A photograph of a Zaha Hadid designed building in Azerbaijan has won first prize in a global photography contest.
More than 10,000 images were submitted to the second annual Concrete in Life global photography contest by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA).
Aiming to showcase the role of concrete in people's daily lives around the world, the contest ran from October to December and was open to both professional and amateur photographers.
Photographer Nurlan Tahirli was crowned the overall winner after capturing a striking picture of the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.
“I am hugely honoured to be the winner of Concrete in Life 2020. The photo I took was at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan. I was struck by the building’s unique and unusual look – its stunning design with simplicity of lines, single colour and complexity of structure," said Tahirli.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi crowned for concrete use
The UAE topped two of the six award categories and featured in several finalist images.
A picture snapped in Dubai won first place in the Concrete Infrastructure category for professionals. The aerial image of Dubai's Defence Roundabout Intersection on Sheikh Zayed Road was taken by photographer Nishar Mohammed.
"450,000 vehicles enter Dubai on an average every day from other Emirates, with the city welcoming 40,000 vehicles in the morning peak hours every day. It’s concrete enabling people to conduct their daily lives," explained Mohammed.
A photograph of Delma Park in Abu Dhabi topped the Concrete in Daily Life category. It was captured by Christopher “Tawpee” Comeso and shows a child playing inside a concrete maze.
Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Dubai skyline featured in finalist photographs in the Urban Professional category, and a sunset Dubai city shot was another finalist in the Daily Life Amateur category.
Other subject matters in the shortlist of finalists included an image of a parking space in Amsterdam and one of children playing in a cemetery in the Philippines.
The overall winner of the contest is awarded $10,0000, while category winners each get $2,500.
Click through the gallery above to see all the shortlisted entries.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The biog
Profession: Senior sports presenter and producer
Marital status: Single
Favourite book: Al Nabi by Jibran Khalil Jibran
Favourite food: Italian and Lebanese food
Favourite football player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Languages: Arabic, French, English, Portuguese and some Spanish
Website: www.liliane-tannoury.com
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Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Notable salonnières of the Middle East through history
Al Khasan (Okaz, Saudi Arabia)
Tamadir bint Amr Al Harith, known simply as Al Khasan, was a poet from Najd famed for elegies, earning great renown for the eulogy of her brothers Mu’awiyah and Sakhr, both killed in tribal wars. Although not a salonnière, this prestigious 7th century poet fostered a culture of literary criticism and could be found standing in the souq of Okaz and reciting her poetry, publicly pronouncing her views and inviting others to join in the debate on scholarship. She later converted to Islam.
Maryana Marrash (Aleppo)
A poet and writer, Marrash helped revive the tradition of the salon and was an active part of the Nadha movement, or Arab Renaissance. Born to an established family in Aleppo in Ottoman Syria in 1848, Marrash was educated at missionary schools in Aleppo and Beirut at a time when many women did not receive an education. After touring Europe, she began to host salons where writers played chess and cards, competed in the art of poetry, and discussed literature and politics. An accomplished singer and canon player, music and dancing were a part of these evenings.
Princess Nazil Fadil (Cairo)
Princess Nazil Fadil gathered religious, literary and political elite together at her Cairo palace, although she stopped short of inviting women. The princess, a niece of Khedive Ismail, believed that Egypt’s situation could only be solved through education and she donated her own property to help fund the first modern Egyptian University in Cairo.
Mayy Ziyadah (Cairo)
Ziyadah was the first to entertain both men and women at her Cairo salon, founded in 1913. The writer, poet, public speaker and critic, her writing explored language, religious identity, language, nationalism and hierarchy. Born in Nazareth, Palestine, to a Lebanese father and Palestinian mother, her salon was open to different social classes and earned comparisons with souq of where Al Khansa herself once recited.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
French Touch
Carla Bruni
(Verve)
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