Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed pledged $25 million (Dh91.8m) to help fund the global expansion of an inclusive education project led by the Special Olympics movement.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces delivered the cash boost to enable the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools initiative to improve even more lives all over the world.
The initiative already has a footprint in 49 states in the US and supports 285,000 pupils in more than 7,600 schools internationally.
Its programmes promote a culture of acceptance for young people of all backgrounds, including those with intellectual disabilities, through sports activities, youth leadership and other initiatives.
The major investment will allow the organisation to operate in six more countries: Egypt, India, Pakistan, Argentina, Romania and Rwanda.
“The Special Olympics movement is being led by young leaders with and without intellectual disabilities who are emerging as the world’s greatest teachers of empathy, dignity, courage and inclusion,” said Timothy Shriver, chairman of the Special Olympics.
“As we search for a more just and joyful future, we are trusting our hopes to young inclusive leaders who see beyond division and fear and show us how to heal and unite.
"I am deeply grateful that Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed has made an extraordinary commitment to our athletes and their unified partners in Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools.
"His vision and generosity will empower young people around the world to break down barriers caused by injustice and intolerance, end discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities and establish inclusive cultures where every human being is respected, valued and welcomed."
Young people with intellectual disabilities are among those most underserved by education systems globally, the Special Olympics organisation said.
"Of the 65 million primary school-age children who are out of school around the world, nearly half have disabilities," the Special Olympics said.
The UAE is working to ensure the success of last year's Special Olympics World Games in Abu Dhabi has a profound and lasting legacy.
“The UAE and Special Olympics have a shared vision of a world without discrimination against people of determination,” said Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the US.
“Hosting the World Games in Abu Dhabi last year reinforced our commitment to build a society where people of all cultures and abilities are welcomed and celebrated.
"The advancement of the Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools initiative will root the values of tolerance and inclusion in educational systems around the world.”
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
The team
Videographer: Jear Velasquez
Photography: Romeo Perez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG
Video assistant: Zanong Maget
Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud
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ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
if you go
Getting there
Etihad (Etihad.com), Emirates (emirates.com) and Air France (www.airfrance.com) fly to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, from Abu Dhabi and Dubai respectively. Return flights cost from around Dh3,785. It takes about 40 minutes to get from Paris to Compiègne by train, with return tickets costing €19. The Glade of the Armistice is 6.6km east of the railway station.
Staying there
On a handsome, tree-lined street near the Chateau’s park, La Parenthèse du Rond Royal (laparenthesedurondroyal.com) offers spacious b&b accommodation with thoughtful design touches. Lots of natural woods, old fashioned travelling trunks as decoration and multi-nozzle showers are part of the look, while there are free bikes for those who want to cycle to the glade. Prices start at €120 a night.
More information: musee-armistice-14-18.fr ; compiegne-tourisme.fr; uk.france.fr
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The Al Barzakh Festival takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at 7.30pm in the Red Theatre, NYUAD, Saadiyat Island. Tickets cost Dh105 for adults from platinumlist.net
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner Thabet Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Blue Diamond, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6.30pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Shoja’A Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Heros De Lagarde, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
