DM celebrates 39th National Day

Dubai Municipality on Wednesday organized a variety of events at it premises

to celebrate the 39th UAE National Day in an environment filled with feelings of

patriotism and sense of belonging and loyalty.

Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, who released

balloons UAE flag colour in the courtyard of the Municipality building to begin the

celebrations, also cut a ceremonial cake in the Customer Service Centre premises.

He said it is only a small part of the large and joyous celebrations in the whole

country.

"It is not only a joy to citizens, but is shared by all residents in the country comprising

of different nationalities, said Lootah.

The Municipality celebrations will not be confined to the main building, but it will

take place in all the branch centres and facilities of the civic body including the parks

and the Children's City.

The Municipality main building and its external branch centres were decorated with

and also as part of the activities of the civic body organized variety events such as

traditional food making, photography exhibition entitled" Images of my country" and

an Arabic calligraphy exhibition with the participation of Municipality employees.

The activities also included a stage show by one of the schools, who performed skits

and folk dances.

Biggest painting of dolphins in Dubai on the occasion of National Day

As part of the celebrations of the 39th National Day, the Dolphinarium at Dubai Creek
Park has completed the work of the largest painting of dolphins in the world, which
measures 39 x 22 meters or 858 square meters. It took nearly two months to make
the canvas made of cloth and eight people worked about eight hours a day to finish
it.

This first of its kind canvas was painted with a mother dolphin and its son, in addition
to the flag of the UAE, which was coloured by the visitors and also water colours
were used to protect the safety of visitors. The painting has been placed in front of
Dubai Dolphinarium.

Steve Bristol, General Manager of Dolphinarium said that painting will introduce the
people on the life in the oceans and the magnificent creatures in them.
He urged visitors and the world to protect these wonderful mammals through
participating in the painting.

It should be noted that the Dolphinarium had recently witnessed the birth of the
first animal of the species of dolphins in the region, which still sees a large turnout
of visitors who watch it with curiosity to find out information about this type of
creatures.

Middle East Uptake of Organic Products Continue to Rise; Health-Conscious Young Population Keeps Annual Growth Pace at over 20 per cent

• The US$ 300 million regional market’s potential under explored, says organisers of the eighth Middle East Natural and Organic Product Expo (MENOPE2010), to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from December 6-8, 2010
• Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and Water, Dubai Municipality and International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement, the expo attracts over 100 exhibitors

Dubai, November 30, 2010: The potential of the Middle East’s market for organic products is under explored and the sector has immense growth opportunities with a predominant youth population in the region taking to healthier and more eco-friendly lifestyles, said organizers of the eighth edition of the Middle East Natural and Organic Product Expo 2010 (MENOPE 2010).

Addressing a press conference, organizers of MENOPE 2010 said the regional organic food market currently valued at approximately S$300 million a year was growing at a pace of nearly 20 per cent, mainly driven by the rising affinity of the youth population to embrace healthy and natural lifestyles.

Eng. Nadim Al Fuqaha, Managing Director, Global Links, organizers of MENOPE 2010, said: “The organic products market in the region is at the threshold of growth and the current demand and sales volume reflects the state of European markets between 1985-1990. In comparison to other global markets, even at low volumes, Middle East is still the fastest growing destination for natural and organic foods.”



MENOPE 2010 is being held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and Water and Dubai Municipality. It is supported by International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), Korea Health Supplement Association (KHSA), Chamber of Herbal Industries of the Philippines (CHIPI), Department of Agriculture, the Philippines and Malaysian Herbal Association among others.

The participating countries in MENOPE 2010 include strong participation from the UAE, Italy, United States, United Kingdom, India, Germany, Belgium, China and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, among others.

“The Middle East boasts of a highly eco-conscious populace which contributes to the success of the expo here. The expo still remains as the only one that caters to the natural and organic products market in the region. We are positive that the success of the previous years will continue to reflect on the eighth edition of the expo creating a prolific platform for the industry to grow and excel,” Eng. Nadim Al Fuqaha said.

MENOPE 2010 will showcase a variety of products spanning across Herbals and Spices, Food & Beverages, Cereal Products, Supplements, Health Care products, Natural Living, Natural Cosmetics, Healing Products, Natural remedies, Traditional Medicines, Spas, Relaxation facilities, Pet products and Fabrics.

Global Interest

Mr. Joby Mathew Muricken, Project Manager of the event said the appeal of MENOPE as a platform for global organic product companies to engage the Middle East market was evident from the enthusiastic participation of over 100 companies from across the world despite the economic uncertainty. “MENOPE is the only regional exhibition for organic and natural products and in the last eight years, the show has served as a platform for leading companies to enter the Middle East market.”

Participants at the three-day MENOPE 2010 come from over 25 countries bringing in a wide range of high-quality natural and organic products. The expo will be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center from December 6-8, 2010.

MEVEG Congress

One of the significant highlights of this year’s MENOPE is the 1st MEVEG Congress, organised by the Middle East Vegetarian (MEVEG) Group, a not-for-profit focus group supporting vegetarian and vegan lifestyle. MEVEG encourages increased consumption of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts and dry fruits in daily diets.

“The 1st Middle East Veg Congress presents vegetarian living as a choice for health and eco-friendly lifestyle. Environmentally sustainable, socially unifying and personal health enrichment are the cornerstones of a plant-based diet,” said Ms. Sandhya Prakash, Founder-Director, MEVEG.

The aim of the two-day Congress is to bring attention on topics such as sustainable and vegetarian lifestyle for wholesome health, environmental protection with an array of experts speaking at the event, panel discussions and engaging workshops.

Acting Director General for the Ministry of Health Officially Inaugurates State-of-the-Art Nucleotide Laboratory Complex at DuBiotech

Dubai-UAE: 30 November, 2010 – Dr. Salem Al Darmaki, Acting Director General of the Ministry of Health, today officially inaugurated the state-of-the-art Nucleotide Laboratory Complex at Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech), the Middle East's leading business park dedicated to the life sciences industry and a member of TECOM Investments.



Dr. Al Darmaki inaugurated the complex in the presence of DuBiotech Director of Business Development Marwan Abdulaziz, as well as top officials and representatives from many of the leading life sciences companies that have set up operations at DuBiotech.

Comprising 'A, C, T and G' wings, the Nucleotide Laboratory Complex has been named after the four basic building blocks of nucleic acids, the main components of genetic material.

Dr. Al Darmaki also unveiled the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification Plaque that was awarded in recognition of the laboratory’s green building credentials – the first such building in the Middle East.

Abdulaziz said: “We are honoured to receive Dr. Al Darmaki at DuBiotech to inaugurate the complex. As the region’s first and premier free zone dedicated to the life sciences industry, we have invested significantly in infrastructure facilities to offer customised solutions that meet industry requirements.

“In line with our mission to become the major life sciences hub in the Middle East, DuBiotech has rapidly grown into a community of 70 biotechnology, pharmaceutical, laboratory equipments companies and testing laboratories, including global leaders such as Pfizer, Amgen, Merck Serono and Genzyme.”

The Nucleotide Laboratory Complex is designed to house biotech, life sciences and pharmaceutical activities ranging from research and development, diagnostic, analytical and equipment training activities. Its core and shell lab space can accommodate up to 160 laboratory units that are designed to meet Class III of Bio-safety Standards/ Guidelines.

Abdulaziz added: “The environmental and financial benefits of a LEED-certified building include energy efficiency and water savings, improved air thermal and acoustic environments and lower operating costs that contribute significantly to employee productivity, reduce harmful greenhouse gasses and ensure a healthy workplace.”

Launched under the directive of Dubai’s leadership, DuBiotech will eventually expand to include 25 warehouse facilities for manufacturing and distribution activities and office space in a landmark Bio-Headquarters building. Business centres for companies seeking to test the market prior to extending their commitment in the free zone are also on offer in addition to land available for new manufacturing plants and logistic platforms.

DM gears up to celebrate National Day 39

As part of the 39th UAE National Day celebrations Dubai Municipality has organized

a wide variety of events to be held in an environment dominated by feelings of

patriotism and sense of belonging and loyalty.

The events have been organized to mark the importance of the occasion in the

march of the Union and the overall boom witnessed by the UAE under the wise

leadership that has led the UAE to achieve the historic success.

Eng. Hussein Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality had directed

to launch an internal campaign to popularise the UAE National Anthem among the

Municipality employees. It comes from the Municipality's keenness to strengthen

national identity among the staff and develop a sense of national belonging and

promotion of patriotism among them.



Lootah said this celebration of the Municipality is only a small part of the big festivals

and euphoria that pervades the country from east to west not and the joy does not

confine to citizens only, but would be shared by all residents of various nationalities.



He added that the celebration is not limited to the main building of the Municipality,

but it will also take place in all centers and facilities of the civic body, including the

parks, resorts and the Children's City.



Khalid Mohammed Badri, Director of Corporate Marketing and Relations

Department said that the Municipality has formed a special team to run the activities

of the Municipality.



"The national anthem saved on CDs will be distributed among the employees during

the occasion of the National Day," he said.



Municipality employees will celebrate the National Day on Wednesday 1st December,

and a variety of programmes have been prepared in this regard, which will involve

school students, who will present some cultural shows about the National Day.

In addition, the employees of Architectural Heritage Department will display the

Department's products such as wooden doors and works in plaster to the public. The

Municipality premises will be decorated with tents, Poetry House and some women

will prepare popular local food items.



All Municipality buildings have been specially decorated, and balloons with the

colours of the national flag will be launched, in addition to holding many traditional

programmes, exhibition of old photographs titled "Pictures of my Country" and

calligraphy display with the participation of Municipality employees. Live stage

shows such as traditional songs, folk dances and cultural events will also take place.



The Public Parks and Horticulture Department has arranged a range of events and

various activities to be held in all the public parks of Dubai such as Mamzar, Creek

and Mushrif, Safa, Zaabeel and Jumeirah.

Activities will start on Wednesday, 1 December and will continue until December 7.

These events include National Day Carnival on Wednesday at Al Mamzar Park, which

will also host from 1-7 December different games and other regular park activities.

The Zaabeel Park will host from 1 to 7 December Long Live Union Show, in addition

to organizing special games and regular family activities.

During the same period Creek Park will host a number of shows and performances

including that of a Ukrainian Show and other regular family entertainment.

The Children's City has also lined up a variety of events in the city on Thursday,

December 2, 2010 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, and 4:30 pm to 7:00 pm, which

include art workshops and handicraft, and fun activities with clowns, traditional

food, face painting, photo exhibition on the life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al

Nahyan and the late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, in addition to organizing a

play on patriotism, and other activities.

At the Jumeirah Beach Park a variety of events will be organized during the period

from December 1 to 7 along the shores in addition to the swimming events.

The activities of Al Safa Park include games market of used items and other regular

family activities. Mushrif Park will also organize various activities during the same

period.

Municipality activities are also being publicized on the home page on the civic body's

website.

EnviroCities 2010 conference concludes with a call to create greener cities

The two-day EnviroCities 2010 conference concluded on Monday at Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City with a call to spread the culture and awareness in the community on basic green building standards, and continue to develop green building laws in line with the continuing evolution of technology.

The conference organized by the Environmental Centre for Arab Towns (ECAT) in cooperation with Dubai Municipality, under the title, "Green Cities," saw the presentation of 15 work papers on different aspects of green cities by various experts in the field.

The conference also called for paying attention to effectively managing all aspects of life in the city and directing them towards sustainability, in addition to caring to transport the energy in the city buildings to the neighbourhood and at the same time, measure its impact on the city and make the environment green as part of the priorities and concerns of daily life. It also appealed to work on the development of systems used in transport to achieve the greatest possible degree of rationalization of energy consumption.  

Other recommendations include formulation of new laws with dimensions of contemporary reality, concerted efforts of various parties to promote mass transit as one of the items with the greatest impact on the urban environment, search for alternatives means of transport using environment-friendly energy sources, provide appropriate infrastructure to encourage walking or cycling, and establish a sustainable scientific research complex including scientists and researchers in the country aimed at achieving the construction of the green city. 

EnviroCities conference urges to work for zero carbon cities

The second day of EnviroCities 2010 conference saw the presentation of eight working papers on various topics related to green cities by regional and international experts in the field.

The first lecture on the second day was delivered by Matthew Plumbridge, consultant environmental and sustainability planning, Department of Municipal Affairs, Abu Dhabi. He talked about the Abu Dhabi experience in transforming towards Green City.

He said the integrated regulatory framework of Abu Dhabi Municipality include green building codes, which focuses on durability, ventilation, safety and quality. The frame work also includes energy code and fire code.

The second paper of the day called, “Sustainable Cities: Strategy, Elements and Indicators to Counterbalance Climate Change,” was presented by Prof. Mohsen Aboulnaga, Government Strategy & Policy Advisor and main founder of Emirates Green Building Council.

“The impact of Climate Change on our cities has been recently severely manifested in the floods in Pakistan, Philippines and Italy causing major landslides and destruction to nature and manmade environment, the blistering heat waves in Europe this summer, the major droughts, heat in Russia causing forest fire, and the Tsunami,” said Aboulnaga. 

However, he said, these natural disasters have triggered the alarm to think sustainability and the need to build eco-friendly cities.  

“Creating and designing cities is one of the most complex and sophisticated processes as they ultimately consume most natural resources, an awful amount of energy, and use huge quantities of water as well as produce air pollution and generate waste. These pose a huge risk to our health and environment, and ultimately contribute to climate change; a phenomenon that is of prime global concern,” Aboulnaga pointed out.

“Another crucial dimension impacting climate change is the gigantic rise in world population particularly, in urban areas and beyond,” he pointed out.

According to the United Nations 2009 report on water shortage, and keeping in mind the world’s high energy consumption rates, it is becoming assertive that strategy and policy, and its assessment tools in sustainable national planning should be firmly developed and exploited to put forward appropriate key performance indicators to encounter such great challenges and ensure our cities are sustainable,” said Aboulnaga.

“To curb green house gases emissions and reduce its impact on climate change, it is vital to efficiently plan our cities to be sustainable yet, to diligently develop strategy and policies that promote sustainability to the extent these cities are eco-friendly and maintained,” he said.

Narciso Zacarias, expert from Dubai Municipality presented his paper on cool green cities in which he talked about Dubai Aerial Thermal Survey.

He said that due to construction boom in the city of Dubai it is becoming densely populated and this led to temperature rise due to influence of hot and humid climate that experiences a pronounced Urban Heat Island (UHI).

The burden of the UHI can have significant impact on human health and thermal comfort consequences needing more energy consumption for cooling thus effecting urban air pollution, Zacarias pointed out.

“With Dubai Municipality's commitment to promote sustainable development, the Environment Department in association with Geographical Information System (GIS) launched the Dubai Aerial Thermal Survey study with a contract from COWI Gulf A/S in October 2009 to map thermal data of the city to understand the prevalence of UHI and to identify the objects being heated and emitting heat to the surroundings,” he said.

“The aerial collection of thermal data was made in the 1^st week December 2009 over the 600 sq. km area of urban environment. In relation to the aerial thermal mapping survey, COWI Gulf A/S measured the surface heat island by remote thermal sensors mounted to an aircraft with over 31,000 thermographs were captured during the flyover,” said Zacarias.

“Based on the thermal mapping data, the report provides an overview of the UHI phenomenon in Dubai. The report seeks to provide additional information pertaining to mitigation options and suggests overall interventions to be taken by Dubai Municipality and its city stakeholders,” he said.

“The report refers to best practices and additional thermal reading findings which can aid Dubai Municipality in its decision making and future plans on how to address the UHI phenomenon. Socio-economic and demographic data at the next stages of planning level will be used to quantify exposure to urban heat island magnitude among residents. It was inferred that future research should be focused on design and planning parameters for reducing the effects of urban heat island and ultimately living in a better environment,” said Zacarias.

Prof. Nabyl Chenaf, Associate Professor and Chair of the Departments of Architecture and Interior Design at the American University of Dubai presented his paper on “Green design at the inception stages-case of Ste. Maxime, France.”

He tried to show how “green” design at the urban scale can start very early at the inceptive stages and gave ideas on how resources can be used to their optimum and energy can be produced and used rationally, especially within the greater  matrix of design involving other considerations such as aesthetics, identity and social space.

Chenaf said green design is not a choice anymore as more and more people are aware of the danger of pollution and the waste of resources as well as the benefit from the respect of nature and use of renewable energy.

The presentation by Sougata Nandi of TECOM, titled “Lean to Green Lifestyles” explored the key elements of the low carbon lifestyle, its links to well-being, employee satisfaction and community cohesion, as well as strategies for planning, design, communication and enterprise development.  

Environment Minister announces Green Building rule implementation at federal level from next year

EnviroCities 2010 conference kicks off in Dubai

Dr. Rashid Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water said the Green Building rule will be implemented at the federal level from the beginning of next year in government projects in the first phase as the council of ministers had taken a decision in this regard in July.

He was speaking during the inauguration of the second international conference, EnviroCities 2010, under the title, "Green Cities," at Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City on Sunday in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance and Chairman of Dubai Municipality. The two-day conference is organised by the Environmental Centre for Arab Towns (ECAT) in cooperation with Dubai Municipality.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Denis Hayes, Earth Day Founder, Philip Jordan, Mayor of Phoenix, Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, and a number of dignitaries and experts from various parts of the world in the field of environment.

Fahad also called for meeting the challenges of facing the negative impact of the fast paced urbanization in the world.

“We have always been keen to incorporate the environmental dimension in the developmental plans. Realizing the pressures of urban development boom, the UAE has given much importance to apply sustainable solutions including transforming the city areas into green, which in turn will reduce the impact of carbon emission and protect the environment,” he said.

Lootah, who delivered the speech on behalf of the patron of the event, Sheikh Hamdan, stressed the academic importance of the conference and the urgent need for the convening of such conferences, which examine the issue of green cities, which is one of the important topics because of its obvious implications for the system of ecological balance.

He spoke about the importance of the environment, the sustainable use of natural resources, and planning through the adoption of environmentally friendly solutions that are sustainable.

“The adoption of the Green Cities project will bring ecological balance in our cities of today,” Lootah said, emphasizing the concern for good government.

“Through the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai we started the application of green building specifications on all buildings and facilities in the emirate according to the best global environment-friendly standards,” he said.

Lootah said the work on the manual on the terms and conditions of green buildings has been completed and efforts are underway to formulate the work mechanisms and its implementation.

He stressed that the EnviroCities conference is one of the important events in the Arab region, where scientists, experts and researchers in this area meet to discuss the latest achievements in this field.

Lootah hoped the conference will seek to create a network of cooperation among the global players in the field of environment and work to activate the role of local government councils in Arab cities to adopt modern concepts of environmental management to be friendly to the environment.

He told that the city looks through this conference to spread the benefits thanks to the experience and expertise that will be presented through the working papers and recommendations on the Arab cities for the same purpose.

Denis Hayes challenged the participants to design and construct a 10-story office building in each of their cities that produces as much energy from the sunshine that falls on it as it uses.

“Oil is a declining resource and sunlight will endure forever. Every country represented here has a hugely valuable solar resource that, with intelligent land use planning, you can employ in a distributed way inside your existing cities,” he said. 

Hayes also called for the creation of truly sustainable cities that will safeguard the human population while also serving to protect the natural world.

He said truly sustainable cities will promote education, creativity, community, productivity, and the frugal use of scarce resources.

He said the conference covers a wide spectrum of topics such as "Green City Goals, Policies, Indicators, Green City Branding," "Green Management of Land, Energy, Water and Wastes," "Green Future Cities/Zero Carbon Cities," "Green Building Codes," "Cool Green Cities - Urban Heat Islands, impacts and solutions," "Success Stories from Built Environment," "Green Transport," "Green Hotels," "Green Lifestyles" and "Green Economy."

The first session of the conference was addressed by Prof.  Spiro N. Pollalis of Harvard University, who talked about the "challenges in transitions to green cities,” followed by a presentation by Eng. Essa Al Maidour, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Engineering and Planning Sector, who gave details about "Green Building Codes in Dubai.

Maidour said the green building rule will be made mandatory for all buildings in Dubai after three years as it is a transitional stage.

But, he said, during the initial stages, the green building rule will be implemented on government buildings.

The other speakers of the day included," Andreas Georgoulias, also of Harvard University, who gave a lecture on "Clean Green Cities."

In session two of the inaugural day, Dr. Nawal Hosany from Masdar, talked on the subject, "Towards Zero Carbon Cities,” Naser Bu Shehab and Mohammed El Hashmi of RTA jointly presented a paper on "Green Mass Transport, Fuels, Metro/Hybrid," and Dr. Adam Cade of Sustainability Education Consultancy, Frankfurt, gave tips on the quality of life in Green cities during his lecture titled, "Lean to Green lifestyles."

Flip Video innovator Jonathan Kaplan inspires Dubai Women’s College Students

United Arab Emirates – 28 November 2010 – Dubai Women’s College students and faculty were treated to a master class on entrepreneurship given by Jonathan Kaplan, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Consumer Products and the person behind the highly successful Flip Video camcorders.
Kaplan spoke about the genesis of the Flip Video family of camcorders and recounted anecdotes of his entrepreneurial journey (in 2009, Cisco acquired Pure Digital Technologies, the company Kaplan founded and maker of Flip Video camcorders). Further, the audience had an opportunity to ask Kaplan questions about the challenges, lessons learned, and rewards of launching a business.


Addressing the role and future of Flip Video and the personal video market, Kaplan said, “Flip Video has changed the way people capture and share video because it makes it simple, accessible and fun for everyone. This is truly an exciting time in the personal video market. Without question, personal video is taking off in a big way, and I expect this trend to continue.”


“I am delighted to be able to share my experiences with the next generation of UAE entrepreneurs,” Kaplan commented. “The students’ enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit is impressive and a testament to the great potential that exists in this market.”


Following Kaplan’s speech, ten students were selected at random to receive a Flip Video camcorder. As of November 10, Flip Video camcorders are available in stores.

“Today’s Q&A session is another example of how Dubai Women’s College prepares students for life after academia and our ongoing efforts to ensure that they have access to leaders in the business community. As our industry partner, Cisco has provided DWC with considerable expertise and time and today’s visit by Jonathan Kaplan is the highlight of this valued relationship,” said Dr. Behjat Al Yusuf, associate director of Dubai Women’s College.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Cisco's vision for the consumer is to enable people to live a connected life that is more personal, more social, and more visual. More information about Cisco and its line of consumer products can be found at www.theflip.com and www.cisco.com/consumer

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MIDDLE EAST AIRPORT SECURITY ONE OF THE MAJOR FOCUS AREAS IN INTERSEC 2011 CONFERENCE

The Middle East Airport Security Market Assessment Report states that spending in modernise airport security has a CAGR of 7.5 % from 2008’s  AED 127.7 million (US$ 34.7 mn). The study has estimated the region accounts for 14.4 % of the global Critical Infrastructure Protection Market.

Reasearch findings by leading consultants Frost and Sullivan indicate that UAE airport security spending has been estimated at AED 31.6 million  for 2009, accounting for as much as 23 per cent of the total Middle East expenditure in the sector.

With the increase in new airport construction in the Middle East, the need to boost and modernise airport security in the region will increase spending in this sector to AED 212 million (US$ 57.7 mn) by 2015, according to research.

Airport security will be one of the major focus areas in this year’s Intersec trade fair and conference to be held from January 16 to 18, 2011 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Intersec 2011 will host 800 exhibitors and expects 22,000 trade visitors to attend. 

“With the aviation industry in the Middle East on the high growth path and new terminals and airports being planned or under construction across the region, airport security and surveillance systems will be an interesting topic at Intersec 2011,” said Ahmed Pauwels, Chief Executive Officer of Epoc Messe Frankfurt GmbH, organiser of the event.

“Dubai’s new Al Maktoum International airport currently under way at Jebel Ali and already open for cargo flights, will eventually be the world’s largest passenger terminal. On completion the airport will be five times larger than the current Dubai International Airport and will handle 120 million passengers annually. This will drive demand for the latest in fool-proof security systems, perimeter security and surveillance gadgets,” Pauwels added.

“The increase in the levels of international terrorism has also necessitated a hard look into the current state of affairs in this sector by governments and security agencies as well as the private sector,” said Pauwels.

According to IMS research in their report entitled: “Middle East Market for CCTV and Video Surveillance – 2010 edition” the Middle East market for video surveillance equipment will grow by over 10% in 2010 and the region is forecasted to grow strongly towards 2013.

Intersec trade fair and conference is the largest and most comprehensive exhibition and conference for security and safety in the Middle East. Amongst exhibitors with aviation security products featuring in the upcoming edition are Cardax, Eastimage and Smiths Detection.  The trade show has played a major role in the last 12 years in reflecting the security industry worldwide. 19,159 visitors (+11% compared to 2009) from 96 countries and over 710 exhibitors from 50 countries attended Intersec 2010.

Intersec 2011 will showcase the latest technologies and apparatus in Commercial Security & Information Security, Aviation, Homeland Security & Policing, Fire & Rescue and Safety & Health and will also feature a three day congress running parallel to the exhibition. 

TEFAL JOINS HANDS WITH RASHID HOSPITAL IN FIGHT AGAINST DIABETES

 As part of its corporate social responsibility programme for World Diabetes Day, Tefal, market giant in home appliances, participated in the Nutrition and Diabetes Mellitus Seminar, organised by the Clinical Nutrition Department of the Rashid Hospital in Dubai on November 11^th, 2010.

Dr. Wafaa Ayesh Director of Clinical Nutrition Department - Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said: “Because early detection of diabetes is so critical to preventing complications such as heart disease, stroke, blindness, nerve and kidney damage, November has been designated American Diabetes Month,” 

“The good news is that the best diet for a person with diabetes is really the same kind of healthy eating that is best for the nutritional management of an average person. To properly manage diabetes a complete change of lifestyle is necessary where one strives to achieve a balanced diet and where moderation and healthy food choices are the keys to good health,” Dr. Ayesh stressed.

Tefal, who were the only non-medical corporate body participating on the main programme of the seminar, organised a healthy cooking demonstration by a chef and presented various nutritional and healthy cooking alternatives using the Tefal Nutritious and Delicious range of cookware.

“Diabetes is an increasingly serious problem worldwide,” said Ms. Nathalie Haddad: Product Manager, Middle East. “If we don’t take serious steps to arrest its rise, by promoting healthy lifestyles and nutritional alternatives, the disease will take on near epidemic proportions. Tefal is glad to join hands with Rashid Hospital to spread awareness about the seriousness of this problem and present alternatives to combat this debilitating illness,” Ms. Haddad added.

Tefal’s Nutritious & Delicious range of products  Nutricook, Actifry and Vitacuisine are unique cooking solutions that combine nutritional performance and culinary pleasure.

All three products are based on advanced and innovative technologies offering high preservation of nutritional quality and maximum flavour of all foods.

Nutricook, a pressure cooker with four exclusive cooking programmes, offers  optimum cooking for each food group and retains vitamins in food as well as the original colour and texture, making it palatable and healthy.  Actifry , a  revolutionary fryer that can cook one kilo of French fries with only one spoonful of oil, using an innovative technology.
In addition,  Tefal Vitacuisine is a versatile steamer in which you can cook a complete meal in one go while retaining maximum flavour and nutrients.

Al Nabooda Automobiles announces AED 100 million Audi Terminal construction

Dubai, November 25, 2010 – During the press conference for the launch of the new Audi A8 L Al Nabooda Automobiles made the surprise announcement of a brand new Audi showroom being constructed on Sheikh Zayed Road between second and third Interchange. The new building designed in the state-of-the-art Audi “terminal” showroom concept represents an investment of AED 100 million.

It will comprise 94,000 square feet of showroom- and office space on three floors with space for 61 display cars as well as dedicated areas for Audi exclusive customization, fleet customers, a prayer room as well as a kids’ area. The Dubai Audi terminal is thereby the world’s largest in terms of the number of new cars on display.  A panoramic passenger lift as well as an escalator connects the three floors. The trend-setting architecture also integrates delivery areas where up to five cars can be handed over to their new owners at the same time. The terminal’s architecture embodies the sportiness of the brand in emphasizing the dynamics of the curve – especially in the presentation areas and windows. The aluminum facade reflects the Ingolstadt premium car maker’s expertise in lightweight design.

“The new Audi terminal in Dubai will be the most visible sign of the Audi brand offensive and our comprehensive and future-oriented line of products”, declared K Rajaram, CEO of Al Nabooda Automobiles. The Audi terminal, designed by local architects in coordination with the Audi terminal Competence Center (AtCC) in Ingolstadt/Germany, is scheduled to open in the second half of 2012.

Other Audi terminals are already in place in Sydney, Tokyo and Mexico City and over 350 Audi terminals worldwide are to be built by the end of 2012.

Homes r Us opens its ninth store in the UAE in the Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai

Dubai, October 3, 2010: Homes r Us, one of the fastest growing home furniture and furnishings brand in the Middle East, adds to its kitty its latest store in the UAE. The furniture brand today launched its ninth store located at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai. The prestigious new Homes r Us store was inaugurated by Mr. Ali Rashid Ahmed Lootah, Chairman of Nakheel PJSC, in the presence of senior management of Lals Group and Nakheel.

The Homes r Us store at Ibn Battuta Mall is all set to be one of the flagship stores at the mall. Located at the India Court, it will have access both from inside the mall and outside where there is ample parking space close to the entrance.  Ibn Battuta Mall is also served by a Dubai Metro station just outside, which makes it very convenient for customers from all over Dubai to visit the place.

Commenting on the new store, Mr. Viraf Raimalwala, COO, Homes r Us, said, “We are happy to announce the opening of our store at the Ibn Battuta Mall which is a prestigious and landmark mall located on Sheikh Zayed Road. This store is our ninth in the UAE, marking a major milestone in our expansion strategy for the region.  Driven by our highly popular product offering and affordable pricing, we have been able to expand rapidly and make our presence felt everywhere. This is our fourth store in Dubai and is aimed at meeting the rising demand for our products in the Emirate.”

“With this latest addition, we now have two stores on Sheikh Zayed Road, one at each end, catering to a wide cross section of customers who live in the surrounding areas. The new store will cater to customers from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, especially to those residing in the new developments on both sides of Sheikh Zayed Road and Jebel Ali areas,” he further added.

With clearly segregated departments for each part of home furnishing, Homes r Us aims to offer an easy and delightful shopping experience with every visit. The brand has established a strong presence in the UAE as a one-stop-shop for every home interior need.

The new Homes r Us store will house a wide-ranging collection of modern and eclectic home interior furnishings to suit every lifestyle need. Housed in a modern, purpose-built store with the latest modular Italian fittings, the store will cater to the varied needs of the modern-day homemaker. There will be a vast collection of sofa sets and bedroom sets in ethnic, classic and modern designs to suit the tastes of the multi-faceted populace of Dubai.

Apart from high quality furniture, Homes r Us also provides a wide range of home accessories, from elegant lamps to artistic rugs, fine bed and bath linen and classy dinner sets. Enough to fulfill the dream of any aspiring homemaker!

With an extensive assortment of stylishly crafted, top quality ensembles and accessories, Homes r Us offers the perfect blend of functionality and fashionable living. The brand is popular for its chic designs that are a mélange of the classic and the contemporary.

Since the launch of its first outlet in 2003, Homes r Us soon established itself as one of the leading home furniture and furnishings brand in the Middle East. In fact, the brand has become so much a part of homemakers' lives across the region that it is perhaps the first name that occurs to them when they think of home furnishing.

Think Home, Think Homes r Us

About Homes r Us

Established in 2003, Homes r Us is a complete source for home furniture, furnishings and lifestyle offerings, blending functionality and fashionable living. New collections and styles grace the store on a regular basis, thus ensuring that each visit to the store is an exciting and refreshing experience.

Finding a place in the hearts and homes of people, Homes r Us has impressive showrooms in the Middle East - UAE, Qatar and Bahrain (known as The Home Store). The fastest growing home furniture and furnishings brand in the Middle East, Homes r Us is a brand that’s synonymous with quality and elegance.

Homes r Us Showrooms in the UAE:

­               Dubai

·         Ibn Battuta Mall, Tel: 04 4469820

·         Mazaya Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Tel: 04 3213444

·         Arabian Center, Al Khawaneej Road - Mirdiff, Tel: 04 2845736

·         Hamriya Shopping Centre, Union Coop, Hor Al Anz, Tel: 04 2698030

­               Abu Dhabi - Madinat Zayed Gold Centre, Tel: 02 6312020

­               Sharjah - Al Qasimia Street, Tel: 06 5671678

­               Al Ain

                ●    Near Jebel R/A, Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road, Tel: 03 7559770

                ●    Bawadi Mall, Tel: 03 7840494

­               Fujairah – Mohd. Bin Mattar Road, Tel: 09 2242893