Who doesn't like the idea of an all-expenses-paid trip abroad? And how about becoming a TV star? Well, Image Nation, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Media, the publisher and owner of The National, is looking for six candidates to fly to the Philippines this April for a forthcoming 13-part documentary series. Sounds like something you could handle? Keep reading.
Sign me up
Sadly, the producers of the show are being rather specific. They're looking for English-speaking Emiratis, between 17 and 21 years of age, from a broad range of backgrounds. And keeping the balance, there will be three boys and three girls, who will be sent to Manila for, according to the brief, a "journey of personal exploration" where they will be "documented as they struggle with their new surroundings and the challenges they face in a developing country".
So, it'll be like Survivor?
"It's not Survivor," says the show's executive producer, Marc Lorber, an Emmy-nominated filmmaker who has been brought over especially for the project. There won't be winners or losers, or any form of public voting.
"It's not your typical reality show. Obviously we have to protect these kids, they're minors. I do hope for some emotional epiphanies, but we're not going to push these kids to a bad point."
The basic idea behind the show is for the group to experience life in a country that doesn't enjoy the same privileges in places such as the UAE, while also helping them appreciate the sacrifices people are forced to make to get by. "It's just to make them really appreciate what they have and how they can affect change when they're back here."
Destination of choice
"We chose the Philippines because it's where a lot of these kids' - not all - maids and nannies come from," says Lorber. "And when you walk into a store or restaurant [in the UAE], you're often served by people from there."
The group will be based in Manila, where they will stay with two families (one for the boys and one for the girls). "Not low class, but not more than lower middle class. They might have an extended family member working overseas, maybe even in the UAE, and have kids of similar ages. We'll be spending some time with them, but this is really about seeing the world there through these Emirati kids' eyes."
Task at hand
With the Filipino capital as their base, the group will be travelling around the city and outer regions, experiencing first-hand what it's like to live somewhere where goods and services aren't within easy reach in malls or by delivery.
"We aim to show them experiences of how food and clothing and technology are created, what you might earn for that, how it gets to market and how many hours it would take to buy that product," says Lober. "We also hope to see what happens to products that get tossed away, how other people make labour or recyclables out of garbage." There are plans to work with local NGOs and charities, so the kids can engage in hands on activities that help leave a lasting impression.
In good hands
While the TV show will certainly take the group out of their comfort zone, Lorber is keen to emphasise that they will be safe.
"What we're telling the parents is that we'll be taking our own Muslim chaperones. But what we don't want to take is parents or family members. This is really to get them away from here. But they will be in good hands, there will be a lot of people surrounding them, there will be security."
When will it be broadcast?
Although nothing has yet been confirmed, Lorber says the plan is to broadcast the show on local television during Ramadan. "There's nothing like this in the UAE or the region. It's meant to be a little more immersive, a little less clean. We intend to see some of the beauty and the culture of the Philippines, but it's not a tourist documentary. We're not going to focus on poverty, but we're not going to ignore it."
Further shows
Depending on the success of the first, there are plans to turn it into a returning series. "We could take other kids back to the Philippines, or to India, Sri Lanka or other places where a lot of UAE expatriate workers might emanate from and who these kids might interact with," says Lorber. "There's already talk about going forward, but let's get the first in the can."
If you or someone you know fits the bill and would like to apply, email casting@imagenation.ae with contact details and a recent photo
[ aritman@thenational.ae ]
Company profile
Name: One Good Thing
Founders: Bridgett Lau and Micheal Cooke
Based in: Dubai
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 5 employees
Stage: Looking for seed funding
Investors: Self-funded and seeking external investors
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food + Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.
While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Revibe
Started: 2022
Founders: Hamza Iraqui and Abdessamad Ben Zakour
Based: UAE
Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
Investors: Flat6Labs, Resonance and various others
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')
Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)
The 100 Best Novels in Translation
Boyd Tonkin, Galileo Press
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: SmartCrowd
Started: 2018
Founder: Siddiq Farid and Musfique Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech / PropTech
Initial investment: $650,000
Current number of staff: 35
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Various institutional investors and notable angel investors (500 MENA, Shurooq, Mada, Seedstar, Tricap)
THE DETAILS
Kaala
Dir: Pa. Ranjith
Starring: Rajinikanth, Huma Qureshi, Easwari Rao, Nana Patekar
Rating: 1.5/5
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
ELECTION RESULTS
Macron’s Ensemble group won 245 seats.
The second-largest group in parliament is Nupes, a leftist coalition led by Jean-Luc Melenchon, which gets 131 lawmakers.
The far-right National Rally fared much better than expected with 89 seats.
The centre-right Republicans and their allies took 61.
Profile box
Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Scoreline
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 17
Jebel Ali Dragons 20
Harlequins Tries: Kinivilliame, Stevenson; Cons: Stevenson 2; Pen: Stevenson
Dragons Tries: Naisau, Fourie; Cons: Love 2; Pens: Love 2
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
