The Expo offers a significant opportunity for the Swiss Pavilion to showcase Switzerland’s technological expertise and to promote Switzerland as a fertile ground for scientific research and innovation…Reports Asian Lite News
Switzerland Pavilion is taking part in the first Pre-Expo event on 5−6 October 2020, reaffirming its commitment to the success of the Expo 2020 Dubai. Expo will run from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022.
The Expo offers a significant opportunity for the Swiss Pavilion to showcase Switzerland’s technological expertise and to promote Switzerland as a fertile ground for scientific research and innovation. In this regard, the Swiss Pavilion joins the Pre-Expo Space Week, the first online event of the programme series ahead of next year’s Expo.
Let's mark one year to go to the opening of Expo 2020 on 1st October 2021 🎇 with our 🇨🇭 @CGSwissPavilion Manuel Salchli
We are proud to be part of this global event. It is an oppportunity to inspire solutions and enable actions towards world's most pressing issues. 🌍 💡 pic.twitter.com/ztDEfpx7DN
“Switzerland is not only a tech nation, but also a space nation! The pre-Expo Space Week is an excellent opportunity to highlight Switzerland’s strength in innovation, research and education in the field of space”, says Manuel Salchli, Commissioner General of the Swiss Pavilion and Chairman of the Steering Committee of Expo 2020 Dubai.
In a COVID-19 context, the Expo is also an important economic platform: the Swiss Pavilion will turn on the spotlight on Swiss companies and the tourism sector to promote the country’s economic capacity and attractiveness in the UAE, which is Switzerland’s foremost trading partner in the Middle East.
The Decree supports the government in achieving strategic objectives including enhancing the governance of government entities in Dubai..Reports Asian Lite News
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,Prime Minister of the UAE has issued Decree No. (29) of 2020 establishing the Higher Committee for Government Sector Development in Dubai.
Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai will chair the Committee and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum will be the Vice Chairman.
The Committee also includes the Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Dubai, the Director-General of Dubai’s Department of Finance, the Director-General of the Dubai Government Human Resources Department and the Secretary-General of Dubai’s Supreme Legislation Committee.
The Decree supports the government in achieving strategic objectives including enhancing the governance of government entities in Dubai, ensuring the emirate’s strategic sectors are structured to maximise efficiency, strengthening the performance and resilience of government organisations, streamlining the responsibilities of government departments, enhancing cooperation between government entities and optimising the utilisation of government resources.
The Committee is tasked with approving the vision and the strategic objectives of the government sector development project under the supervision of the Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai; ensuring the project is progressing according to approved timelines and plans; aligning the project with the government’s priorities and objectives; and approving the project plan and execution phases, the roles and responsibilities of subcommittees and teams, and the project’s budget.
The Decree obligates all Dubai Government departments to fully cooperate with the Committee, and its subcommittees and teams, and provide them information, statistics and documents on request.
The Chairman of the Higher Committee for Government Sector Development will issue all the bylaws required to implement this Decree. The Decree annuls any other legislation that contradicts or challenges its articles. The Decree is active from its date of issuance and will be published in the Official Gazette.
The Palm Fountain will attempt to break a Guinness World Records title on Thursday,22nd October during its inaugural launch event…Reports Asian Lite News
The Pointe, Dubai’s premier lifestyle and dining destination by Nakheel Malls, is gearing up to launch the world’s largest fountain.
‘The Palm Fountain’, Palm Jumeirah’s latest waterfront attraction, will attempt to break a Guinness World Records, GWR, title on Thursday, 22nd October during its inaugural launch event, and the public is invited to witness the celebration.
Spread over 14,000 square feet of seawater, the fountain’s super shooter will stand tall at 105 metres and come alive with over 3,000 LED lights. The attraction is the only multicoloured fountain in Dubai and is a celebration of Dubai’s resurgence and ambition to aim for the sky. On the day of the launch, visitors of The Pointe are invited to enjoy an entire day of festivities, with all-day events and competitions from The Pointe’s restaurants and, starting at 16:00, an array of live entertainment including multiple DJ sets, dance shows, performers, a magical fireworks show.
Omar Khoory, Managing Director, Nakheel Malls, said, “As pioneers of retail and lifestyle destinations in Dubai, the launch of The Palm Fountain is a testament to our commitment to support retailers and push boundaries to provide our customers with unique experiences. We look forward to the inspiration this will bring customers at The Pointe, residents of Palm Jumeirah, our retailers, tourists and the wider community.”
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, DFRE, said, “The Palm Fountain is yet another incredible addition to Dubai’s list of world-famous landmarks and is sure to be a big draw among residents and visitors alike.”
From 20:00 on 22nd October, spectators can enjoy the breath-taking views of The Palm Fountain show from 30 different restaurants at The Pointe. The day-long event is open to the public through registration, and the first 5,000 customers who arrive will receive a free LED wristband.
The public is encouraged to RSVP for the launch event and join in The Palm Fountain’s Guinness World Records attempt via platinumlist.net. For guaranteed restaurant seating, the public is highly advised to book a table at any of the restaurants at The Pointe. Free shuttle buses will be available to take visitors from Nakheel Mall to The Pointe every 30 minutes.
The Dubai Health Authority, DHA, and Facebook have announced that the DHA COVID-19 hotline service on WhatsApp has received 54,881 unique requests from the public between April and September.
The automated chatbot application is a free 24/7 service which was developed to raise awareness among the public and provide them with accurate information about COVID-19 and some other DHA services. The service was also introduced in line with the Authority’s efforts to provide community members with an option to have a 24/7 communication channel available in multiple languages.
Since the launch of the DHA COVID-19 hotline service in April, users have accurate, official health-related information and advice on the coronavirus, with the most asked questions on the WhatsApp service being “Am I eligible for a coronavirus test and what is the procedure to get the test?”, followed by “Can I get a coronavirus medical certificate?” and the third one being “I suspect that there is a sick person with Coronavirus, what do I do?”
Fatma Al Khaja, Director of the Customer Happiness Department at DHA, said that the DHA hotline service has been very helpful in assisting people by debunking rumours about the virus and equipping the public with the necessary knowledge to take preventive measures against COVID-19.
“We wanted a system that would respond to patients’ queries timeously and to give people a credible channel to receive accurate information. The system provides users with an opportunity to learn more about the virus, get UAE statistics and even find out if they are eligible for a coronavirus test,” Al Khaja said.
As part of an ongoing partnership, Facebook has also provided DHA with ad credits to drive people to government websites, to receive more information and statistics about the pandemic in Dubai. Between April and September 2020, the DHA ads on social platforms Instagram and Facebook have since reached more than six million unique users and have been viewed more than 36 million times.
“Facebook is supporting the global public health community’s work to keep people safe and informed during the coronavirus public health crisis,” said Ramez Shehadi, Managing Director for Facebook MENA. “By partnering with the DHA on the WhatsApp service, we are empowering people to access accurate information at the touch of a button, supporting those who require the services and making it easier for people to get tested.”
Facebook also has the Coronavirus Information Centre on top of the News Feed. This is to provide a central place for people to get the latest news on the pandemic. The Centre is directed to over two billion people worldwide, with information from health expert resources, such as health authorities and educational pop-ups to learn more about the virus. Since the release of the feature, over 350 million people have clicked through to learn more via social media platforms Instagram and Facebook.
The DHA WhatsApp hotline utilises Artificial Intelligence, AI, to strengthen communication with the public and give them fast and easy access to accurate and trusted information from official sources. To access the 24/7 service, users can add 800 342 to their phone contacts and send “Hi” on WhatsApp.
As part of its broader efforts to empower Emiratis, drive forward employee skilling in the government and achieve central goals of the Dubai Strategic Plan, the Dubai Government Human Resources Department, DGHR, has partnered with Microsoft, bringing together their respective skilling programmes.
A virtual online ceremony saw an Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed by Abdulla Ali Bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director General of DGHR, and Sayed Hashish, General Manager, Microsoft UAE.
The Riyada program aims to empower the Emirati workforce and equip them with technical, behavioral and professional competencies. Microsoft will provide support under one of its pillars of its Tomoh Emiratisation programme , which aligns well in delivering central aspects of Riyada, offering internship and secondment opportunities at Microsoft to UAE nationals. The practical applications will include training and equipping Emiratis with worldwide on the job skills by shadowing professionals within Microsoft as well as offering them professional certification courses to accelerate their careers.
“This partnership with Microsoft is focused on delivering world-class training to enhance the performance of UAE institutions,” said Abdulla Ali Bin Zayed Al Falasi, Director General, DGHR.
“We are confident that this agreement will serve to further elevate the Emirates as a global innovation center. The training and expertise provided to Emirati talent will enhance the skills of a future generation, cementing the UAE’s status as a diverse digital hub of creativity and innovation.”
“Our organisation is committed to supporting the UAE future vision of a digital nation. The Tomoh programme will equip Emirati youth with globally recognized skills – a key pillar of the National Agenda and aligned to Vision 2021, thereby driving the nation’s digital transformation and global competitiveness,” said Sayed Hashish.
“This collaboration is a natural progression of Microsoft’s role in the UAE economic transformation journey in the quarter century we have been present in the Emirates. We seek to deepen our contribution to the Emirati community throughout the 21st century, by empowering the next generation of young talent.”
“In my eight years at Microsoft, I have benefitted from many possibilities and fulfilling career opportunities open to Emirati talent in a global technology company,” said Hamad Mattar, Business Programmes & Operations Lead, Microsoft Middle East & Africa.
Microsoft. (File Photo: IANS)
“Tomoh is a real asset for us, and we have been impressed by the highly motivated, diverse and skilled Emiratis we have been able to work with through this initiative.”
The Tomoh programme has been carefully designed based on research looking at the current and future needs of the UAE job market. It is aligned with the objective of deepening collaboration with Emiratisation initiatives and focused on three core pillars: ‘Learn at Microsoft’ – that offers internship and secondment opportunities to UAE nationals and involves learning of globally recognized skills.
‘Work at Microsoft’ – an opportunity for Emiratis to pursue careers at Microsoft, either through direct hiring of experienced Emirati professionals, or under the ‘Microsoft Aspire Experience’, designed for fresh graduates. And Skill-Up Digitally – that enrolls students, job seekers and entrepreneurs into a powerful digital skilling programme, enabled by the Microsoft Cloud Society.
