages in Jordan's desert valleys.
"It takes poetic aptitude and ability to appear convincing. It takes audacity and determination, especially as a woman.ā€¯
As one of the few
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 Reviving a timeless tradition in Dubai
Posted on 28/02/2008
The almost extinct Gulf heritage in pearl trading is set to be resurrected in Dubai. However, this revival is a far cry from the old days of pearl diving when divers spent weeks searching for the treasure hidden in oysters. When the Pearls of Arabia project is completed in two years, creating a pearl business hub on "Antarctica" at The World manmade island cluster, the new face of the pearl trade in Dubai will reflect the progress the city has seen since the pre-oil era.
Led by the Dubai Multi
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 Festival revives nation's famous deep-sea tradition
Posted on 24/02/2008
The waters of the Gulf have always been the source of the region's wealth. Just as today oil is pumped from below the waves, long ago it was oysters that sustained the local population. Daring pearl divers, who travelled for months up and down the coast, picked the precious white pearls. Pearls were the main economic force in the region, with the pearl drivers and traders gathering to buy and sell the precious commodity.
As the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) comes to a close on Monday, Watani,
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 Bringing pearl industry back into focus
Posted on 02/11/2007
The world's second largest natural pearl will be auctioned in Abu Dhabi on November 20 as part of a strategy to bolster the UAE's pearling tradition.
This was announced yesterday by the Dubai-based Pearl Revival Committee.
The first-ever International Pearl Convention will also be held in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from November 18-22.
One of the key aspects of the convention is the auction of the Arco Valley Pearl. It is worth approximately $8 million, and organisers expect it to reach $12
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 UAE women try to keep their ancient traditions alive
Posted on 05/11/2006
Halimah Obaid sits immersed in her work as dozens of people, mostly tourists, mill about, some stopping to watch. Her trained fingers working nimbly with the red and silver threads, Obaid does not look up as cameras flash around her, slightly conscious but apparently proud to display her talents.
The mother-of-two is making the teli ā€“ an example of Arab embroidery used to adorn women's clothes. At a neighbouring stall, her friends are also engrossed in making other traditional crafts ā€“
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 Television helps to preserve the UAEā€™s cultural traditions
Posted on 02/04/2006
The lithe bodies in pristine kandouras move in time with the music, their weapons cradled in their arms. Spinning their rifles, the performers then throw them high in the air and catch them to the thunderous applause of the crowd.
The setting for this display of skill is Dubai's Global Village, where the finals of a unique competition have been held to choose the best yawil or performer of al youla, an ancient Bedouin dance. This involves a performer showing off his dancing skills while
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 Keeping traditions alive
Posted on 17/09/2005
A worker at Abu Dhabi's Emirates Heritage Village moulds clay into a pot before it goes into the kiln. Each potter has a certain speciality and over the years will informally graduate to making stylish and bigger pots. (The Gulf News)
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 Window to tradition
Posted on 07/06/2005
Enter the Emirates Heritage Village for a walk down history. Need a culturally enriching way to beat the gruelling heat? Overwhelmed by Westernised pastimes such as malls, restaurants and cinemas, Abu Dhabians forget that they live in a country, let alone a city, that is bubbling with rich heritage and a fascinating history.
Situated on a sprawling 1,600 sq metre site overlooking the Corniche, the Emirates Heritage Village journeys you to the past and lets you experience traditional life in
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 Traditional dance draws crowds of visitors at Heritage Village
Posted on 30/01/2004
A large number of the UAE nationals can be seen dancing on the traditional tune using swords and replica guns as props, every evening at the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing's (DTCM) Heritage Village.
The event has been a major attraction for visitors and residents of Dubai during the month-long Dubai Shopping festival (DSF).
Chairman of the DTCM Committee for DSF 2004, Abdullah Hamdan bin Dalmook said that Al Youla, though traditional, commands huge popularity today among
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 Sticking to a traditional game
Posted on 19/01/2004
Children in the UAE have been playing Al Qabba ā€” a game involving two sticks and two teams of 10 players each ā€” for decades
Thirty years back, children in Fujairah and Dibba played simple games to amuse themselves. They probably derived as much pleasure from them as the computer games enjoyed by the younger generation today. Al Qabba is one of the most common traditional games that children in the UAE and Fujairah have been playing for decades, long before the advent of modern technology.
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 Umm Al Nar win in close finish
Posted on 18/01/2004
The usually bustling and vibrant Dubai Creek wore a deserted look on Friday as 51 boats participated in the Traditional Rowing race which was flagged off at the Jadaf dock to end the 2 km course opposite the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. The participants were divided into two groups and displayed a magnificent battle of skill and physical strength. (The Gulf News)
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 Incense burners a mark of UAE hospitality
Posted on 23/08/2003
Arabia is the only place that produces frankincense, myrrh, cassia, cinnamon and the gum called ledanon, according to the Greek historian Herodotus (485-425 BC). The main incense fragrances were frankincense and myrry. This Arabic fragrance still has the still has the charm of days gone by. Called the peal of the desert, its production and trade in the UAE started a long time ago and it was as important then as oil today. Frankincense is usually mixed with other fragrances. When burnt it gives
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![]() Camel beauty contest starts today
Posted on 16/04/2003
Hundreds of local camels are today expected to line up before an expert panel of judges to vie for the title of the most beautiful camel in the Emirates. They will parade in a massive enclosure set up on a desert strip in Bani Yas outside Abu Dhabi city. Male and female camels will take part in the second major annual camel beauty contest, ordered by President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to preserve the country's culture and heritage.
"The President has allocated big
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