The UAE is to become one of only three countries worldwide to deliver young driver training as part of plans by motorsport’s ruling body, the FIA, to develop young talent and promote safety in motorsport.
The Automobile and Touring Club of the UAE (ATCUAE), along with Motorsport South Africa, has been appointed as a Regional Training Provider in young driver education, a distinction previously enjoyed only by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport.
The ATCUAE will now formulate plans to offer a range of training programmes to develop the skills and motorsport knowledge of young drivers from across the Arab world.
It has been a Regional Training Provider for motorsport officials since December 2011, and has delivered training programmes in 17 countries.
Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak, the Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, welcomed the news of the new responsibility placed on the ATCUAE.
“The UAE can be proud that training programmes developed here are now helping motorsport development in many other countries worldwide,” he said.
Khaldoon Al Mubarak, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and a member of the ATCUAE’s board of directors, said: “This recognises the major steps made by the UAE in motorsport in recent years.
“The national motorsport authority is indebted to the government for creating a world-class infrastructure for the sport which is the envy of many other countries.”
Mohammed ben Sulayem, the ATCUAE president, who set up the club’s training and education arm, the Motorsport Knowledge Institute, in early 2012, said the news vindicates the work he and his colleagues have put in to developing the training infrastructure in the UAE.
“We’ve come a long way in a short period of time, and we’re proud to be given a new role in young driver training, which is vital to the future of motorsport,” he said.
The award of the status underlines the successful role played by the UAE in last year’s FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy programme.
One of five regional selection events held to pick eight of the best young drivers for the Academy was organised by the ATCUAE and hosted by Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi last September.
The ATCUAE is now a prime candidate to stage more of the regional selection events held annually by the FIA Institute to improve the level of education and training provided to young drivers in the coming months.
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Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
