The Rolling Stones rock Abu Dhabi

The magic begins. The Rolling Stones start the concert on time

Wow! I still can’t get around to saying anything else!

And I was there!!!

“There” is of course the kickoff, right here in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, to the legendary Rolling Stones’ 14 On Fire tour.

It was a dream come true to see these legends live, thanks to the friendship and generosity of my friend Kamal, who got me the ticket as a Christmas present.

I was really, really there!

And I got upgraded to Fire Pit, meters away from the stage

I was also lucky to go to the concert with a great group of friends -- thejamjar owners Hetal and Neel as well as Michal and Preety. And to top it all, we were upgraded to the Fire Pit, right in front of the stage. It couldn’t get any better.

After arriving at the fantastic du Arena on Yas Island for early entry at sunset, we entered the Pit, got comfortable and braced for a long wait. But no… Although they are among the biggest stars in music, they not only started on time, but about 10 minutes before 9 p.m.

As Mich Jageer led the band on stage, I had tears in my eyes. I couldn’t believe they were actually right there, a few meters from me. I am sure everyone else had the same feeling.

Some of the 30,000 fans who attended the memorable concert had come from all over the world. There was one father and his son from Scotland, the American couple on their 28th concert and the Danish couple attending their 48th.

Two men behind me knew every single word of every single song. At one point it was difficult to tell if it was them singing or Mick Jagger. I guess there are always spoilers. They also took the excitement out of the surprise of the next song as they knew the song list by heart and announced it each time.

Although I was there to mainly see Ronnie Wood strum that guitar in the flesh, Mich Jagger is absolute magic and charisma; Keith Richards, well you have to see to believe; Charlie Watts did have a few smiles. And Mich Taylor, Chuck Leavell, Bobby Keys and Lisa Fischer just added fairy dust to the magic.

Ronnie Wood

Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards

The band gave their all for nearly two hours. Mick was relentless, running up and down the 40-meter runway into the crowd and even got Ronnie Wood and Keith Richards to join him at one point. He dazzled in super sequined red, green and purple sequined jackets over his Rick Owens black top. He ended with a red-feathered coat.

A relentless Mick Jagger...

... kept running up and down the 40-meter runway into the crowd

The energy among the band members only comes from a partnership of years. And it was refreshing to see Ronnie and Keith smoking on stage without all the politically correct mumbo jumbo.

They kicked off with, Start Me Up and wooed us with It’s Only Rock ‘N’ Roll (But I Like It), Angie, Paint It Black and Jumpin’ Jack Flash.

There was also: You Got Me Rocking, Tumbling Dice, Emotional Rescue, Doom And Gloom, Honky Tonk Women, Band Introductions, Midnight Rambler, Miss You and Gimme Shelter which UAE fans voted as their favorite song and requested on Social Media platforms.

Keith Richards: "I'm happy anywhere"

Keith Richards sang Slipping Away and Before They Make Me Run, telling the crowd, “I’m happy to be here,” and adding: “I’m happy to be anywhere.”

But above all, it was the music that was absolute magic. Every guitar strum, every drumbeat, every key, every sound was pure rock’n’roll and pure gold.

We were treated to two encores, The first with Sympathy For The Devil and Brown Sugar. The second with You Can’t Always Get What You Want (with the UAE’s Al Khubairat singers) and to top the night (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.

But satisfied we all were. (You can see more pictures here.)

If any fans in Japan, Macau, Shanghai, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand -- where the “boys” take the 14 On Fire tour next -- are in any doubt about getting tickets, do it! You won’t regret it.

Thank you Mick, Ronnie, Keith and Charlie for the music and the magic. Keep rocking…

No rides with strangers, even Abu Dhabi Crown Prince!

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed waits with the schoolgirl

If you were offered a ride by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, I think you would be in pretty safe hands!!

Not so the little girl in the picture above.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed spotted her sitting in front of a school in the UAE capital while driving by. He stopped to find out whether anything was wrong or if she was lost.

The schoolgirl said she was waiting for her parents to pick her but they were late.

When the Crown Prince offered to drive her home, she said she was not supposed to speak to strangers and not to accept rides from them either.

When Sheikh Mohammed introduced himself, she still refused. So he sat down with her on the pavement to wait for the parents to show up. I hope they are very proud of her.

I saw the story on Facebook yesterday but I can’t remember where and that's why I haven't been able to give credit for the photograph.  

UAE at 41 makes history young again

Today is my seventh UAE National Day in Dubai.

It is with thanks and joy that I join in celebrating my host country’s 41st anniversary.

I arrived in Dubai just before National Day in 2006. Since, it has since been a day to mark both milestones and an occasion for nationals and residents to count their blessings in a country that is happy, refined, united and supportive of its leaders.

Sunday, December 2, marks the formal independence of the UAE from the United Kingdom and the 1971 unification of its seven component emirates – namely, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Al Fujairah.

The “Spirit of the Union” is derived from the vision and leadership of the father of the nation, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. It lives on through UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and their five fellow members of the Federal Supreme Council – Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi (ruler Sharjah), Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al Sharqi (ruler of Al Fujairah), Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi (ruler of Ras Al Khaimah), Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla (ruler of Umm Al Quwain), and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi (ruler of Ajman).

I landed in Dubai on Friday afternoon after a two-week holiday in Beirut. I was greeted with black skies, thunder, lightning and torrential rain -- all signs of khair and baraka for National Day.

Dubai and the six emirates are set to celebrate National Day after a month-long buildup. Public roads, villas, apartments and office buildings, gardens, parks, cars… practically everything is decked out in the colors of the UAE national flag, under the slogan “Spirit of the Nation.” And, us expatriates, are giving thanks for having a home away from home. This has been profusely expressed on Social Media platforms.

In the words of our beloved Sheikh Mo -- His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai: “One main reason behind the success of our Union is the one-team spirit, found in every citizen. The way forward is to strengthen this spirit. We are one nation, with one constitution, one flag, one army, and one president -- Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed. Everyone, everywhere, must work hard as one team, one spirit, with one vision, and unified effort. That is the true Spirit of Union.”

The late Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid

Sheikh Mo says on his Facebook page: “We continue today talking about Spirit of Union. Last year, I spoke about a meeting between Zayed and Rashid that eventually led to the Union. Sheikh Zayed told Sheikh Rashid: ‘We laid the foundation, now we can build the wall.’ I never forgot such words, and later I understood what they meant. Zayed and Rashid were not dreaming of power or positions. They wanted to build a nation, with an army, airports, hospitals and universities. They achieved their vision. This is the Spirit of Union -- to have a vision and the inspired energy to achieve it. This is how history is made.”

Sheikh Mo's post on his Facebook page

“…I would like to share some thoughts and ideas under the banner of Spirit of the Union,” Sheikh Mo added. “First, I say to the youth of our beloved nation, the story of UAE is not limited to 41 years only. Our history stretches back thousands of years. Read about Umm al-Nar Civilization that goes back to more than 2000 BC, Jalfar in the 4th century and the remains in Jumeirah from the Umayyad era. Read about the stories of heroism of our people while facing the foreign invasions in the past few centuries. Knowing our history is a key part of the Spirit that ties us together. The great stories of our people will continue well into the future…”

Sheikh Mo plants a "Union Tree"

Sheikh Mo launched a tree-planting campaign in the Spirit of the Union at Union House, on Jumeirah Beach Road, where the first UAE flag was raised 41 years ago. He said, “I hope we all use National Day to plant a ‘Union Tree,’ taking care of it and maintaining it just like our Union. I also hope you share with me, on Twitter, photos of the ‘Union Trees’ you planted with your families and friends in your homes or workplaces. We will share these images with each other online and show the world, how much we love UAE and our Union.”

On Sheikh Mo’s advice, I went in search of information about Umm al-Nar. I hadn’t heard of it before.

The island of Umm al-Nar, close to the capital, Abu Dhabi, has given its name to one of the major periods in the history of southeastern Arabia -- the Umm al-Nar Civilization.

It turns out the island, first excavated in 1959 by a Danish team and subsequently surveyed by archaeologists from the UAE and Iraq, yielded finds dating back to around 2500-2000 BC when it was involved in fishing and the smelting of copper, exported to the empires of Mesopotamia.

Archaeologists discovered a cemetery of about 50 above-ground tombs. Some are round -- 6-12 meters in diameter, several meters high -- and divided into chambers accessed through small, trapezium-shaped entrances. Each chamber was designed to contain several bodies. The ring walls of the larger buildings were sometimes decorated with carvings of Oryx, ox, snakes and camels. 

Much can be determined about the activities of the islanders from the objects found within the tombs and throughout the settlement area.

One of the tombs at Umm al-Nar

These include personal adornments – necklaces, jewelry, gold hairpins; copper weapons and imported red pottery vessels crafted and decorated with elaborate designs. Fish hooks and net sinkers clearly illustrate the people’s dependence on the sea for food.

Dugongs or sea-cows seem to have been a staple of the diet and the hide and oil were also used. Now a protected species, dugongs must have once been plentiful, for many of their bones have been identified from the organic material found on the site.

It is almost certain the region underwent a significant climate change since there is no archaeological evidence of large stone buildings on the coast and islands off Abu Dhabi after around 2000 BC. The Bronze Age people could maybe not survive in the increasingly arid environment and developed a more nomadic lifestyle, returning to the islands only during the cooler winter season. This is supported by the analysis of the bones of birds no longer native to the region. These include the giant heron (Ardea bennuides), now extinct and known only from this site; the Darter (Anhinga melanogaster), now found no nearer than the marshes of the Tigris/Euphrates Delta; and Bruce’s green pigeon (Treron aff. waalia) which is found no closer than Dhofar in Oman. 

Since the late 1970s, Umm al-Nar has been the site of the UAE's first oil refinery, which refines crude from the onshore fields of the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO), for local consumption. Associated with the refinery is a chlorine plant, while there is also a major water desalination and power generation complex on the island. But the archaeological sites are carefully protected and preserved.

The Umm al-Nar Civilization expanded to settlements on the island of Ghanadha, between Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In 1986, two burial sites were uncovered in Al Muwaihat in Ajman as well as evidence of the civilization in the village of Bidya north of Fujairah, Shamal in Ras Al Khaimah, Al Dur in Umm Al Quwain, Al Sofouh in Dubai and Maliha in Sharjah.

Some of the Tweets and Facebook posts

As one of the tens of thousands of expatriates who were lucky to land on the sunny, blissful and safe shores of the United Arab Emirates, I wish the country, its leaders and its people a Happy National Day.

Wise up, reckless drivers!

Most of us know at least one Road Traffic Victim… I wish this weren’t so!

Today, November 20, is World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), road traffic crashes kill nearly 1.3 million people every year and injure or disable as many as 50 million more. They are the leading cause of death among people aged 10-24 years.

Dad Esa -- Jeddah, 1950

It is a day I didn’t know was commemorated. It is very dear to my heart as I lost my dad, Esa, to a drink driving accident in December 1973. He was 65. Dad had just retired from a long spell as a civil servant and had embarked on a new life in his preferred profession of being a lawyer in Bahrain when he was hit one night by a young man driving under the influence of alcohol.

To be robbed of a husband and father because of a drunk driver, in Bahrain out of all places, is beyond words or words that can appear in print.

Reckless and drink driving is something that happens on the roads all over the world. But I was shocked at the speed of driving and recklessness and disregard for all highway codes in Dubai since I have been in Dubai.

Why don’t drivers signal? Why do they blind you with their headlights (I had one accident because of that)? Why do they drive so fast? Don’t they have families? Why? Why? And why do drivers have to use their mobiles on the road? What is so urgent? 

In October 2005, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on governments to mark the third Sunday in November as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. The day was created to give recognition to victims of road traffic crashes and the plight of their relatives who must cope with the emotional and practical consequences of their unexpected and tragic loss.

WHO and the UN Road Safety Collaboration encourage governments and NGOs around the world to commemorate this day to draw the public’s attention to road traffic crashes, their consequences and costs, and the precautionary measures liable to prevent them.

In May 2011, the international community marked the start of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020. Governments acknowledged the threat of road traffic deaths to health and development, and committed themselves to the Decade goal of saving five million lives and preventing 50 million injuries. Some used this occasion to release national Decade plans and new road safety legislation targeted at drinking and driving, speeding and using helmets, seat-belts and child car seats.

WHO says 3000 people die on the world’s roads every day and several million are injured or disabled each year. About 124 people are dying every hour and hundreds are severely disabled and injured. It notes the Middle East and North Africa have above average road accident rates.

In Dubai, I found that the Suraya Foundation, a non-profit road safety organization, has partnered with educators, the media, the creative community and families who have been affected by tragic accidents to help spread the awareness of safe driving and educating the community on how safe driving can save lives.

Founder Mohd Shahnawaz knows first-hand what it is like to lose a loved one due to a reckless driving accident. His younger sister Suraya (read her story) was killed in a hit and run accident in March 2009. In honor of her memory, he has made it his goal to spread awareness on the dangers of reckless driving. 

By spreading emotionally compelling messages through awareness campaigns and mass media, the Suraya Foundation is hoping to change the attitudes of rash drivers and get them to drive safely.

One of the Suraya Foundation campaigns is “Take the Oath,” a project where you take a vow to be a safer driver on the road using a checklist as a guide.

WHO says UAE residents are seven times more likely to die in a car accident compared to UK inhabitants. Road accidents are the second major cause of deaths in the UAE, where car accident deaths have been increasing every year (except in 2009 when fatalities dropped 10 percent).

Most car accidents in the UAE, it says, are due to heedless driving. Experts suggest educating drivers and teaching them traffic safety and courteous driving rules could change this.

Indeed, last week I read about another accident, this time involving a cyclist… It was the case of another family robbed of a loved one.

An article in Daily Tech quotes UAE Police as saying traffic accidents dropped 40 percent in Abu Dhabi and 20 percent in Dubai in October, when millions of BlackBerry users around the world were disconnected for about four days.

On this day of remembrance, maybe it’s a good time to take the oath and be a safe driver. Please drive carefully and responsibly and be safe.

Abu Dhabi world wonder needs you

Bu Tinah Island (photo via www.butinah.ae/en/)

What are the seven things you can remember?

That’s what we will find out on November 11 after more than 100 million votes would have been cast to select what represents global heritage throughout history.

The Seven Ancient Wonders of the World were all man-made monuments, selected by Philon of Byzantium in 200 BC. Today, only the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt remain. His selection of wonders was essentially a travel guide for fellow Athenians, and the stunning sites were all located around the Mediterranean basin, the then-known world.

Today, rather than being chosen by one person, the New 7 Wonders of Nature will be picked by millions of people worldwide.

Bu Tinah Island, a UAE natural treasure, is the only finalist from the Arabian Gulf in the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition.

Building the Bu Tinah Experience dome on Abu Dhabi Corniche

The Bu Tinah dome at night (photo by Khaled Akbik)

If you have visited Abu Dhabi recently, you might be wondering what the giant white dome on the Corniche is. You’re in for a wonderful surprise.

It’s a project by the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) to bring Bu Tinah Island to the general public. It includes a turtle rehabilitation center and a mangrove nursery.

Off the western coast of the UAE capital, Bu Tinah is restricted to visitors, except for scientific research. It is a protected marine area where nature is respected and allowed to flourish. Bu Tinah is an important ecosystem that has thrived through protection of the island’s unique environment, and the conservation of its habitats and inhabitants.

Bu Tinah is part of the Marawah Marine Biosphere Reserve (MMBR), a UNESCO-recognized site and the region’s first and largest Marine Biosphere Reserve (MBR). Such sites are vital to promote more harmonious partnerships between natural and human activities. They are key to the future of sustainable development.

In 2007, the MMBR became the first site in the UAE to be recognized as a biosphere reserve. It covers an area of some 4,255 square kilometers and includes Marawah, Jenanah, Salahah, Al Buzm al Gharbi and Bu Tinah islands.

The MMBR is unique in that its inhabitants thrive under some of the highest temperatures and harshest living conditions in the world. Lessons on how to withstand global warming and climate change learned from this biosphere are highly relevant to the region and the world.

The UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program is a collaborative effort of scientific communities worldwide to study the relationship between humans and the environment and to provide solutions for global scientific, environmental, societal and developmental issues. Since being established in the 1970s, there are currently 580 biosphere reserves in 114 countries. These sites are essential to achieving sustainable development in future.

Bu Tinah Island Dugongs (www.butinah.ae/en/)

Bu Tinah Island has the highest density of Dugongs per square meter in the world. The Dugong, the island’s shyest character, is a gentile and graceful marine mammal also known as the Sea Cow.

One of Bu Tinah's Hawksbill turtles (www.butinah.ae/en/)

Green and Hawksbill turtles thrive on the island with three species of seagrass and over 21 species of marine algae. The endangered Hawksbill Turtle returns there every year to nest. Over 600 have been born on Bu Tinah this year alone, .

Model of the Socotra Cormorant in the dome

Several bird species spend their winters on the island. Osprey, the Western-reef Heron, and the Bridled and White-cheeked Tern stopover and breed there too. It is also where the Socotra Cormorant has found its home, with approximately 20,000 to 25,000 birds making it their annual retreat. There is a long stretch of mangroves along the backwaters that reach an average height of five meters.

The New 7 Wonders of Nature finalists (new7wonders.com)

Bu Tinah has been shortlisted as a finalist from almost 500 sites of outstanding natural beauty from around the world in the environmental prize of prizes, known as the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The global campaign began in 2007 to vote for a new list of seven natural wonders. From 440 nominations, from over 220 countries, based on beauty of the nominated site, ecological substance, historical legacy and geographical location, the list was narrowed down to 77. It is now down to 28 finalists.

The competition closes on 11/11/11, so there is less than a month for a final push to support conservation and protect the UAE’s natural heritage by voting for Bu Tinah.

Because of the importance of conserving Bu Tinah, activities on and around the island are limited. That’s where the Bu Tinah Experience comes in – and the dome on the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

Model of a dolphin inside the Bu Thinah Experience dome

A turtle in the dome's lagoon (photo by Khaled Akbik)

The island has been recreated for people to catch sight of what life on Bu Tinah is like. This initiative by EAD is to raise awareness on the UAE’s biodiversity. Inside the dome there is a lagoon with live endangered turtles from UAE waters and a mangrove nursery. The turtles are part of a rehabilitation initiative that rescues injured animals before releasing them back in the areas they were found.

In the UAE, you can support Bu Tinah by sending an SMS with the word “BuTinah” to 3888 as many times as you like. Supporters around the world can also vote online on www.butinah.ae

EAD was established in 1996 to preserve Abu Dhabi’s natural heritage, protect the future, and raise awareness of environmental issues. It is Abu Dhabi’s environmental regulator and advises the government on environmental policy. It creates sustainable communities, and protects and conserves wildlife and natural resources.

EAD regularly monitors the turtles’ nesting and foraging habitats – providing vital information on clutch size, incubation period, hatching success and nesting patterns. It also investigates the species’ main causes of mortality in the region which have been identified as drowning in abandoned or illegal fishing nets (48%) followed by boat strikes (25%).

A robotic egg-laying turtle in the dome

Of the seven species of marine turtles in the world, two predominantly occur in Abu Dhabi’s waters: the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the endangered Green turtle (Cheloniamydas mydas). Worldwide, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies the Hawksbill turtle as “critically endangered.” In Abu Dhabi, turtles nest on at least 17 offshore islands from mid-March to mid-June.

The dome has an eco-cinema where visitors can view episodes of The Environment Show with Ask Ali series. The first episode was dedicated to the critically endangered Hawksbill turtle. A new episode of the series will be screened every week until November 13.

Ali Al Saloom introduces The Environment Show with Ask Ali

Each episode of the series will cover critical environmental issues of relevance to the Emirates. The series is part of a long-term collaboration project between EAD and Ali Al Saloom (better known as Ask Ali), EAD’s Environmental Awareness Ambassador and UAE cultural ambassador and columnist.

The dome is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. until November 13. Entrance is free.

If you haven’t voted yet, have a look at the video below!

 Good luck to the UAE and to Bu Tinah.

Related posts:

Turtles tutorial at Orange House – September 16, 2011

GeekFest lands in Abu Dhabi

Naeema Zarif's poster for Abu Dhabi

The GeekFest road show moved to the UAE capital Thursday night (3 March), literally with a GeekFest bus. UNorganized, as usual, by Abbas Jaffar Ali, Hitesh Uchil and Yasmin of tbreak.com -- the technology, gaming and movie guide website -- it took place at media and creative free zone TwoFour54.

Abu Dhabi now joins Dubai, Damascus, Beirut, Amman and Cairo in staging GeekFest.

As my sister, Asma, never understands what I’m on about when I get excited about a forthcoming GeekFest, it’s about getting people who communicate online to meet and interact. First, it’s free, unlike most other events. You come, meet people, listen to four or five GeekTalks, look at some TechnoCases, play a few games via GameFest or do none of the above and just have much fun.

And fun it was. GeekFest founder and Dubai UNorganizer Alexander McNabb arranged for a bus to ferry the Dubaians to the capital. Unfortunately, only six of us took up the offer. The others chose to drive privately and there were at least 25 of us from Dubai to help launch Abu Dhabi’s first event.

Ready for the ride: Suhail, Nick, Hisham, Mohammad and Sheban

Going by bus was like being back to school days. I was there for the bus ride 30 minutes early for fear of missing it. And had anyone peeped through our windows during the one-and-a half hour smooth journey to Abu Dhabi, they would have instantly guessed it had “funny” people on board – everyone (apart from me!) had one or two smart phones on them and Nick Rego, of tbreak Dubai, came well equipped with a special computer and gadgets to entertain us with music.

The iconic building at the entrance to Abu Dhabi

UAE President HH Sheikh Khalifa

We entered Abu Dhabi after catching sight of the iconic “dime” round and narrow building and a fleeting glimpse of the famous Sheikh Zayed Mosque and were deposited at the TwoFour54 media free zone that mirrors Dubai Media City.

Our heckles were soon raised when entering the Lime Green building where we were told not to take photographs and asked to leave ID at the front desk. You can imagine our reactions. On the bright side, I had the chance to use my Identity Card for the first time.

Our little group were among the first to get to the place but were welcomed by the tbreak team and Alexander McNabb trying to get online. It’s always embarrassing when technology doesn’t work at a GeekFest. But thanks to so many geeks around, especially Sheban, we quickly resumed contact with the world.

The Dubai community was feeling a bit smug – we have staged and been to GeekFests since 2009. And I also notched up one in Beirut in February 2010! But it has to be said the tbreak folk put on a good show and the huge room soon filled up with at least 60-70 people. And there was a good attendance by Emiratis which I hope will continue to increase.

Welcoming pizzas and ...

... soft drinks

And kudos for the catering! A table was laid out with about 40 pizza boxes of different varieties, soft drinks, juices, water and, above all, a coffee machine that churns out an excellent cappuccino. And although everyone generously helped themselves, the pizzas did not run out, nor did the drinks, water, juices or coffee.

Tbreak's Hitesh and Abbas

The highlights of a GeekFest are the talks and we were spoilt on that. These are supposed to run for 15 minutes each, but they never do, and in Abu Dhabi, we were still there at 10.30 pm.

Alexander McNabb kicks off the GeekTalks

The poster for GeekFest Cairo

Alexander McNabb kicked off by saying that “like all great speakers, I brought my rabble with me…” to which the Dubai crowd obliged with much noise. He gave a recap on how GeekFest came into being in 2009, introduced the posters designed by the awfully talented Lebanese visual artist Naeema Zarif and characteristic to each city and ended with the good news there would be an after-party at the Park Rotana.

Emirati filmmaker Nayla Al Khaja was next to address guerilla filmmaking and how to avoid censorship issues.

Nayla Al Khaja

Nayla spoke of the massive gap in the Emirates between Generation X and Generation Y and how at film festivals here local projects get butchered whereas foreign entries don’t. She says she gets around this by not asking for permission and watering the script down. For example, “one-way to get around the censors is to use the term fiancé instead of boyfriend. You have to find creative solutions,” she said.

Nayla pointed out the Emirates film industry is only nine years old. “Whereas in a country like Nigeria they produce 4,000 films a year, in the UAE we produce one.” She added that culture in the Emirates hasn’t had a gradual growth but, like everything else, has escalated quickly.  And she wondered how different it would be in another 10 years – “or will we still be getting warning letters” from the censors?

Nayla is the first woman film producer in the UAE and the CEO of D-SEVEN Motion Pictures and D-SEVEN FZ-LLC, a marketing and design agency that offers full media campaign and corporate branding services. Founded in 2002, the Dubai-based D-SEVEN production company produces commercial material, independent documentaries and films.

(You can see Nayla's slide presentation and more pictures of GeekFest Abu Dhabi here) 

Mark Makhoul from Kuwaiti blog 2:48AM, who is being sued by Benihana Kuwait for posting an opinion about their restaurant, was up next, by means of Skype. He updated us on the case and how he and his ad agency employers are dealing with the massive social media frenzy that followed.

Mark, whose court date is set for Tuesday (March 8), said he was invited to Benihana last week to meet the general manager and the owner. When asked what he wanted, Mark replied, “The case dropped.” The owner asked what he would get in return. So now it’s the owner who wants an apology to drop the case.

And so the Benihana saga carries on because “the owner feels his reputation has been tarnished and they are the victims and I am the bully,” Mark said. We will wait and see what happens Tuesday.

The last talk, which took up nearly an hour, was by Ali Al Saloum, an Emirati from Abu Dhabi and the man behind askali.com, the website aiming to break down misunderstanding and cultural barriers as well as provide general information about the UAE.

Ali Al Saloum...

...with his camel stick

A great and humorous speaker who sports a thin camel stick with him, Ali explained how with understanding and appreciation come acceptance and his purpose is to enlighten people about his country and make each of us an ambassador of the UAE, its values and its faith.

He also emphasized how in society, here in the Emirates, there is governmental law but more importantly cultural law applied by your family, neighbors and friends.

Ali has worked with the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s MICE department. His strong connection to UAE history and culture has given him the expertise to be a specialist tour guide to VIP guests. Currently, his enthusiasm to share his cultural insights and acquaint people with his region’s social, business and cultural environment has resulted in www.embracearabia.com and the Ask-Ali online information portal.

At the Park Rotana's Cooper's

By then we were all ready to head to the 5-star Park Rotana, Abu Dhabi. To celebrate the first GeekFest in the capital, Park Rotana offered a first drink free at Cooper’s to everyone in attendance.

The Gamers enjoying the TechnoCase

The TechnoCase was courtesy of EA-ME (Electronic Arts Middle East). They set up two huge screens in this case for the GameFest enthusiasts to have fun on games supplied by tbreak. The TechnoCases are a platform for companies to attend GeekFest and talk with people. In return, they pay GeekFest money that is spent on food and drink for the event and in this case the bus fare.

One little detail I thought was missing is the GeekFest posters. I collect them, you see.

It was a great night. Well done and thank you tbreak for a remarkable evening and GeekFest Abu Dhab. I look forward to the next one in two months!

(Catch all the GeekFest photos here)

Related articles

• GeekFest Abu Dhabi -- (fakeplasticsouks.blogspot.com
• GeekFest Abu Dhabi -- (MEGamers) 
• Geekfest Abu Dhabi - the NOT Dubai edition 
• Geekfest Abu Dhabi (hishamwyne.wordpress.com)