As the British Council celebrates its 75th anniversary and marks its 40th year in the UAE, Philippa Kennedy looks at its goals, its projects and the current international entrepreneurship competition
In a dusty corner of Academic City at the end of an unmade road, the familiar four spots of the British Council logo identify their temporary Dubai offices. In a few months time, brand new premises near Rashid Hospital will become a permanent UAE home for the organisation that celebrates its 75th birthday this year worldwide.
The opening of the new single storey building also marks the council's 40th year in the Emirates.
Currently, staff are busy sifting through entries for an international competition that encapsulates at least part of what the council tries to achieve. It is looking for a gifted young design entrepreneur who will represent the UAE at a 10-day international trade fair in London called 100% Design.
Michel Bechara, the director of projects, says: "It's called the Young Creative Entrepreneurs (YCE) award and the UAE winner will go on to take part in the International Young Design Entrepreneur (IYDE) award, which is a worldwide competition that champions and celebrates the importance of creative entrepreneurs working in the field of design.
"There are nine different categories in the international competition. In the UAE we choose one sector each year and we are trying to find the best entrepreneur leading their sector. The winner goes to the UK on an expense-paid trip and will benefit from many opportunities that they will experience during the 10-day trade fair."
The winner will compete with nine other finalists for the international title and could win the £5,000 (Dh30,000) project grant to partner and develop business links with the UK. Last year's winner from the UAE was Suhaila al Awadhi in the publishing category. This year the category is "design entrepreneur" with the emphasis firmly on the word entrepreneur.
Judges will look for leadership qualities along with evidence that the candidate is an agent of change with good market awareness and original ideas. They want to find someone who is ready to embrace an international outlook.
The panel of experts includes Daniel Camara from the market research company Pink Tank, Fergus Duncan from the interior design company Aedas Interiors, Professor George Katodrytis from the American University of Sharjah (an architect) and Paul Sellers, the British Council's country director for the UAE. They will meet on Thursday, when shortlisted candidates will give a presentation of their work and ideas. The winner will be announced on Saturday.
It's just one project among many that the British Council in the UAE has either mounted or supported and it aptly reflects the council's ethos: to build cultural relations and understanding. At a time when international relations between Muslim and Christian countries are strained, the delicate work of the council is more important than ever, staff believe.
The way it carries out its objectives varies from country to country. Currently, the council has offices in 110 countries around the world and 7,000 staff members, two-thirds of which are based outside of Britain. They have a £200 million (Dh1.2 trillion) worldwide budget that is supplemented by the income from the world-renowned teaching programme.
"The cost recovery programme generates that much income again," Sellers says. "Our activities are very wide, including teaching English, which is of course something we are very well known for. When the council started in Cairo 75 years ago the core thing was cultural exchange. Because English wasn't as prevalent as it is now, we introduced it with literature, texts, books and interesting articles. Then it evolved massively so that now we have a cost recovery business right across the world.
"Therefore it doesn't impact on the British taxpayer, as we are providing a service that is paid for, but it allows us to have a platform offering our expertise on a non cost recovery basis. We work with teachers in the ministries and state schools.
"We lead the way in this field," he says. "Our teachers write books and we hold teaching conferences. We set the standards worldwide for the teaching of English."
Teaching is only part of the job. Promoting "all good things from the UK in the arena of culture" is another. It takes many forms, including going into schools and universities and talking to students and their teachers, developing and producing the arts and cultural events and building what Sellers describes as "mutuality" into relationships.
"We are here to enter into a dialogue with people and to bring British professionals here to build relationships which will hopefully be self-sustaining," he says.
An example of that might be a planned trip to the Edinburgh Festival next month. Delegates from the UAE will visit a British Council showcase tailor-made to them. They will be introduced to producers and theatre managers who might be interested in bringing UK talent to the UAE. A similar delegation is scheduled to go to the London Jazz Festival in November.
A collaboration between artists from Britain and the Middle East will arrive in the UAE in December in the form of the My Father's House photography and film exhibition. The Emirati photographer Lamya Gargash is one of the artists.
The council also has a presence at the educational fairs that take place twice a year in hotels and exhibition centres giving information to students who are interested in gaining places at UK universities.
"We don't express an opinion, although obviously quality is important. We listen to the requirements of students and point them in the direction of the universities that suit their needs. We also give people advice on visa requirements," Sellers says.
There was a time when the council was primarily known for teaching English and giving jolly good parties. Sellers, a consummate diplomat and networker, says they still give good parties linked to cultural events but the council's work has expanded and developed over the years.
"We still have parties because my job is to maintain relationships with key people. Networking is very important," says Sellers, who also sits on the committees of various British business groups.
"It's not so much about the British expat community. It's about cultural relationships, establishing links, getting people debating with each other and giving back our UK experience."
Building partnerships with other local organisations such as the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage are an essential part of the council's work. At the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, it ran more than 14 activities, workshops and panel discussions designed to encourage reading.
The council did something similar at the Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature in Dubai in February, where the poet Alec Williams and the storyteller Valerie Bloom read and performed stories and poetry to young children.
"Reading to children is an area that not many people have experience of in this part of the world, although it's always unfair to stereotype and generalise," Bechara says. We are focusing on reading to children between seven and 11 and also in the 12-15 age group. Experts say it's one way to push children into having an interest in books."
Bechara, who hails from Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, says he was aware of the British Council when he was studying management information systems at a Beirut college.
"If you wanted to study in France you would go to Le Mission Culturelle Francaise now known as the Alliance Francais, or the Goethe Institute for German. It was the British Council for the UK.
"Globally, it focuses on three areas: intercultural dialogue, creative and knowledge economy and climate change. We believe that climate change, if it continues to remain an issue, would become an area of conflict worldwide."
Sellers admits that sometimes people find it hard to define the work of the British Council. There is an elaborate scorecard system that enables them to quantify success in terms of statistics.
But he points to certain special evenings such as the banquet hosted by Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed at the Sharjah Biennial and attended by Edward Oakden CMG, the British ambassador, as something less quantifiable but equally important. The British Council was one of the contributors.
"It was held in a pretty open-air courtyard in the historic quarter of Sharjah where wonderful Arabic food was served and the smell of frankincense drifted in the air. It was a multicultural crowd of people from the UAE and international artistic community and the buzz of conversation was fantastic. It is moments like this - bringing people from different cultures together in relaxed circumstances amid the euphoria of a successful cultural event - that sow the seeds of the next exciting project."
pkennedy@thenational.ae
SPECS
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Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
BLACK%20ADAM
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Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
2019 Asian Cup final
Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
THE BIO
Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13
Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier
Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife
What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents.
Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.
Premier Futsal 2017 Finals
Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
Delhi Dragons: Ronaldinho
Bengaluru Royals: Paul Scholes
Mumbai Warriors: Ryan Giggs
Chennai Ginghams: Hernan Crespo
Telugu Tigers: Deco
Kerala Cobras: Michel Salgado
'HIJRAH%3A%20IN%20THE%20FOOTSTEPS%20OF%20THE%20PROPHET'
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The five pillars of Islam
Final results:
Open men
Australia 94 (4) beat New Zealand 48 (0)
Plate men
England 85 (3) beat India 81 (1)
Open women
Australia 121 (4) beat South Africa 52 (0)
Under 22 men
Australia 68 (2) beat New Zealand 66 (2)
Under 22 women
Australia 92 (3) beat New Zealand 54 (1)
Notable cricketers and political careers
- India: Kirti Azad, Navjot Sidhu and Gautam Gambhir (rumoured)
- Pakistan: Imran Khan and Shahid Afridi (rumoured)
- Sri Lanka: Arjuna Ranatunga, Sanath Jayasuriya, Tillakaratne Dilshan (rumoured)
- Bangladesh (Mashrafe Mortaza)
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.