The importance of giving back was instilled in Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan from a young age.
"I remember, as a young child, representing my mother at Emirates Red Crescent recognition ceremonies and visiting hospitals and special needs centres," she tells The National.
Widely recognised for her expertise in sustainability, Sheikha Shamma is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, chief executive of Alliances for Global Sustainability, founder of the Circle of Hope Foundation, and co-founder of Aurora50.
My great-grandfather was a visionary who cared deeply for the environment and was committed to sustainable development, knowing it would advance the nation
She attributes her success to focusing on three key elements in her endeavours: creating change, learning and empowering others.
“It is always rewarding for me to see change happen that will create opportunities for future generations," she says.
"For example, a few weeks ago, the Securities and Commodities Authority announced that every board will require one female representative. This announcement opens the doors for many other women who aspire to have a seat at the table but currently cannot find that opportunity – not because they don't merit it, but because cultural barriers prevent them from being nominated."
Sheikh Zayed, the UAE's Founding Father, was a pioneer in philanthropic efforts. His compassion and kindness have always been a source of inspiration to Sheikha Shamma, particularly in the realm of sustainability.
“My great-grandfather was a visionary who cared deeply for the environment and was committed to sustainable development, knowing it would advance the nation. We are reaping the rewards of the legacy left to us by our forefathers," she says.
“Seeing the impact made by my family encourages me to continue this journey.”
As Covid-19 disrupts the way many observe the holy month, it also creates an opportunity to learn and reflect. Sheikha Shamma says she has used this Ramadan in particular as a time to expand her knowledge.
“It is a time of year that is unlike any other, a time of reflection, connection and giving," she says. “For me, this Ramadan is focused on study and learning and, because of Covid-19, it will be a quiet time of contemplation."
Sheikha Shamma says that the holy month is a special time for her family, particularly her mother.
"The day before Ramadan is always exciting, seeing the decorations go up and the lanterns lit on the first day of the holy month. As a child, it touched me so deeply to see houses distributing meals for iftar,” she recalls.
When it comes to the projects that motivate Sheikha Shamma to create a positive impact, she holds the plight of refugees around the world close to her heart.
“A few years ago, on one of my trips to Jordan, it was heartwarming to witness the determination of young children living in camps trying to put together a solar light. As the lights came on, their faces shone with excitement," she recalls.
Caring for the planet means caring for humanity because, without the ecosystems that support us, we would not be able to live
"On another visit, a refugee living in Amman received a note from someone in the UAE, and, although she was too young to read the message, she was so happy someone was thinking of her."
Sheikha Shamma describes such empathy as "not only a way of giving back to the planet but giving back to all living beings".
"Caring for the planet means caring for humanity because, without the ecosystems that support us, we would not be able to live," she says. "We form part of a community and all have a role to play, no matter how big or how small – even just a small act of random kindness can go a long way."
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Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
