This year's UAE Pioneers Award will celebrate the people working on the front line to protect the country from Covid-19, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced on Saturday.
The Vice President and Ruler of Dubai invited Emiratis and residents to nominate anyone who played a role in combating the virus using the hashtag #UAE_Pioneers.
"Brothers and sister, we have instructed that the UAE Pioneers Award this year honour exceptional individuals, institutions and initiatives that contributed to making the UAE a model in dealing with the Covid 19 pandemic," Sheikh Mohammed said on Twitter.
"The nominations should be made using the hashtag #UAE_Pioneers. Everyone will honour each other," he said.
Nominations can also be made on the award's website: uaepioneers.gov.ae.
The UAE Pioneers Award was first launched in 2014 after Sheikh Mohammed led a hashtag campaign on social media prompting UAE residents to support and highlight social work in the country.
On December 1 that year, ahead of the country's 43rd National Day celebrations, Sheikh Mohammed recognised 43 Emiratis with the award.
Last year's award was themed on Tolerance and more than 3,000 people were nominated. The winners were announced by Sheikh Mohammed at the end of the UAE Government Annual Meeting in Abu Dhabi.
The Pioneers Award, regarded as among the Emirates' most distinguished accolades, were presented to people and groups who led the way in highlighting a spirit of tolerance.
Last year's winners included Saji Cheriyan, a Christian from India who built and paid for a Dh1.3 million mosque in Fujairah in 2018. He was joined by the Rev Canon Andrew Thompson, who was also presented with the award.
Other winners of the award included Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, for her role in showing the world the UAE's model for more tolerant and open societies.
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
Company profile
Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space
Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)
Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)
Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution)
Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space
Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last-16, second leg (first-leg scores in brackets):
PSG (2) v Manchester United (0)
Midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
