e-junior gets a new look with a fresh and vibrant image

Dubai, January 18, 2009: e-junior, the exclusive U.A.E kids channel from E-Vision, announced the launch of its new brand image to maintain its distinctive position as the only TV channel catering to kids from the UAE. The new brand image marks the 8th year anniversary for e-junior and represents a fresh and trendy look for the channel in terms of its image as well as content.

e-junior channel shared the launch of its new look with 50 kids, winners of the 8th birthday contest. The get together was held and sponsored by Ski Dubai, were kids enjoyed a full day at the Snow Park and enjoyed the new fresh and trendy look of their favorite channel.

The new brand image uses four mascots as a graphic element to signify the different content streams which will be offered to kids with the green denoting animation, the blue for pre-school, the orange for live action and red for movies. The already existing slogan "Be Cool, Think Bright”, will create along with the new look a trendy and informative resource for kids from the age group of 0-16 years in addition to educating them on different aspects of their lives.

The new appearance of the channel also comes with a lot of fun programs as well. e-junior will be unveiling brand new programming on a exclusive basis ranging from “Are We There Yet? World Adventure”: a unique kids' global adventure from National Geographic, a brand new season of “Oggy and the Cockroaches” (a very popular comedy animation) in addition to many other shows. e-junior Town season II programming will also return with more interactivity, fun and education after a phenomenal response from UAE kids to the local flavour of the show.

According to Fatiha Bensalem, Channel Manager/ e-junior, “The new e-junior has a new look, new features, and more specific categories. It represents an exciting new direction for the channel to stay close to the kids with a fresh and trendy blend of content which is more comprehensive and interactive in nature. “

She added, “The channel has also new content base which has been tailor-made specifically for our kids in the country. The new fresh look also brings more exciting new content for kids from 0-16yrs.”

The new brand image will also encompass a complete re-branding of the e-junior website in addition to the launch of the e-junior portal where kids will have a chance to watch all e-junior local productions in addition to some other shows in the future, any time they want, on-line.

The new logo has been internally developed and the animations were handled by the MoonScoop Group, one of the leading worldwide brand management and entertainment companies engaged in the production, distribution, licensing, merchandising, marketing and distributing of animated creations.

E-Vision is the leading regional source to offer over 260 TV channels, in 21 different languages, ranging from sports to movies, from documentaries to music and kid's channels. E-Vision's product line-up includes 15 premium packages from all the major TV providers like Showtime, Orbit, ART, Pehla, Firstnet, TFC, Pinoy Plus and many more, in addition to the E-Vision Basic package.

DM issues safety code in English for best practices in construction sites

Dubai, 18 January 2009: Dubai Municipality's Building Department has issued a safety code in English for best practices at construction sites which outlines general and specific safety procedures for all types of construction and demolition works and associated jobs. The Arabic edition of the code has been available since July 2008.

The issuance of this code, titled "Code of Construction Safety Practice" stems from the great concern placed by the municipality for safety issues and the need to introduce future standards for the same.

The code includes a set of rules that will help construction firms adopt the best practices in ensuing safety at construction sites. It can be used as a reference for regulating the working conditions in construction projects for all employees who work with contractors or sub-contractors.

The new safety manual forms part of the set of legislation currently being undertaken by Dubai Municipality with the objective of introducing a complete legal framework in line with the municipality's Strategic Plan 2007-2011. This will result in producing a set of the most important legislation documents for the emirate.

"As we face unprecedented and difficult challenges in offering the best infrastructure for a world-class city like Dubai, the issuance of such a manual is all the more relevant. In designing this manual, many of the safety standards existing in the advanced and developing nations were referred to," Essa Al Maidour, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Planning and Building Affairs, said.

Shedding light on the contents of the code, Al Maidour said the code includes a set of rules which regulate construction projects carried out in the Emirate of Dubai.
The code also lays down stricter fire safety preconditions in the wake of an increased rate of fire accidents at projects under construction. In this regard, the consultants and contractors have to give top priority for early installation of the permanent fire prevention devices and arranging water tanks and water pumps at construction sites to put off fire and sources of alternative energy. This is applicable even if the building is complete and ready for occupation.

Technical guidelines appended to the code are part and parcel of it. All rules and appended technical guidelines stipulated in it shall be applied to all building operations and engineering construction projects undertaken by way of trade or for the purpose of residential, commercial or industrial by or on behalf of the private or the public sector which includes the government or any other public authority.

The code outlines general safety rules and clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of the employers, consultant engineers, contractors, sub-contractors with regard to the safety issues. It also lists the minimum requirements and the necessary arrangements to be made throughout all phases of construction including design works, supervision, and implementation in order to save the lives of employees and ensure their safety.

The code says that consultant engineers and contractors are responsible for the overall safety of a construction project throughout the implementation period and thereafter according to the prevailing laws and local order in this regard. Their responsibility also extends to buildings close to the construction site and any other public facility that may be affected by the works. They are also responsible for the safety of all employees and those present at the site or close to it.

The code also lists in detail the types of construction site accidents, work injuries, responsibilities for prevention of accidents, reporting of an accident, investigation into accidents, writing accident reports, vocational health and environment control, personal protection equipment, fire safety, storing of goods at construction sites, excavation works, concrete and block works, steel structure works, tunnels, dams, demolition works, welding works, electricity-related risks, insulation for power sources, hazardous chemical materials, road works, cranes…etc.

Arabic and English copies of the code are available for sale at the Customer Service Centres of the municipality for a price of Dhs100 each.

DM honours participants of Clean Up campaign

Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality said it is important to incorporate the principle of cooperation and joint coordination among establishments as far as environmental matters are concerned.
"It is also important to activate the participation of individuals in environmental programmes and activities organized by the Municipality to create environmental awareness among different categories of the public towards major environmental issues that concern the whole society," he said.
Lootah was speaking at a ceremony held at Grand Hyatt Hotel last week to honour the sponsors and participants of Clean Up the World 2008 campaign organized by the Municipality during 18 - 21 November last year with the participation of nearly 20,000 volunteers, who collected more than 4,150 tonnes of waste.
The ceremony was also attended by Eng. Abdullah Rafia, Assistant Director General for Environmental and Public Health Services Sector, Eng. Hassan Makki, Director of Waste Management Department and Head of the Campaign Team, Yaqoub Al Ali, Coordinator of the Campaign and a number of senior officials of the Municipality, in addition to representatives of local government departments and private establishments, NGOs, and people of different nationalities who participated in the campaign.
Those who were honoured in the ceremony included the main sponsors Al Naboodah, Al Habtoor Group, Zenath Recycling & Waste Management LLC, Gulf Eternit Industries and Grand Hyatt.
Lootah said the strategic objectives the Municipality had placed for this campaign have been achieved by huge public participation. "The campaign has become a platform for practical cooperation between establishments and individuals concerned with environment inside and outside the Municipality. The participation of people is increasing year after year, especially the support of the Federal Ministry of Environment and Water was vital in the success of the programmes," he said.
Lootah pointed out that the number of participants rose to 20,000 this time, which was only 200 in 1993. "We had a wide range of participation from different walks of life, among them the most notable was the participation of more than 6,500 students from the government and private schools in the emirate," he said.
Lootah said the support of the media was very significant as the different channels of media and the newspapers gave extensive coverage to the event.
During the ceremony he also launched a special website for the campaign called www.cleanuptheworld.dm.ae.
Hassan Makki said the campaign, inaugurated by the Minister of Environment and Water Dr. Ahmed Rashid Bin Fahd at Shindagha Heritage Village on November 18, focused on creating awareness among the young generation on protecting environment as well as enhancing knowledge on environment and pollution so that children become leaders in the future qualified to carry on the task of awareness creation.
He said that this year 6,500 students from 79 government schools and 31 private schools participated the Clean Up The World campaign. "In addition, more than 12,650 volunteers representing 309 private companies and 16 local departments participated in the activities of the campaign. Construction companies contributed by transporting more than 3,000 tonnes of clean sand to fill up the ground at beaches," he said.
Makki said the participation of different nationalities, especially Indians and Filipinos, was highly significant in the success of the campaign.
Yaqoub Al Ali noted that the campaign was associated with a number of awareness programmes on different environmental issues, especially throwing litter. "The awareness programmes included workshops on reducing and recycling waste, collection of used items from employees, painting on environment, Market for bags in place of plastic, workshop for making useful things from waste, information leaflets, radio contests, lectures and workshops in schools, field visits for students to recycling factories, in addition to photography contests in coordination with Filipino Photographers Association," he said.

Emaar Education opens Raffles International School (Nursery) in Downtown Burj Dubai and Emirates Living

Dubai, UAE; January 17, 2009: Emaar Education, the education subsidiary of Emaar Properties, is opening two Raffles International School (Nursery) in two of Dubai’s most sought-after residential communities – Downtown Burj Dubai and Emirates Living - this month. The nursery in Downtown Burj Dubai will open on January 18 in Old Town and the Springs Town Centre Nursery in Emirates Living will open on January 20.

Emaar Education is currently undertaking admission for the Raffles International School (Nursery) for both locations. The Old Town Nursery, with an eventual capacity of 200 children, is now open for admissions for the January batch, with an initial intake of only 80 children. The Springs Town Centre Nursery, with a capacity of 120 children, already has a waiting list, and Emaar Education is currently accepting advance booking for the next academic year. Both nurseries follow the same curriculum and will have a similar student intake initially.

Designed in line with the holistic student development approach of Raffles International School, the nurseries will feature an array of facilities including outdoor play area, and fully-equipped medical room. The Old Town Nursery will also feature a soft play room and coffee lounge. Focused on the personal, social and emotional development of children, the Raffles International School (Nursery) will follow the specialised ‘Early Years Programme’ that helps unlock the child’s creative potential and maximize learning through sensory, visual, auditory and kinetic learning experiences.



Mr Boon Yew Ng, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Education, said: “The opening of the Raffles International School (Nursery) reiterates the focus of Emaar Education to offer the full-spectrum of educational avenues to meet the needs of the society. Research has proven that young children learn best through creative play experiences and exploration, and the Old Town Nursery and Springs Town Centre Nursery follow a creative approach to develop independent learning, curiosity and enthusiasm in the children.”

Ms Lynn Nolan, Head of Nurseries, Raffles International School, explained: “The importance of play and active, exploratory learning cannot be underestimated. We have therefore carefully designed each classroom and subject area with high-quality educational equipment, to enrich and enthuse the child to safely explore and discover. Thus, the opportunities for children to self-manage or self-direct their learning are encouraged, within a safe, child-centred and nurturing environment.”

Both the educational institutions will have an international team of teaching and non-teaching staff to reflect the cosmopolitan population of Dubai. Parental involvement will be encouraged and several activities are planned to enhance parent-teacher-child interaction. Open for children from 18 months to 4 years of age, the nurseries will engage them in four groups according to age: 18 months to 2 years; 2 to 2.5 years; 2.5 to 3 years and 3 to 4 years.

The nurseries encourage the development of self-esteem, independence, self-help skills, language and communication, and social and creative development. Another key area will be mathematical reasoning development, with the area of learning to cover sorting, matching, counting objects, pairing, seeking shapes, making connections, working with shapes, space and volume, and developing mathematical language.

Complementing these areas will be activities that encourage physical development such as music and movement and a range of outdoor play equipment. Children will also have the opportunity to engage in arts and crafts, messy play and water activities. Each part of the programme is designed to create a holistic learning experience, which is safe, well-planned and above all, fun.

Parents can contact Raffles International School (Nursery) at (+971) 4 427 1451 or email: enquiries@rafflesis.com.

The Old Town Nursery is located at Old Town, Downtown Burj Dubai Qamardeen Residence, and the timings are from 8am to 2pm. The nursery will also offer a day-care service until 5pm, which will be based on registration and availability. Priority in admission will be given to children of residents within Downtown Burj Dubai and will be strictly on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Emaar Education already runs six international schools and nurseries in Dubai; one international school in both Singapore and India; The Raffles Campus School of Hospitality in Dubai, Singapore and Vietnam; and plans to open several new institutions in the region.

ROLEX EXPANDS ENTERPRISE AWARDS TO FOSTER THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS AND INNOVATORS WORLDWIDE

Dubai, January 17, 2009 – Rolex has announced a new initiative to expand its international philanthropic programme to fund young pioneers and their groundbreaking projects around the world. In early 2010, the company will name the first five recipients of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise: Young Laureates Programme, honouring men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 with inventive ideas to solve tomorrow’s challenges in science and health, applied technology, exploration, the environment and cultural preservation. Award recipients will each receive a US$50,000 cash prize to enable them to pursue an original project. Equally important, they will join the network of Rolex specialists and innovators who can offer invaluable expertise and guidance.

The Young Laureates Programme is an expansion of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise, which were established in 1976. The inaugural Rolex Awards commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Oyster chronometer, the world’s first waterproof watch, and were created to encourage individuals ready to take on major challenges to benefit humankind and the environment. Since 1976, 110 Rolex Awards for Enterprise have been presented to Laureates and Associate Laureates from 40 countries, implementing projects in more than 60 countries. Recent winners include a social activist who has developed an affordable strategy to build housing for the rural poor using recycled materials in her native Paraguay; a Scottish physicist who created a breakthrough method to predict volcanic eruptions via an unmanned helicopter; and a Jordanian chemist working to save the ancient archaeological site of Petra.

“Rolex has a history of supporting individual excellence and achievement,” said Rebecca Irvin, director of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise. “By providing project support at a critical juncture in the careers of young people, the Young Laureates Programme will reward bright new ideas and encourage the next generation to meet the challenges of the future.”

Like the original Rolex Awards, the Young Laureates Programme will act as a springboard for men and women who use their creativity to improve life on the planet.

“As our world becomes more interdependent and grows more complex, young people must bring new perspectives and fresh approaches to tackling our greatest challenges,” said Gilbert Grosvenor, Chairman of the National Geographic Society and a past jury member for the Rolex Awards for Enterprise. “Particularly in this era of global change and uncertainty, the Young Laureates Programme represents a vital investment in the brightest thinkers of tomorrow.”

Young Rolex Awards Selection Process

To find young people around the world determined to carry out projects with a significant impact, a range of institutions, organizations and individuals will be invited to nominate potential candidates. Those who accept the nomination will complete an application form that explains the scope, goals and feasibility of their projects. An independent jury will select five individuals with strong potential to advance human knowledge and well-being.

Each winner will receive the $50,000 prize over the course of two years. Funding of $25,000 each in the first year will give the Young Laureates the time to bring greater focus to their projects; the second instalment of $25,000 will propel the projects forward. Rolex may also provide additional support to the Young Laureates to pursue a related activity that will add further value to their work.

The Young Laureates Programme complements the original Rolex Awards for Enterprise, it does not replace it. In 2010, five Young Laureates will be selected; in 2012, five Laureates and five Associate Laureates will again be chosen. The two variations of the programme will thus alternate every two years.

Rolex Philanthropy

Rolex’s other global philanthropic programme, the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, also reflects an ongoing commitment to promoting excellence in the next generation. The Arts Initiative brings together emerging artists with recognized masters for a year of one-to-one collaboration in music, dance, literature, theatre, film and the visual arts.

Both the Arts Initiative and the Young Laureates Programme provide the gift of time to exceptional young people at a key moment in their professional lives. Through Rolex’s support, these promising individuals are able to take their work to a new level and contribute to their surrounding communities and the wider world.

Real Estate Regulatory Agency and Dubai Islamic Bank hosts escrow forum

Dubai, January 17, 2009: Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) in partnership with Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) hosted over 50 real estate developers at an escrow forum aimed at providing a platform for DIB’s escrow account customers to have a dialogue with Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA).

The forum was attended by senior RERA officials including Engineer Marwan Bin Ghalaita, CEO; Khalid Obaid Ahmad Al Mutaiwei, Director of Escrow Account Department; Essa Saeed Ahmed Al Mansoori, Head of Escrow Account Section; and Ayman Adel Kamal, Executive Vice President, and the Chief of Real Estate Finance & Direct Equities Department, DIB.

Addressing the forum, Marwan bin Ghalita said: “Since RERA’s establishment in 2007, we have taken several steps to bring about greater transparency and credibility in the real estate sector and will continue to play a key role in regulating the market. This interactive session is another step in the right direction.

“The current market situation calls for a greater need for regulation and scrutiny to ensure that only credible developers enter the market. Also, we plan to apply new conditions aimed at regulating off plan sale of properties in line with the new laws # 8 of 2007 and 13 of 2008.”

As one of the largest escrow players in the market, DIB has been actively involved with consulting RERA on general issues related to the escrow regulations. Ayman Adel Kamal said: “As a provider of value-added services such as escrow account management, we are pleased to facilitate this interaction between our customers and RERA. Such industry dialogues enable service providers like DIB to enhance the services offered, while also supporting authorities such as RERA to strengthen and tighten regulations. Working together with RERA and developers, DIB will continue to contribute towards enhancing investor confidence in Dubai’s real estate sector.”

DM preserves Dubai beaches through effective regulations

Dubai, 17 January 2009: Dubai Municipality's Environment Department is currently undertaking several programmes to preserve the coastal environment and ensure their sustainable development.

According to Eng. Alya Al Harmoudi, Head of Coastal Zone and Waterways Management Section at the Environment Department, the coastal zone is regarded as the most lively areas of the emirate and its management requires a comprehensive methodology taking into account all environment and engineering requirements and criterion that will ensure integration among all projects in a scientific manner while preserving the delicate marine environment.

She pointed out that the Coastal Zone and Waterways Management Section had issued last year some 380 no objection certificates for works within the coastal zone, in such categories as 217 for excavation, 27 for construction, 25 for temporary minor works, 107 for discharge of ground water and four certificates for dredging. This is in addition to studies and evaluation of several coastal development projects and water ways proposed to be developed and linked to the sea.

With regard to the coastal monitoring, Al Harmoudi said the section is currently undertaking regular inspection of the projects and engineering works within the coastal zone to ensure their adherence with the concerned legislation. Last year, some 213 warnings were issued against violators of the pertaining rules and regulations in this regard..

In the meantime, she noted that the section had undertaken during last year several works such as maintenance and nourishment of beaches of the emirate, with the objective of improving the coastal environment as part of the emirate's strategy with regard to environment conservation. As much as 500,000 cubic meters of clean sand were used in the beach nourishment programme.

"Beaches are subject to significant amount of erosion due to seasonal Shamal winds that deprive them of vital resources needed, especially in view of the re-formation of the coastal line. As the time passes by, this will result in loss of beach sands and emergence of rocks and stones thereby causing to lose the amenity on the beaches. This matter requires maintenance and nourishment of the beaches in a professional manner that would provide maximum stability and continuity," she said.