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UAE elected Vice Chair of UNESCO’s committee for promotion of cultural diversity
Abu Dhabi, UAE - The UAE has been elected the Vice Chair of the UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee (IGC) for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions for 2025. The appointment acknowledges the UAE’s contributions to cultural diversity and its role in fostering a multicultural and civilized tapestry...
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Two road accidents leave 32 dead in Turkey
Two separate road accidents in southeast Turkey have left at least 32 people dead, including firefighters, emergency workers and journalists. One of the accidents, according to the governor of the region, involved a bus, an emergency team and an ambulance. -
Women blaze a new trail in Egypt
In a country where few women have formal jobs, the Cairo metro’s pioneering decision to hand over the controls of trains to women has invoked mixed reactions in commuters. -
Iran forest ranger killed outside court in revenge attack
The attacker, the father of the victim that forest ranger had allegedly killed, fled from the scene with his accomplice. Shortly before the killing, another relative of the victim attacked the prison guard accompanying the forest ranger with an axe, wounding him in the hand. -
Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed issues directives for ADIHEX 2022
Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers’ Club (EFC), has issued directives for the development of the strategy of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX). -
Dubai sets off drive, warning of ‘human trafficking in digital space’
Seeking to raise awareness on trafficking in people, the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) has set off a campaign "human trafficking in the digital space" to educate people and bring attention to the victims. -
France demands release of three arrested Iranian filmmakers
France has expressed deep concern at the "arbitrary" arrests of three Iranian filmmakers, including international prize-winners Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof. Panahi and Rasoulof were "arbitrarily arrested" earlier this month along with Mostafa Aleahmad, the French foreign ministry said. -
Award-winning Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi arrested
Award-winning dissident Iranian film-maker Jafar Panahi was arrested Monday, the third director to be detained in less than a week, the Mehr news agency said. -
Reforms crucial to revive pandemic-hit culture sector
The sector also saw a decline of 25 percent of its Gross Value Added in 2020. However, while most of the sector suffered a sharp decline, online publishing and audiovisual platforms experienced growth due to increased reliance on digital content during the pandemic, the joint report highlighted. -
Gentrified Cairo has no room for homes on Nile
Dozens of vibrantly colored floating homes have for decades dotted the banks of the River Nile, rare havens of leafy seclusion in the Egyptian capital's hustle and bustle. -
Global Village gives wings to entrepreneurs, innovators
Dubai's multicultural family shopping and entertainment hub provides a unique platform to SMEs to test creative and innovative business concepts, says Naveen Jain of Global Village. -
Saudi Arabia and Italy to explore investment opportunities
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Investment will host a high-level Italian business delegation on Monday to explore mutually beneficial investment opportunities. The Italian delegation would be led by Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio. The forum will focus on finance, infrastructure and mobility, tourism and culture,... -
Iran arrests 120 party-goers for breaking ‘morality rules’
Police have arrested 120 people for breaking Iran's segregation and morality rules at a party in the forest in the northern province of Mazandaran, state media reported Sunday. -
Syria takes first steps to rebuild its past
A Syrian desert monastery that was once a hub for interfaith dialogue, attracting tens of thousands, has reopened to visitors after more than a decade of war and isolation. -
Turkish site holds secrets to dawn of civilization
On a sun-blasted hillside in southeast Turkey, the world's oldest known religious sanctuary is slowly giving up its secrets. -
Sufi dervishes of Egypt keep alive old tradition
In a 500-year-old stone theatre in the Egyptian capital, two young dervishes spin ceaselessly. Slowly, then all at once, they are consumed in a flurry of vivid fabrics. -
Dubai ranks second globally in attracting FDI in creative economy
Dubai ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and second in the world in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI)Â in cultural and creative industries (CCI) in 2021. Dubai attracted 233 new projects in the creative economy in 2021. Surpassing other major cities such as New York, Singapore... -
Saudi Arabia re-elected as chair of ALECSO’s Executive Council
The Arab ministers praised the initiative of the Chairman of the Executive Council of ALECSO, Hani bin Moqbel Al-Moqbel, to develop the Council’s road map. -
Not just business hub, Dubai is music, food destination too
The locals, residents, and visitors have once again started flocking to museums, historical and heritage sites, and public libraries, according to DCAA data. Trips to these locations totaled 521,753 during 2021, with heritage sites accounting for half of those visits, followed by libraries at 39 percent and museums at 11... -
Abu Dhabi tourism department readies to launch summer campaign
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) will announce its summer campaign at Arabian Travel Market (ATM), alongside a series of new initiatives and global partnerships. Sharing the best of Abu Dhabi with the world, travel partners and some surprise guests, DCT Abu Dhabi will... -
Sharjah, Tunisia to cooperate on cultural heritage preservation
The Tunisian side highlighted the importance of joining forces with Sharjah, which will reflect positively on the efforts to protect and preserve the heritage. -
Middle East: What are the most influential values?
Different values are given different magnitudes of priority across the world. Here are the ones that the Middle East is influenced the most from. -
Eygpt releases nine Coptic Christians detained for three months
Egyptian state security released nine Coptic Christians who had been detained for nearly three months following a protest demanding the rebuilding of their church, rights groups said Sunday. They were released on Sunday morning, the day that Coptic Christians celebrate Easter, the village priest told AFP. -
Iraqi Christians celebrate arrival of ‘Holy Fire’
With joyous ululations, thousands of Iraqis have celebrated for the first time the arrival of the "Holy Fire" brought from Christianity's holiest site in Jerusalem to mark Orthodox Easter. -
Greece’s Ionian Islands eye UAE to woo tourists
Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou, Mayor of Greece's Ionian Islands, explains how an enhanced cultural and tourism ties with UAE will be mutually beneficial for both countries. -
Morocco arrests four people for involvement in organ trafficking
Moroccan police have arrested four people suspected of involvement in an international drug and organ trafficking network operating in particular between Morocco and Turkey, a security source said Tuesday. -
UAE tops gender equality in Arab countries
In the UAE, and the wider Arab world, many women have been successful in upturning the prevalent prejudice that a woman's place is in the home. -
UFC, martial arts group, to return to UAE in October
The world’s premier mixed martial arts organization UFC will return to UAE in October 2022 at Abu Dhabi Showdown Week in Etihad Arena. -
A camel beauty contest with $275,000 cash prize
The lips pouted to perfection, the neck was long and poised, and the judges were sure that no Botox was involved as they awarded Qatar's largest cash prize for a camel beauty contest in front of an enthusiastic crowd. -
ICESCO to cooperate with Qatari institutions and authorities
The Director-General of ICESCO Salim bin Mohammed Al-Malik met with Ambassador of Qatar to Morocco Sheikh Abdullah bin Thamer -
In Iraq’s Mosul, library rises from ashes of IS reign
Arab and international universities have donated to "enable the revival of the library" in Mosul. -
Saudi Arabia fills ‘exposed wells’ after Moroccan boy’s death
Saudi Arabia has said it filled and fortified thousands of abandoned wells across the country, after the tragic death of a boy in Morocco following failed rescue efforts. Five-year-old Rayan, who spent five days trapped down a well, was laid to rest on Monday in his village. -
Oman fines men for wearing wrong dishdasha
The hallmark of the Gulf sultanate, the long and elegant robes Dishdashas, have fallen prey to rising hemlines and elaborate embroidery, with some wearers also going for multicolored designs. -
Morocco closes ramshackle cinemas as pandemic hits hard
Only 27 theatres in Morocco remain open, relying heavily on state funding for renovations and digitizing films. -
Iraq struggles to transform Saddam Hussein’s crumbling palaces
Iraq is struggling to transform hundreds of palaces built and used by former dictator Saddam Hussain. -
Byzantine church comes back to life in Gaza
The remains of a fifth century Byzantine church were unveiled in Gaza on Monday following a three-year restoration project, with the strip's Hamas Islamist rulers touting an embrace of their "Christian brothers." -
Iraq reclaims five new artifacts from US
Farid Yassin, the Ambassador of Iraq to the America says that the recovered artifacts are part of the history and heritage of the Iraqi people, thus they belong to Iraq. -
Stray animals of Baghdad find comfort in new refuge
Bella the dog can barely stand after being abused, but she is now receiving care from a Baghdad refuge that hopes to become Iraq's first veterinary clinic for stray animals. -
Iraq mosque concealed 12th-century prayer room
About six meters underground, four interconnected ablution rooms built of stone and plaster which measures three meters in height and 3.5 meters in width were found along with the extensive prayer room at Al-Nuri mosque in Iraq. -
Arabic instrumentalist hopes to ‘change soul’ of Iraq with music
Naseer Shamma, an icon of the Arabic oud, has returned home to help rekindle the flame of Iraqi music, snuffed out by decades of conflict. -
Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism sets $272 business license fee
In a bid to promote the growth of the tourism industry in Abu Dhabi, the emirate's Department of Culture and Tourism has set the annual tourism business license fee at AED 1,000. The department said in a statement the revised fee would be welcome news to existing license holders who... -
Saudi drive to widen literacy rate pays off
Saudi Arabia's drive to increase literacy rate in the kingdom seems to be bearing fruit. According to the ministry of education the illiteracy rate has dropped from 5.6 percent in 2019 to 3.7 percent in 2021. -
UAE’s most awaited falconry event Telwah to begin Dec 28
The most awaited new season of Fazza Championship for Falconry- Telwah, organized by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Centre (HHC), will start from 28 December and will last until 14 January 2022 in Al Ruwayyah, Dubai. Telwah (lure in Arabic) is one of the UAE’s most honored heritage sports and... -
SBA signs pact with Rimini Meeting for cross-cultural exchange
Prominent world personalities hosted at Rimini Meeting over the years include Pope Francis; Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former UN Secretary-General -
UAE Declaration of Arabic Language launched by Sheikh Mohammed
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister, on Tuesday launched the UAE Declaration of Arabic Language at Expo 2020 Dubai. The declaration aims to draw out a unified roadmap for various institutions in Arab countries. The declaration was introduced in the presence of the Arab Ministers... -
Mosul museum restores pre-Islamic treasures ruined in Iraq war
The Iraqi government is trying to restore ancient artifacts from the Mosul museum. -
Sheikha Fatima gets most influential figure in women’s rights award
The conference was organized by the ACSR, under the patronage of the Arab League. -
Proposed bill in Iran looks to ban pets including cats, dogs
The animals that may be banned under the proposed law include 'crocodiles, turtles, snakes, lizards, cats, mice, rabbits, dogs and other unclean animals as well as monkeys.' This has led to protests and ridicule, especially on social media. -
In Iraq, little people football team dreams big
Twice a week, a small football pitch in Iraq offers the 25-member national squad of little people a chance to fulfill dreams and tackle prejudice. -
Kuwait Theater Festival to develop cultural movement, foster talent: Minister
Kuwait Theater Festival is a civilizational platform that contributes to the development of the cultural and theatrical movement in Kuwait, said Kuwait's Minister of Information and Culture, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi. The 21st edition of the festival opened on Wednesday under the patronage of Al-Mutairi... -
A filmmaker who won hearts at Lebanese festival
Kuwaiti director Maysaa Al-Mumin received, Thursday, special mention for film, "J'ai Le Cafard" or Daughter of Wardan, in fifth edition of Lebanese's sci-fi and horror film festival, Maskoon.