Paper bags that changed an Abu Dhabi neighbourhood

ABU DHABI, Jan.26 (WAM)-When he first went to distribute paper bags made of Gulf News pages to grocers in his locality early in 2010, Abdul Mugeeth was a little bit hesitant whether they would understand its importance. But when grocers and customers saw him accompanied by Gulf News photographer, they realised he was doing something very important and started asking questions about paper bags, Abdul Mugeeth, an Indian, told Gulf News on Wednesday, recollecting his anti-plastic campaign. He and his mother Andaleep Mannan said the support from Gulf News to his campaign began with the presence of its photographer in the outset and subsequent news reports. Abdul Mugeeth was one of the 10 recipients of Abu Dhabi Awards, for their contributions to conserve environment. The awards were presented by General Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Ill effects "We were hesitant about distributing paper bags because most of the people, including grocers, were not aware of the ill-effects of plastic bags. Even if grocers accept the paper bags as an alternative, there are many uneducated workers in our area [Al Mina] who may reject them," they said. But when people saw Gulf News photographer, Abdul Mugeeth was well-received and people were willing to hear the ill-effects of plastic bags, Mannan said. The news story and photograph of Abdul Mugeeth distributing plastic bags appeared in the daily and subsequent follow-up stories about his classes on how to make paper bags made him popular in the community, they said. It all started when Abdul Mugeeth's school asked him to collect plastic bags for recycling. "He asked me what are the problems with plastic bags. When I explained what I know, he said, then he would ask the grocer to stop putting his chocolates in plastic bags," Mannan explained

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Mohammed bin Rashid inaugurates Dubai International Film Festival

UAE elected as Deputy Chairman of ILO

UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inaugurated the 8th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), which celebrates cinematic excellence from around the world and offers a high-profile platform for aspiring home-grown talent, this evening at Madinat Jumeirah. Accompanying Sheikh Mohammed were Dubai Deputy Ruler H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority H.H. Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Director of Dubai Ruler's Court Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shebani, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office Ahmed Abdullah Al Sheikh and Dubai Director of Protocol and Hospitality Khalifa Saeed Suleiman in addition to a host of local and international cultural figures. Sheikh Mohammed, and the accompanying delegation, were given a warm reception as they walked the red carpet surrounded by top international figures from the film industry including Tom Cruise and the staff of "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," which was premiered in the Arena Hall.

Tokyo - Representatives of governments, workers and employers from the Asian, Pacific and Arab states concluded in Kyoto, Japan a four day meeting at which they discussed ways the region could prepare to counter the consequences of any economic uncertainties. The 15th Asia and the Pacific Regional Meeting of International Labour Organisation (ILO), which was opened by the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, had elected the UAE as the Deputy Chairman with support from the delegates who participated in the meeting. UAE Labour Minister Saqr Ghobash also chaired a number of sessions in the meeting. In conclusions adopted at the close of the Meeting , delegates agreed that employment and support for decent work must be at the heart of policies for strong, sustainable, balanced growth and development. More than 410 delegates, representing governments, workers and employers, from 38 countries attended the 15th APRM, which was addressed Juan Somavia, ILO Director General. The ILO is the United Nations specialized agency dealing with work and work-related issues. It has a unique tripartite membership structure, under which governments, employers' and workers' organizations act as equal partners, making decisions representative of the real economy. -

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Positive Growth for Malaysia Tourism Sector

Scale of Opportunity High for Renewable Energy Sector

Malaysia, which attracted about 21 million tourists in 2008, can still harbor for positive growth despite the world economic crisis and recession in Singapore, its biggest tourism market, said the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Its Strategic Intelligence Director John Koldowski said Malaysia had been doing extremely well in recent years. While the recession in Singapore was bound to impact the number of travelers and money spent in Malaysia, there was still room for growth from the republic, he added.

Global investment in renewable energy increased to US$ 243 billion in 2010, up five-fold from 2009 according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. However, future investment in the renewable energy sector faces challenges from policy development, regulatory frameworks and economic market forces, according to industry leaders at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) which has been taking place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) since Jan. 17. Several highly respected figures from governments and capital markets debated the challenges facing future investment in the renewable energy sector during the WFES 2011 Finance and Investment Forum today in Abu Dhabi. During a keynote address, Dr. Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of International Energy Agency (IEA), France, gave his assessment of current and future investment in the renewable energy sector and touched on some of the challenges the sector faces.

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UAE Global Humanitarian Assistance Drive

Humanitarian assistance is one of the salient features of the UAE foreign policy. According to Global Humanitarian Assistance (2010), the UAE has become the first non-western nation in the global top 10 humanitarian aid donors per head of population. Donations of US$138.9 million in 2009, an average of $30.30 (Dh111.28) per person, put the country in seventh place. The United Arab Emirates has pledged US$7,194,000 for a number of UN development programmes and funds during the year 2012. Ambassador Ahmed Al-Jarman, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations announced this before the United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities 2011. UAE celebrated its 40th National Day on December 2, 2011. During all these years, UAE government, its charities, i.e. Khalifa Bin Zayed Humanitarian Foundation, UAE Red Crescent, UAE Armed Forces, Zayed Foundation for humanitarian and charitable work and Sharja Charitable Society and people achieved new skies of generosity by rigorously initiating diversified humanitarian assistance activities around the globe during 2011. UAE charities carried forward the golden spirits of generous humanitarian assistance programs in all the continents of the world not confined to Australian flood, New Zealand’s earthquakes, Palestine camps, Libya, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Thailand, Afghanistan and the last but not the least Pakistan for the help of needy people confronted colossal natural catastrophes. According to Global Humanitarian Assistance (2010), UAE is now the second largest non-DAC donor of humanitarian aid since 2004. A large number of development projects relating to education, infrastructure, health, clean drinking water have also been carried forward in different parts of the world especially with the help of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and Dubai Cares. Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Palestine Authority, Seychelles and the South Pacific were the main recipients of aid during 2011. UAE is our strategic partner which always stands first to extend generous humanitarian assistance in times of national crises in shape of devastating floods, fatal earthquakes or thunderstorms. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE is always the first one to respond immediately on the requests of government of Pakistan by advising the UAE charities for relief goods and other related activities. UAE Charities humanitarian assistance programs and gigantic efforts in the relief, rescue, recovery and rehabilitation fields in earthquake of 2004 and also series of floods 2010-2011 have already won the hearts and souls of the struggling local people. UAE Armed Forces played a magnificent by carrying out grand operations of rescue, distribution of relief goods, and logistics to different parts of Pakistan. Chinooks rigorously participated in the humanitarian assistance activities in the most flood affected regions of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochitsan. UAE Military Field Hospitals launched effective vaccination campaigns to save children, women and elderly people from different diseases. Water purification plants were also set up to provide clean drinking water in the most flood affected areas.

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