Why the ghaf tree was centre stage at the Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony

For the Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony's final act, Al Wasl Plaza was transformed into a magical garden with dancers in fantastical costumes representing blossoming flowers. At the centre of the stage rose a huge silver and white ghaf tree, the UAE's national tree, as Grammy Award-winning Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli walked out to perform his rousing hit The Prayer.

Read the latest updates on Expo 2020 Dubai

But what's the significance of the ghaf tree and why was it centre stage at the ceremony?

In the UAE, the ghaf, which goes by the scientific name prosopis cineraria, has cultural, historical and environmental significance. Declared as the national tree in 2008, the indigenous tree can tolerate harsh conditions and live for 120 years.

Scroll through the gallery below for pictures from the Expo 2020 Dubai opening ceremony:

Ghaf leaves and pods provided food in the past during famines and its nutritious branches were used to feed livestock. It is also said to have medicinal properties and the Bedouins would use ghaf trees for navigation.

The trees are particularly environmentally friendly because they are able to survive on very little water and help sustain other plant and animal life. Ghaf trees range from three to five metres, and its roots can go as deep as 30 metres, which is one of the reasons they are able to survive the harsh summer.

Salama, Expo 2020's ghaf tree

A lone ghaf tree at the Expo 2020 Dubai site, estimated to be more than 70 year old, was preserved when construction first began. In 2019, organisers released an animated film in its honour, detailing how it has endured the harsh desert conditions through changing times.

The short film shows Salama witnessing the country through the ages, starting with the UAE's unification in 1971 and concludes with it perched on a hill overlooking the site of Expo 2020.

"Salama grew on the land of the UAE and witnessed many generations over the years. Similar to its culture, she resisted and grew and flourished under all circumstances," reads a description on the Expo 2020 Dubai website.

Year of Tolerance logo

In 2019, which was declared the Year of Tolerance in the UAE, the ghaf tree was chosen as its logo.

The Year of Tolerance logo. Chris Whiteoak / The National

"The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan [Founding Father of the UAE] gave great importance to the ghaf and issued laws and regulations prohibiting the cutting of the tree throughout the country," the Supreme National Committee of the Year of Tolerance said.

"Our ancestors and tribes gathered under the shadows of the ghaf trees to discuss their daily matters. Also, a number of UAE rulers used to meet their citizens and listen to their demands directly under the shadows of these trees. The ghaf tree symbolises stability and peace in the desert and has the ability to adapt in the desert."

An homage to Sheikh Zayed

Last year, a project to plant more than 2,000 ghaf trees to form Sheikh Zayed’s fingerprint in Abu Dhabi was announced.

The 2,082 trees will be planted on 36,000 square metres of land near Al Dhafra Camel Festival site, south-west of Abu Dhabi city, the Maitha Bint Ahmed Al Nahyan Foundation for Community and Cultural Initiatives said.

Sheikha Maitha bint Ahmed, the foundation’s chairwoman, said she chose to commemorate the UAE Founding Father in this way because of his passion for the environment.

The Zayed’s Fingerprint initiative aims to plant more than 2,000 ghaf trees in the shape of the Founding Father’s fingerprint. Wam

Sheikh Zayed launched large programmes of tree planting in the 1970s and had hoped to turn the desert green to provide shade, and improve the appearance of the villages and make them more habitable.

The shape of the plantation was designed by Al Reef Design Company to symbolise Sheikh Zayed’s positive mark on the country. Once complete, the site will be open to visitors from around the world.

Children's book on ghaf tree

In 2019, Emirati businesswoman Hanadi Al Fahim used the country's national symbol to educate youngsters in heritage and history through her book The Little Ghaf Tree.

The illustrated book, published in English and Arabic, is intended to instil "in our children a love for our culture and environment, while educating them on the importance of preserving our environment and co-existing with nature and neighbours," she told The National.

Hanadi Al Fahim is the author of 'The Little Ghaf Tree'. Victor Besa / The National

"My admiration started in 2006 when we sponsored a campaign with Emirates Nature to save the ghaf tree and pave the way for it to be the national tree," she said. "Through this sponsorship, I learned about all the beautiful traits of this tree and decided to continue trying to inform people.

"When my nieces and nephews were born that is when it clicked for me and I felt like I wanted to pass on this information."

Planting a million ghaf trees

Fuel-delivery company Cafu in May launched an ambitious project to use drone technology to plant a million ghaf tree seeds across the UAE in an effort to combat climate change.

The two-year strategy will involve swarms of drones launching the seeds into the ground from a height of 10 metres.

The company has completed the first two rounds of the programme with drone seeding taking place in the Mleiha Desert in Sharjah.

“The key benefit we hope to create is to discover a new way to plant trees in a cost-effective way,” Cafu general manager Antonio Al Asmar told The National.

“We want to show that planting seeds by drone technology is a much more efficient method than using hundreds of people to do the same task.”

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While you're here

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Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.

- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law

Brief scores:

Manchester United 4

Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'

Fulham 1

Kamara 67' (pen),

Red card: Anguissa (68')

Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)

How to help

Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

2252 - Dh50

6025 - Dh20

6027 - Dh100

6026 - Dh200

Get inspired

Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).

Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.

Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).

Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
Travel distance: Limited
Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
Duration: Can linger for days
Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
Source: Can be carried from distant regions

Scoreline

Arsenal 0 Manchester City 3

Agüero 18'
Kompany 58'
Silva 65'

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates

On Women's Day

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Jawab Iteiqal
Director: Mohamed Sammy
Starring: Mohamed Ramadan, Ayad Nasaar, Mohamed Adel and Sabry Fawaz
2 stars

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Ethree%20three%20212.7kWh%20motors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2C000bhp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E15%2C600Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20530km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dh500%2C000%2B%20est%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eearly%202023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

How to apply for a drone permit

Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request

What are the regulations?

Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers

Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz