ABU DHABI, 19th June, 2024 (WAM) – President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received several phone calls today exchanging congratulations on the occasion of Eid Al-Adha.
The calls were received from His Excellency Bashar Al-Assad, President of the Syrian Arab Republic; His Excellency Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; and His Eminence Dr Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar.
His Highness exchanged greetings and best wishes with Their Excellencies and His Eminence, praying that God grants prosperity and wellbeing to their countries and peoples, and peace, security, and prosperity to all Arab and Muslim nations and the world.
ABU DHABI, 17th June, 2024 (WAM) — President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has sent a message of congratulations to President Guðni Jóhannesson of Iceland on the occasion of his country’s National Day.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, sent similar messages to President Jóhannesson, and to the Icelandic Prime Minister, Bjarni Benediktsson.
Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi met HE. Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation
Ambassador Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, Pakistan’s Envoy to United Arab Emirates held a meeting with HE. Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) in Dubai.
Ambassador Tirmizi conveyed regards and gratitude on behalf of Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Chaudhry Salik Hussain to HE. Dr. Abdulrahman Abdulmannan Al Awar.
The meeting focussed on issues of mutual interests especially those pertaining to Pakistani diaspora working in multiple sectors in UAE. Ambassador Tirmizi lauded and thanked the leadership of UAE for reposing great trust in Pakistan as a brotherly and friendly country. He appreciated the government and people of UAE for hosting about 1.7 million Pakistanis who are supporting their families and country by sending remittances back home.
Both sides underlined the significant role played by Pakistanis in the development of UAE and the tremendous potential and opportunities for further enhancing bilateral cooperation in various fields. In view to facilitate Pakistanis seeking jobs in UAE, the meeting focussed on enhancing mutual collaboration aiming efficiency in visas processing, screening, documents attestation, etc.
Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation offered all possible assistance in streamlining the visas aligned services, especially sharing the best technological practices minimizing human interactions and ensuring transparency. He said that Pakistanis will continue to play their role in the progress of UAE and both sides will work together to mitigate the challenges, if any.
Ambassador Tirmizi also discussed health insurance for Pakistani workers, and it was agreed that both sides will work closely to address related issues and encourage workers to opt for health insurance schemes.
The meeting was also attended by senior officials from both sides.
CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Intelligence, the personal intelligence system for iPhone, iPad, and Mac that combines the power of generative models with personal context to deliver intelligence that’s incredibly useful and relevant. Apple Intelligence is deeply integrated into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia. It harnesses the power of Apple silicon to understand and create language and images, take action across apps, and draw from personal context to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. With Private Cloud Compute, Apple sets a new standard for privacy in AI, with the ability to flex and scale computational capacity between on-device processing and larger, server-based models that run on dedicated Apple silicon servers.
“We’re thrilled to introduce a new chapter in Apple innovation. Apple Intelligence will transform what users can do with our products — and what our products can do for our users,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Our unique approach combines generative AI with a user’s personal context to deliver truly helpful intelligence. And it can access that information in a completely private and secure way to help users do the things that matter most to them. This is AI as only Apple can deliver it, and we can’t wait for users to experience what it can do.”
New Capabilities for Understanding and Creating Language
Apple Intelligence unlocks new ways for users to enhance their writing and communicate more effectively. With brand-new systemwide Writing Tools built into iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, users can rewrite, proofread, and summarize text nearly everywhere they write, including Mail, Notes, Pages, and third-party apps.
Whether tidying up class notes, ensuring a blog post reads just right, or making sure an email is perfectly crafted, Writing Tools help users feel more confident in their writing. With Rewrite, Apple Intelligence allows users to choose from different versions of what they have written, adjusting the tone to suit the audience and task at hand. From finessing a cover letter, to adding humor and creativity to a party invitation, Rewrite helps deliver the right words to meet the occasion. Proofread checks grammar, word choice, and sentence structure while also suggesting edits — along with explanations of the edits — that users can review or quickly accept. With Summarize, users can select text and have it recapped in the form of a digestible paragraph, bulleted key points, a table, or a list.
In Mail, staying on top of emails has never been easier. With Priority Messages, a new section at the top of the inbox shows the most urgent emails, like a same-day dinner invitation or boarding pass. Across a user’s inbox, instead of previewing the first few lines of each email, they can see summaries without needing to open a message. For long threads, users can view pertinent details with just a tap. Smart Reply provides suggestions for a quick response, and will identify questions in an email to ensure everything is answered.
Deep understanding of language also extends to Notifications. Priority Notifications appear at the top of the stack to surface what’s most important, and summaries help users scan long or stacked notifications to show key details right on the Lock Screen, such as when a group chat is particularly active. And to help users stay present in what they’re doing, Reduce Interruptions is a new Focus that surfaces only the notifications that might need immediate attention, like a text about an early pickup from daycare.
In the Notes and Phone apps, users can now record, transcribe, and summarize audio. When a recording is initiated while on a call, participants are automatically notified, and once the call ends, Apple Intelligence generates a summary to help recall key points.
Image Playground Makes Communication and Self‑Expression Even More Fun
Apple Intelligence powers exciting image creation capabilities to help users communicate and express themselves in new ways. With Image Playground, users can create fun images in seconds, choosing from three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Image Playground is easy to use and built right into apps including Messages. It’s also available in a dedicated app, perfect for experimenting with different concepts and styles. All images are created on device, giving users the freedom to experiment with as many images as they want.
With Image Playground, users can choose from a range of concepts from categories like themes, costumes, accessories, and places; type a description to define an image; choose someone from their personal photo library to include in their image; and pick their favorite style.
Pause playback of video: Image Playground Creation
With Image Playground, users can choose from a range of concepts from categories like themes, costumes, accessories, and places.
With the Image Playground experience in Messages, users can quickly create fun images for their friends, and even see personalized suggested concepts related to their conversations. For example, if a user is messaging a group about going hiking, they’ll see suggested concepts related to their friends, their destination, and their activity, making image creation even faster and more relevant.
In Notes, users can access Image Playground through the new Image Wand in the Apple Pencil tool palette, making notes more visually engaging. Rough sketches can be turned into delightful images, and users can even select empty space to create an image using context from the surrounding area. Image Playground is also available in apps like Keynote, Freeform, and Pages, as well as in third-party apps that adopt the new Image Playground API.
Pause playback of video: Image Wand in the Notes App
With Image Wand in the Apple Pencil tool palette, users can select empty space to create an image using context from the surrounding area.
Genmoji Creation to Fit Any Moment
Taking emoji to an entirely new level, users can create an original Genmoji to express themselves. By simply typing a description, their Genmoji appears, along with additional options. Users can even create Genmoji of friends and family based on their photos. Just like emoji, Genmoji can be added inline to messages, or shared as a sticker or reaction in a Tapback.
Searching for photos and videos becomes even more convenient with Apple Intelligence. Natural language can be used to search for specific photos, such as “Maya skateboarding in a tie-dye shirt,” or “Katie with stickers on her face.” Search in videos also becomes more powerful with the ability to find specific moments in clips so users can go right to the relevant segment. Additionally, the new Clean Up tool can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo — without accidentally altering the subject.
Pause playback of video: Photos Clean Up Tool
The new Clean Up tool in Photos can identify and remove distracting objects in the background of a photo — without accidentally altering the subject.
With Memories, users can create the story they want to see by simply typing a description. Using language and image understanding, Apple Intelligence will pick out the best photos and videos based on the description, craft a storyline with chapters based on themes identified from the photos, and arrange them into a movie with its own narrative arc. Users will even get song suggestions to match their memory from Apple Music. As with all Apple Intelligence features, user photos and videos are kept private on device and are not shared with Apple or anyone else.
Siri Enters a New Era
Powered by Apple Intelligence, Siri becomes more deeply integrated into the system experience. With richer language-understanding capabilities, Siri is more natural, more contextually relevant, and more personal, with the ability to simplify and accelerate everyday tasks. It can follow along if users stumble over words and maintain context from one request to the next. Additionally, users can type to Siri, and switch between text and voice to communicate with Siri in whatever way feels right for the moment. Siri also has a brand-new design with an elegant glowing light that wraps around the edge of the screen when Siri is active.
Siri can now give users device support everywhere they go, and answer thousands of questions about how to do something on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Users can learn everything from how to schedule an email in the Mail app, to how to switch from Light to Dark Mode.
With onscreen awareness, Siri will be able to understand and take action with users’ content in more apps over time. For example, if a friend texts a user their new address in Messages, the receiver can say, “Add this address to his contact card.”
Pause playback of video: Siri Adding an Address to Contact Card
With onscreen awareness, Siri makes it easy to perform an action related to information on the screen, such as adding an address received in Messages to a friend’s contact card.
With Apple Intelligence, Siri will be able to take hundreds of new actions in and across Apple and third-party apps. For example, a user could say, “Bring up that article about cicadas from my Reading List,” or “Send the photos from the barbecue on Saturday to Malia,” and Siri will take care of it.
Siri will be able to deliver intelligence that’s tailored to the user and their on-device information. For example, a user can say, “Play that podcast that Jamie recommended,” and Siri will locate and play the episode, without the user having to remember whether it was mentioned in a text or an email. Or they could ask, “When is Mom’s flight landing?” and Siri will find the flight details and cross-reference them with real-time flight tracking to give an arrival time.
Pause playback of video: Siri Intelligence Based on On-Device Information
Siri is able to deliver intelligence that’s tailored to the user and their on-device information, like locating details on an upcoming flight or keeping track of a dinner reservation.
A New Standard for Privacy in AI
To be truly helpful, Apple Intelligence relies on understanding deep personal context while also protecting user privacy. A cornerstone of Apple Intelligence is on-device processing, and many of the models that power it run entirely on device. To run more complex requests that require more processing power, Private Cloud Compute extends the privacy and security of Apple devices into the cloud to unlock even more intelligence.
With Private Cloud Compute, Apple Intelligence can flex and scale its computational capacity and draw on larger, server-based models for more complex requests. These models run on servers powered by Apple silicon, providing a foundation that allows Apple to ensure that data is never retained or exposed.
Independent experts can inspect the code that runs on Apple silicon servers to verify privacy, and Private Cloud Compute cryptographically ensures that iPhone, iPad, and Mac do not talk to a server unless its software has been publicly logged for inspection. Apple Intelligence with Private Cloud Compute sets a new standard for privacy in AI, unlocking intelligence users can trust.
ChatGPT Gets Integrated Across Apple Platforms
Apple is integrating ChatGPT access into experiences within iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, allowing users to access its expertise — as well as its image- and document-understanding capabilities — without needing to jump between tools.
Siri can tap into ChatGPT’s expertise when helpful. Users are asked before any questions are sent to ChatGPT, along with any documents or photos, and Siri then presents the answer directly.
Additionally, ChatGPT will be available in Apple’s systemwide Writing Tools, which help users generate content for anything they are writing about. With Compose, users can also access ChatGPT image tools to generate images in a wide variety of styles to complement what they are writing.
Privacy protections are built in for users who access ChatGPT — their IP addresses are obscured, and OpenAI won’t store requests. ChatGPT’s data-use policies apply for users who choose to connect their account.
ChatGPT will come to iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia later this year, powered by GPT-4o. Users can access it for free without creating an account, and ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts and access paid features right from these experiences.
Availability
Apple Intelligence is free for users, and will be available in beta as part of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia this fall in U.S. English. Some features, software platforms, and additional languages will come over the course of the next year. Apple Intelligence will be available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, and iPad and Mac with M1 and later, with Siri and device language set to U.S. English. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-intelligence.
Dubai, UAE, 13 June 2024: Emirates has begun using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as part of its fuel agreement with Neste on flights departing from Singapore Changi Airport, marking its inaugural SAF investment in Asia. Approximately 3.3 million litres of blended SAF have been integrated into the fuelling system of Changi airport over the course of the last few weeks.
Emirates is tracking the delivery of SAF into the fuelling systems, accounting for and assigning its environmental benefits through widely used and accepted industry methodologies. Earlier this year, the airline closely collaborated with Neste for the supply of 2.6 million litres of neat SAF in the fuelling systems of Amsterdam Schiphol airport.
The SAF being provided by Neste is produced from sustainably sourced and 100% renewable waste as well as residue raw materials, including used cooking oil and animal fat waste. SAF used as part of this agreement can be safely used in existing Emirates aircraft and airport fuelling infrastructure, and in neat form reduces lifecycle carbon emissions (CO2) by up to 80%* compared to using conventional jet fuel.
Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer, Emirates said: “Emirates’ investment into Neste-produced SAF in Singapore marks a first step forward in our SAF adoption in Asia, a region that is primed to become a leading supplier of SAF, which continues to be in short supply. While the activation of this agreement marks a milestone in our SAF journey in a new region, there’s still a lot of work to do. And as we procure SAF for the short term, we’ve got our sights set on longer-term agreements to help scale up a steady supply of SAF for our operations.”
Alexander Kueper, Vice President Renewable Aviation Business, Neste said: “We are excited Emirates has started using our Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel at Changi Airport as the next step in our cooperation. It makes Emirates the first international visiting carrier using SAF at the airport produced at our Singapore refinery and supplied into the airport via our integrated supply chain. We are looking forward to continuing working together on scaling up the supply of SAF for Emirates’ operations.’
Emirates’ multi-faceted SAF strategy focuses on exploring opportunities to use SAF operationally wherever it is available in its network, share emissions reductions with corporate customers or freight forwarders where feasible, cooperate on longer-term SAF projects with reputable partners and support SAF ventures in the UAE with the potential to supply sustainable aviation fuel at its hub in the future.
Emirates currently operates flights from Amsterdam, London Heathrow, Paris, Lyon and Oslo with SAF. The airline also integrated SAF into the fuelling systems at its Dubai hub late last year. In 2023, Emirates was also the first airline in the world to operate two landmark demonstration flights from Dubai on the Boeing 777 and A380 with 100% SAF in one engine in partnership with Neste and other committed partners, supporting future certification where 100% drop in SAF is approved for commercial airline operations. Currently, SAF is approved for use in all aircraft, but only in blends of up to 50% with conventional jet fuel.
The airline has also committed USD$200 million for research and development (R&D) projects focussed on reducing the impact of fossil fuels in commercial aviation, and last month became an industrial partner of the Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA), based at the University of Cambridge. Emirates intends to play an active role in sharing its knowledge and data, as well as insights with AIA to support the development of cutting-edge tools and solutions to reduce the long-term impact of commercial aviation.
The airline is a member of the Solent Cluster in the UK, an initiative focused on low carbon investments with the potential to create a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) plant that can produce up to 200,000 tonnes (200 kt) per year if operational by 2032.
Emirates is also a founding participant of the UAE research consortium Air-CRAFT, focused on developing, producing, and scaling sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) technologies for the industry.
*When used in neat form (i.e. unblended) and calculated with established life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies, such as CORSIA methodology
OSLO, 12th June, 2024 (WAM) — Noura Al Kaabi, Minister of State, participated in a discussion panel at the Oslo Forum, organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, to exchange knowledge and experiences, and discuss strategies for conflict resolution and peacemaking.
The panel also aimed to highlight the importance of mediation efforts on national and international levels.
Al Kaabi affirmed the UAE’s steadfast belief in the crucial importance of coordinated joint global action, multilateral cooperation, dialogue, and building bridges as a critical part of shaping innovative and lasting solutions to contemporary challenges. These principles have always shaped the UAE’s path since the country’s founding.
Al Kaabi emphasised that the UAE favours diplomacy over conflict, partnership over unilateralism, dialogue over confrontation, and urges respect for the principles of good neighbourliness and non-interference in other countries’ internal affairs, while seeking to develop existing alliances and bolster foreign relations to support international stability and peace.
She affirmed that due to the significant changes witnessed in the international landscape, the coming decades require increased communication, integration, and cooperation across various fields including politics, economy, technology, health, food, and climate change.
Furthermore, Al Kaabi emphasised the importance of resolving conflicts between countries through dialogue and peaceful means, and contributing to supporting international stability and peace, as well as co-existence, while supporting multilateralism and partnerships. These endeavours aim to mitigate tensions and enhance international cooperation, affirming the importance of prioritising economic prosperity, relations between nations, and de-escalation on regional and international levels.
ABU DHABI, 12th June, 2024 (WAM) — President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today received the credentials of newly appointed ambassadors from various countries, in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court.
The UAE Ambassador to Mongolia, His Excellency Mohammed Sultan Al Qurtasi Al Nuaimi, also took the oath of office before His Highness.
During the reception ceremony at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed warmly welcomed the ambassadors and wished them success in their missions, encouraging them to strengthen ties between their respective countries and the UAE across various sectors. He assured them of the support and cooperation they would receive from the relevant UAE authorities to facilitate their work.
His Highness affirmed that the UAE is committed to strengthening relations with countries worldwide, founded on mutual respect and collaborative efforts to achieve development and prosperity for all.
His Highness received the credentials of the following ambassadors: HE Cornelius Walegerea, Ambassador of the Solomon Islands; HE Nabil Abdul Khalek, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; HE Nguyen Thanh Diep, Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; HE Najmedin Muhametaliuly, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan; HE Mohamed Hussain Shareef, Ambassador of the Republic of Maldives; HE Carolin Konther Lopez, Ambassador of the Republic of Paraguay; HE Hussein Halane, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Somalia; HE Esono Anusogo Hassan, Ambassador of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea; HE Stephanie Stefansson, Ambassador of Iceland; HE Elisabetta Boschi, Ambassador of the Republic of San Marino; HE Feliu Hanushek, Ambassador of the Republic of Namibia; HE Augustine Ntshumane, Ambassador of the Republic of Botswana; HE Suman Manan, Ambassador of the Republic of Cambodia; HE Mojaidou Soumanou Issoufou, Ambassador of the Republic of Benin; HE Denis Toscano Amores, Ambassador of the Republic of Ecuador; and HE Peter Adelbay, Ambassador of the Republic of Palau.
The ambassadors conveyed to His Highness the greetings and best wishes of their respective leaders, wishing further progress and prosperity for the UAE. They expressed their delight to be representing their countries in the UAE and their commitment to strengthening relations at all levels.
The ceremony was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Adviser for Special Affairs at the Presidential Court; Sheikh Shakhboot bin Nahyan Al Nahyan, Minister of State; Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; Khaled Belhoul Al Falasi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and a number of officials.
ABU DHABI, 12th June, 2024 (WAM) — H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has chaired a meeting of the Executive Committee of the ADNOC Board of Directors.
During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled endorsed the final investment decision (FID) for ADNOC’s lower-carbon intensity Ruwais liquefied natural gas (LNG) project and the award of an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract for the project valued at approximately US$5.5 billion (AED20.2 billion). The project, located in Al Ruwais Industrial City in Al Dhafra Region of Abu Dhabi, will be the first LNG export facility in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to run on clean power, making it one of the world’s lowest-carbon intensity LNG plants.
H.H. noted that the project will reinforce ADNOC’s position as a reliable global natural gas supplier and accelerate the development of Al Ruwais Industrial City by attracting investments and boosting the local industrial ecosystem. The project will procure highly specialised equipment and materials and will see 55 percent of the EPC award value flow back into the UAE’s economy under ADNOC’s In-Country Value (ICV) program, stimulating economic and industrial growth and skilled private-sector jobs for Emiratis.
During the meeting, H.H. commended ADNOC’s recent strategic acquisitions in major lower-carbon LNG projects in the United States (US) and Mozambique, was briefed on growth projects across ADNOC’s value chain and gave directives to continue focusing on targeted growth bothlocally and internationally to meet growing energy demand.
Sheikh Khaled also reviewed ADNOC’s strategy to further integrate artificial intelligence (AI) and technology across its business to generate greater value and deliver smarter, cleaner and safer energy to the world. As part of this strategy, ADNOC is leveraging its portfolio of low carbon energy to power the growth of AI whilst accelerating the integration and deployment of AI solutions across its value chain to unlock further value, lower emissions and keep people safe.
The Ruwais LNG project EPC contract was awarded to a joint venture led by Technip Energies, with JGC Corporation and NMDC Energy. The Ruwais LNG project will consist of two 4.8 mmtpa LNG liquefaction trains with a total capacity of 9.6 mmtpa, more than doubling ADNOC’s existing UAE LNG production capacity to around 15mmtpa, as the company builds its international LNG portfolio. The facility will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and the latest technologies to enhance safety, minimise emissions and drive efficiency.
Other members attending the meeting included Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ADNOC Managing Director and Group CEO; Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure; Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director and Group CEO of Mubadala Investment Company; and Jassem Mohammed Buatabah Al Zaabi, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance.
ABU DHABI, 12th June, 2024 (WAM) — President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan today welcomed teams that participated in the UAE Pavilion at the International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha, which took place in Qatar from 2 October 2023 to 28 March 2024. During the meeting at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi, His Highness expressed his appreciation for the teams’ efforts, which showcased the UAE’s rich legacy of environmental stewardship and agricultural innovation since the era of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. He also commended their unique initiatives and future plans in developing sustainable agricultural solutions. His Highness congratulated the teams on the pavilion’s achievement of receiving the Gold Award for the Best Self-Built Pavilion at the exhibition, emphasising that this success reflects the capabilities and expertise of UAE professionals participating in international exhibitions and events. The UAE President praised the spirit of cooperation among the pavilion’s organisers, which contributed to presenting a positive image of the UAE and its vision in the field of sustainability, alongside innovation and investment in technology to protect the environment and its resources. The organisers of the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2023 Doha expressed their pleasure at meeting His Highness, affirming that the success of their participation was the result of his continuous support and commitment to ensuring the UAE’s participation was distinctive and highlighted the country’s achievements on various levels. They also extended their best regards to His Highness on the upcoming Eid Al-Adha, praying to God to protect him and bless him with continued health and wellbeing. Last October, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan attended the opening of Expo 2023 Doha, inaugurated by His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, under the theme “Green Desert, Better Environment.” The UAE participated in the exhibition with a pavilion themed “Nurturing Legacy,” overseen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation and the National Projects Office. The UAE Pavilion was selected based on its alignment with Expo 2023 Doha’s themes, innovative landscape design, thoughtful plant species selection, use of sustainable materials, and engaging environmental and cultural programming. Additionally, the UAE Pavilion was recognised for its guest experience, which reflected the UAE’s culture and sustainable journey. The pavilion design, which spanned an area of 2,290 square metres, was inspired by the Ghaf tree, the UAE’s national tree, following the path of its roots to its branches and leaves and featuring rammed earth walls built from locally sourced materials and a roof made with palm leaves. The pavilion also contained a garden with local plants, including fruit trees, flowers, spices, herbs, and medicinal plants, among others. The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Advisor for Special Affairs at the Ministry of Presidential Court, and a number of officials.
