A spectacular circus comprised of holograms, music, fashion and food from across the globe will take centre stage when the Mother of the Nation Festival returns to Abu Dhabi next month.
The carnival of culture - back for its fifth installment - promises to deliver an action-packed schedule of activities spanning six entertainment zones over the course of ten days.
Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism, the event pays homage to the rich legacy of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, widow of Sheikh Zayed, chair of the General Women's Union and president of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood.
The festival, hosted at Abu Dhabi Corniche, runs from March 26 to April 4.
“The annual Mother of the Nation festival provides a platform to celebrate the visionary who has contributed so significantly to the UAE, Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak,” said Saood Al Hosani, acting undersecretary of the department.
“For the 2020 edition, we are honouring her legacy through an event that combines heritage with contemporary culture, fusing global flavours with the hospitality and culture of the Emirates for a distinctive and compelling event that will engage the whole community.”
Attractions lined up include a holographic circus, an Emirati Heritage Village showcasing the country's customs and traditions, a celebration of Japanese pop music, a food zone featuring an array of international flavours, and a family area.
Visitors will also be able to attend a range of keynote panels and discussions led by eminent local and international female speakers on topics such as fashion, culture, food and the environment.
The festival will be open from 4pm to 12pm on weekdays and 2pm to 12pm on weekends.
Living in...
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
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- Wear a protective helmet
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- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
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Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari
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'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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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
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Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
4.35pm: Dubai City Of Gold – Group 2 (TB) $228,000 (Turf) 2,410m; Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
5.10pm: Mahab Al Shimaal – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Canvassed, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta – Group 1 (TB) $260,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Lord Glitters, Daniel Tudhope, David O’Meara
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 – Group 1 (TB) $390,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
7.30pm: Nad Al Sheba – Group 3 (TB) $228,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Final Song, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
