Reading, cycling and terrorism occupy Twitter users’ minds

What people in this region are saying on social media

School pupils, and the rest of us, are being encouraged to read this year. (Silvia Razgova / The National)

#arabictrending

How about stepping out of the comfort of your car and riding a bicycle to work? Well, that’s what many people across the UAE did on Tuesday – and a lot of them tweeted about the experience.

Other trending topics included yesterday’s attacks on Jakarta and the UAE’s year of reading.

#CycleToWorkUAE

The National's campaign to promote healthy living gained the support of fitness enthusiasts and the general public. Many individuals and groups of colleagues left behind the comfort of their four-wheel drive cars in favour of pedal power.

@ukinuae wrote: “Happy #CycleToWorkUAE day! Great way to start the day off with staff from @ukinuae and our friends in the UAE.”

@DubaiExpo2020: “Contributing to a more sustainable world, one bike ride at a time.”

@RAKBANKlive: “And we’ve almost reached our workplace! Our early morning ride was awesome!”

Praveen (@praveen_alld): “Let’s buy a bicycle today first. Good initiative.”

Kareem (@Keeksawy) posted a picture of a bike and wrote: “Found this beauty on @dubizzle and already started cycling to work!”

@luxembourgize was impressed with the initiative: “In the last decade, walking & cycling was very marginal in UAE. #CycleToWorkUAE is quite surprising.”

However, Ross (@RossTalks) wasn’t happy about the weather: “#CycleToWorkUAE couldn’t have come on a worse day. I ain’t riding in the rain!”

@IrelandEmbUAE: “Irish Embassy enjoyed participating in Cycle To Work initiative.”

Mohammed Al Otaiba, the Editor-in-Chief of The National (@AlOtaiba_M), thanked everyone who participated in the initiative: "#CycleToWorkUAE has been trending no. 1. A big thank you to all who took part in it!"

Jakarta attack

Tweeters were quick to react after the first news came through of explosions and gunfire in Jakarta yesterday. Many took offence at reports that linked the terrorists’ actions with Islam.

Modassir @ModassirJ: “Muslims around the world are branded as terrorists just because of these mindless loonies.”

Hasnain (@hasnain_civil) noted that normal Muslims suffered when media reports defamed their religion.

Mika (@swiftsshorthair) was so angry towards those who point their fingers at Muslims that she used capital letters in her comment: “Terrorism has NO RELIGION please STOP saying that this attack is the Muslims’ fault that is just plain IGNORANT and DISRESPECTFUL.”

Maher (@MaherZain) agreed with Mika: “In Indonesia, there are over 200 million Muslims! Indeed #terrorism has no religion!!”

Aisha @Chanel__ll: “It is very important for all Muslim believers and mullahs and teachers to make a difference between the true believers of Islam.”

In another tweet, she noted: “What Islam teaches is one thing & what these so-called Muslims practice is something else. Study Islam’s teachings to know the truth about it.”

#UAEreads

Sheikh Khalifa, the President, has declared 2016 the “year of reading”. This followed the launch last September of the Arab Reading Challenge, which runs until April.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, says the plan is to turn the competition into an annual event. He said: “The first book a child reads opens the first door in that child’s brighter future.”

Twitter users welcomed the initiative by sharing their own reading lists.

@ZowdProject posted a photo­graph of a book she's reading, Last Chance Saloon, by Marian Keyes. She tweeted: "Reading books that add to your growth help in making better decisions."

Mustafa (@MustafaAlzaroni) shared a link to a web page listing the “five business books you must read in 2016”.

Ayesha (@Aj_07): “Despite not pursuing a career in the publishing industry. I am so proud to see this initiative come to life.”

Lubna (@Sandstruck) wrote: “#UAEreads wants to know: are you reading? Reading is food for the soul and mind, says Mohammed bin Rashid.”

Children’s author Rachel Hamilton (@RachelLHamilton) tweeted that she was proud to be a part of the campaign.

Sarah Khamis is The National’s social-media editor

On Twitter: @SarahKhamisUAE