Tens of thousands of migratory birds that fly every year from Poland to the UAE and across the Arab world will be represented in an eye-catching installation at Expo 2020 Dubai.
White metal stylised birds that sway with the movement of the wind will veil a wood-covered pavilion that resembles a tree.
This symbolises the flight of huge flocks that migrate to the Emirates in search of warmer temperatures.
Workers are attaching the links connecting the metal birds across the interior and exterior of the Poland Pavilion. The migrating birds installation is intended to convey a message of co-existence between people and nature, officials said.
The sculpture of the birds is being mounted and will be one of the those Instagram points of your visit to the Expo
Adrian Malinowski, commissioner general of the Poland Pavilion, said millions of Instagram fans would be impressed by the visual depiction and its significance – and would be keen to post images and videos online.
“This will be a one-of-a-kind experience when you visit a tree-like building that gives you a proper feeling of motion.
"The sculpture of the birds will be one of the those Instagram points of your visit to the Expo," Mr Malinowski said in an interview with The National.
“They will move even when there is a very light wind. When it comes to thousands of migrating birds, the sculpture really resembles what connects Poland to the Arab region and the UAE itself.”
The pavilion is narrow at the base and expands across two higher floors to represent the spreading crown of a tree.
Poland is known as a birdwatcher's paradise, where hundreds of species nest in its meadows, wetlands and fields.
“Our motto is creativity inspired by nature,” Mr Malinowski said.
"Poland is a breeding ground for migrating birds during the summer. They nurture their chicks and then fly off in late autumn and early winter to Africa, Asia and the Arabian Peninsula for the warmer conditions. Then the cycle repeats itself.
"So the birds are perceived as Polish but Arabic as well. This really fits into the Expo theme of mobility.”
The Poland Pavilion will also highlight the country's satellite industry and research in space technology.
The first two storeys will be open to Expo visitors, while companies will be given space on the third level to interact in conference rooms to explore future co-operation.
It will also feature a Polish table exhibit made from aluminum alloys used in the space industry for ground equipment and spacecraft.
“This experience will be an introduction to Polish culture, hospitality and friendliness," Mr Malinowski said.
"This is something we are proud of because we love our guests and will do everything to make them feel at home.
“Hospitality is in our culture, it is derived from our tradition and history. We will use the Polish table to show our creativity with the use of modern materials and raw natural resources.”
When the Expo announced a one-year delay in the opening to October 2021, Polish planners modified exhibits, making them interactive with large-scale multimedia projections and removed touchscreen elements because of Covid-19 concerns.
"It will be immersive but for safety reasons we have discarded 99 per cent of touch screens," Mr Malinowski said.
“We have introduced audio sensors. Visitors will be guided with light patterns. In every zone we will try to keep the interest of viewers but with safe solutions.”
Sensors will be in place to measure hot spots and hosts will guide visitors to less populated sections.
The overall message is that despite the social distancing dictated by the coronavirus pandemic, harmony is vital.
“The world is not the same any more. But we need to be closer than ever before, even though it's not possible in the physical manner.
"We will try to address those issues as we strengthen relations," Mr Malinowski said.
About 70 university students are being recruited in Poland to serve as hosts and walk guests through the pavilion. The first group will arrive in the UAE in September for three months.
Mr Malinowski, who has been travelling frequently to Dubai to supervise work on the Poland Pavilion, will move to the city in August with his wife and two young children. They will make the UAE their home for a year.
"The whole family is thrilled to be coming to Dubai. We are currently in the process of trying to find schools for our children," he said.
“It will be a huge adventure for the whole family. This will help us prepare for the Expo and is our commitment to making this a success.”
Life-size replica of Michelangelo’s 'David' at Expo 2020 – in pictures
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
In 2018, the ICRC received 27,756 trace requests in the Middle East alone. The global total was 45,507.
There are 139,018 global trace requests that have not been resolved yet, 55,672 of these are in the Middle East region.
More than 540,000 individuals approached the ICRC in the Middle East asking to be reunited with missing loved ones in 2018.
The total figure for the entire world was 654,000 in 2018.
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
