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DUBAI, Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti Al Maktoum, the Director of MoFAIC’s Dubai Office, met with Lars Steen Nielsen, Consul-General of the Kingdom of Denmark in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and received his credentials.
Sheikh Maktoum bin Butti Al Maktoum welcomed the Consul-General and hailed the political, economic, commercial and investment relations that bind the two friendly countries, wishing him success in his duties.
Source: Emirates News Agency
DUBAI, Expected to bring together 300 delegates and more than 40 global organisations, the Dubai Metaverse Assembly, organised by the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), will cement the city’s global status as a forerunner in the adoption of emerging technologies, leading UAE companies said today.
Majid Al Futtaim, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), Digital Dubai, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA) and DAMAC are among a cohort of businesses claiming the flagship event, which will feature more than 30 key leaders, experts, and decision-makers across more than 25 sessions and workshops, will be a quantum leap for the country’s private sector.
The event cements Dubai’s position as a major player in metaverse and web 3.0 technologies, providing a platform to explore how immersive digital worlds will reshape the future of business, society and human interaction.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Chairman of VARA, said, “Dubai Metaverse Assembly, organised by Dubai Future Foundation, under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, is a flagship launch that signals Dubai’s readiness to move forward with its Metaverse strategy – and industry engagement is at the core of its success. Aligned with the Emirate’s commitment to leading digital transformation as a prerequisite to the future economy, VARA as the world’s first specialised regulator for the Virtual Assets sector is proud to be part of this initiative. We look forward to facilitating progressive dialogues with global thought leaders, regulators, think tanks, governance custodians and most crucially, industry drivers – even as we collectively build towards responsible tomorrow.”
Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of DFF, said, “Demand for places at the inaugural Dubai Metaverse Assembly has been extortionary, reflecting the region’s desire to be at the forefront of the next evolutionary phase of the internet. We will continue to shape the future and embrace the extraordinary potential of new barrier-breaking technologies here. Over two days government and industry will come together to build global synergies, foster new partnerships, share knowledge and explore how we can accelerate the growth of Dubai’s digital economy.”
Christian Kunz, Senior Vice President, Strategy, DIFC, said, “Dubai is making progress on its goal to be one of the world’s top metaverse economies and DIFC is delighted to be partnering with the Dubai Future Foundation to advance this important agenda through the Dubai Metaverse Assembly. DIFC has been a pioneer for innovation and, shaping the Future of Finance and continues to invest in developing capabilities which will allow us to help Dubai achieve its metaverse ambitions.”
Joe Abi Akl, Chief Corporate Development Officer at Majid Al Futtaim Holding, said, “Dubai’s dedication to advancing technology and digital change is evidence of its leadership’s long-term thinking in terms of exponentially growing and future-proofing the economy. The ongoing metaverse innovation is a dynamic environment brimming with possibilities for unlocking the tremendous potential of the virtual world. The new developments being made represent an exciting range of opportunities to harness. As we support the Dubai Metaverse Assembly’s goal of elevating Dubai as one of the world’s top 10 metaverse economies in the world, Majid Al Futtaim will continue to spearhead the advancement of these technologies.”
Dr. Marwan Al Zarouni, Strategic Advisor at Digital Dubai, added, “Dubai is always a forerunner in the adoption of emerging technologies, and our government is always striving for leadership in the field of digital economy, the metaverse and web 3.0. The Dubai Metaverse Assembly will bring our government and strategic partners closer to technology providers from the industry and academic thought-leaders to pave the way and develop strategies and standards necessary to empower the rapid development of the metaverse.”
Ali Sajwani, General Manager of Operations, DAMAC Properties and Chief Executive Officer, D-Labs, said, “Digital assets are becoming an increasingly important part of DAMAC Properties’ operations. Through initiatives such as D-Labs, our team is pioneering the development of fully-fledged online communities, which offer cutting-edge digital real estate and retail experiences. This enables asset owners to interact with their neighbors in interactive virtual environments. Those who invest in our real estate also gain access to DAMAC’s digital assets, as well as Cavalli digital wearables and special de GRISOGONO collections. The Metaverse will play a significant role in taking our business into the future while continuing to branch out into uncharted digital realms. I look forward to discussing related opportunities during this month’s Dubai Metaverse Assembly.”
The Dubai Metaverse Assembly is the first event of its kind since H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum approved the Dubai Metaverse Strategy in July. The strategy aims to add $4 billion to Dubai’s GDP, support 40,000 virtual jobs by 2030 and attract 1,000 companies specialising in blockchain and metaverse technologies to turn Dubai into one of the world’s top 10 metaverse economies.
Source: Emirates News Agency
DUBAI, Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) today announced a new partnership with PwC Middle East that will see the international professional services consultancy join the Dubai Metaverse Assembly, organised by DFF, next week.
PwC Middle East will become the first and exclusive knowledge partner of the inaugural event, which is expected to bring 300 delegates, and more than 30 speakers from leaders, experts and decision-makers, in addition to more than 40 global companies together on 28-29 September.
It will contribute to discussions around how Dubai can shape the future of the metaverse and drive transformative change across business, communication, education, entertainment, gaming, travel, real estate, and other vital industries.
To that, Guy Parsonage, PwC’s Metaverse Lead, said, “At PwC, we believe that the metaverse is an evolution, not a revolution. And it’s one that business leaders should not ignore. For businesses, the implications of an immersive, persistent and decentralised digital world could be enormous. Our insights indicate that many consumers and businesses are willing to embrace and engage with the metaverse. And while not every company needs to become a metaverse leader today, it’s important for firms to take note of its evolution as it will profoundly change how consumers interact with products and services.”
He added, “The Dubai Metaverse Assembly is a key platform that will help both the private and public sectors to understand how and where these changes will take place. As the forum’s knowledge partner, we look forward to sharing our data-driven insights, and hands-on experience in developing a broad range of metaverse use cases from strategy through execution which will support the assembly’s objective of identifying the challenges and opportunities around the metaverse.”
A joint report co-authored by the Dubai Future Foundation and PwC Middle East will be published after the conclusion of the Dubai Metaverse Assembly. It will summarise the key trends and highlights from the conference, exploring how advanced technologies can be deployed to create a better future and quality of life for humanity.
The strategic partnership is part of DFF’s ongoing efforts to foster international cooperation and build global synergies to imagine, design and build a better future. It also underscores an ongoing ability to bring some of the world’s leading organisations together to share knowledge and expertise.
The Dubai Metaverse Assembly takes place at the Museum of the Future and AREA 2071, Emirates Towers. It is the first event of its kind since H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, approved the Dubai Metaverse Strategy in July. The strategy aims to add $4 billion to Dubai’s GDP, support 40,000 virtual jobs by 2030, and attract 1,000 companies specialising in blockchain and metaverse technologies to turn Dubai into one of the world’s top 10 metaverse economies.
Source: Emirates News Agency
DUBAI, Dubai-based Bedu, the UAE’s pioneer in Metaverse and Web3 technologies, today announced the launch of its Metaverse Project 2117.
The virtual world will be built to chronicle and celebrate the future milestones and potential breakthroughs leading to enhanced space exploration experience.
The launch was formalised during a special event at Dubai’s Museum of the Future.
At the event, Bedu unveiled the look and feel of its upcoming 2117 Metaverse, including experience areas that showcased the space pods that early joiners of the virtual world will use as housing units.
Project 2117 aims to become a 100-million-user metaverse environment in the next ten years by focusing on building every aspect of the virtual world around the community, user requirements, and the Decentralised Autonomous Organisation (DAO). The project will leverage blockchain and decentralised hosting techniques to deliver high-quality aesthetics.
Additionally, by focusing on storytelling, user experience, and scientific value – the 2117 Metaverse aims to increase Daily Active Users (DAU) and adoption rates within the web2.0 communities. Furthermore, Bedu will make citizenships available for purchase in the second half of October of this year, granting full access to this new metaverse experience.
“There is no greater illustration of the UAE’s tireless ambition and limitless vision than the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre’s Mars 2117 project,” said Amin Al Zarouni, CEO of Bedu. “At Bedu, we are committed to reflecting that ambition in digital spaces. Visitors to our 2117 Metaverse will be able to get a taste of the final frontier for themselves. Mars is only a destination for us; our values are more focused on humanity.”
The company also featured the unveiling of new 2117-themed work by prominent Los Angeles-based NFT artist Ryan Wilson, who has come to be known as ThankYouX.
Talks were given by company CEO, Amin Al Zarouni, and Co-Founder Misha Hanin, as well as Alexis Christodoulou, VP of Creative Design for the 2117 Metaverse Project. More than 100 people were in attendance, from government officials and partners to Web3 influencers and members of the media.
Source: Emirates News Agency
DUBAI, The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced that labourers can now complete the Awareness Programme requirements through the newly launched ‘self-guidance’ service on its app.
The service is available in 16 languages – Arabic, English, Urdu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tagalog, Chinese, Bengali, Pashto, French, Spanish, Sinhala, Nepali, Dutch, Russian and Swahili. Users will need to watch a 20-minute video that explains their rights and responsibilities, as well as the UAE’s culture and social norms.
Qasim Jameel, Director of Guidance at MoHRE, said, “The new initiative is part of the ministry’s digital transformation plan, which aligns with the UAE Digital Government Strategy. The new service aims to enhance the capabilities of the job market and facilitate employers’ and employees’ use of MoHRE’s services.”
“The ministry successfully transformed all guidance services to become digital, offering users multiple channels to reach their desired service, whether through the guidance services centres or via the app,” he added.
“The self-guidance entails raising awareness about the rights and responsibilities, and other aspects such as working hours and leave entitlements, as well as it educates labourers about the UAE’s culture and social norms.”
Source: Emirates News Agency
SHARJAH, The International Government Communication Centre (IGCC), a subsidiary of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB), has announced 53 nominees in 19 categories of the 9th edition of the Sharjah Government Communication Award (SGCA).
This year, the international award registered the highest number of submissions since its debut edition in 2013, with 600 applications from 80 entities locally and internationally. Totally, 250 submissions were accepted for the ninth edition after clearing the award’s requirements and regulations.
The nominee shortlist includes candidates from 13 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Belgium, Spain, France, Australia, and the UAE.
The coveted Sharjah award’s jury includes Mohammed Jalal Al Rayssi, Director-General of the Emirates News Agency (WAM); Ali Jaber, Director-General of the MBC Group and Dean of Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Communication at American University of Dubai (AUD); Sami Al Reyami, Editor-in-Chief of Emarat Al Youm newspaper; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of Sharjah Media Council; Shihab Alhammadi, Director of Sharjah Media City (Shams); Dr. Ali Salem Al Lawati, Adviser at the Diwan of Royal Court, Sultanate of Oman; Dr. Yasar Jarrar, bestselling author of The Sheikh CEO; and Fadila Al Muaini, Vice Chairperson of the UAE Journalists Association; and Mona El Shazly, Egyptian media figure.
The nominees for the “Best Public Communication by a Government Agency – Emirate of Sharjah” award include the Department of Planning and Survey, the Sharjah Digital Office, and the Sharjah International Airport Authority.
Nominees for the “Government Communication Model Employee – United Arab Emirates” award include Fatima Al-Sharqi from the Abu Dhabi Pension Fund; Khawla Al-Mujaini, Sharjah Book Authority, and Saif Matar Al Hajri, from Dubai Police General Command.
The Emirates Red Crescent Authority, the Sharjah Housing Programme, and Sharjah Police General Directorate have been shortlisted for the “Best Crisis Response – United Arab Emirates” award.
As for the “Best Government Communication Systems” award, the category comprises four subcategory awards, “A System for Persons with Disabilities”, “Training and Education”, “A System for the Elderly” and “Practices”.
The nominees for subcategory award include the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, Saudi Arabia, and NAMA Women Advancement (NAMA), UAE; Emirates Health Services, Abu Dhabi Pension Fund, and Sharjah Media City (Shams); the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services and Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters Sharjah Social Services Department.
Nominees for the “Best Government Communication in Digital Media” award include the UAE Ministry of Interior; the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department; and the Abu Dhabi Pension Fund.
Entities for the “Best Environmental Policies and Practices” award include the Department of Public Services in Ras Al Khaimah; Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), and the Department of Municipality and Planning in Ajman.
The “Best Youth-targeted Government Communication” category comprises two subcategory awards. The finalists for the “Best Youth Initiative in Government Communication” category include Maram Al Abadi, Saudi Arabia; Al Anoud Al Hashimi, UAE; Yassin Bin Talib, Jordan, and Basil Al Madani, Syria.
The “Best Initiative for Influencing Future Generations” category includes the Badir initiative by Bahrain’s Sports Affairs Ministry; the Royal Academy of Management – National Youth Programme for Skills Development, Oman.
Nominees for the “Programme with the Greatest Influence on Social Responsibility” award include the GCC Health Council initiative “Ma Yensaket Anha”; The Big Heart Foundation’s “Who am I?” campaign, and Egypt’s presidential initiative for the early detection of breast cancer, affiliated with the Ministry of Health and Population.
The “Best Photo in Government Communication” category have shortlisted the following: Abdullah Al Sheikh, Saudi Arabia; Sami Alramyan, Kuwait; Ola, UAE, and Giles Clark, USA.
The “Best Innovations in Government Communication – Global” category, and for the first time in the Middle East, comes in partnership with 01Gov and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is split into two awards, “Best Innovation in Government Communication”, which shortlisted Catalonia’s CatVers initiative of CBCat, Spain; CitizenLab, Belgium; Opendatasoft, France; and Vloggi, Australia. As for the “Best Challenge for the Future in Government Communication” award, the winning team will be selected by jurors during IGCF 2022.
The “Best Social Media Influencer” award, which honours a leading influencer from across the Arab world in recognition of their contribution and support to concepts, ideas and productive experiences that are based on the principles of government communication benefitting the individual and society. The nominees for this category are Egypt’s Rahma Khaled, from Egypt, and Ihssane Benalluch from Morocco.
The Exceptional Employee Prize award comprises two subcategories. The “Best university initiative to qualify future employees in government communication” award comes in collaboration with the UAE University. It will honour the winning team in the University Challenge organised in the pre-IGCF 2022 activities.
The nominees in the second subcategory, “The Best Government Communication Initiative that Empowers Women” include the “Hama” initiative, to enhance the readiness of female soldiers for the future, in partnership with the National and Reserve Service Authority, the Government Development and the Future Office (UAE), and the National Platform for Saudi Women Leaders (Qiyadyat).
The judges nominated a group of files in the categories of the “Best Media Content”, and the “Best Dramatic Work – Arab Word”.
Tariq Saeed Allay, Director-General of SGMB, said, “I would like to thank everyone who participated in SGCA 2022. I also extend my gratitude to the distinguished jury and organisers for their dedicated efforts in shortlisting the contending entries from amongst 600 applicants. I congratulate the entire SCGA shortlist for pursuing excellence in their chosen field of government communication.”
He added, “The award is important not only in fulfilling its role of honouring successful experiences in government communications but is equally significant in providing continuous incentives to be creative and keep pace with rapid changes in various cultural, economic and development sectors, in addition to humanities disciplines, including communication which is the most influenced by developments and change.”
He noted that SGCA is adaptable and can be further developed, including the addition of new categories as it gains more momentum locally, regionally and internationally. He said the award forecasts more applications in the 12th edition after breaking submission records in the current edition. He called on individuals and entities locally and internationally to participate in the award to shine light on their accomplishments at a global level.
Source: Emirates News Agency