I was recently chosen to represent the UAE on a Spirit of Peace trip to Japan – an initiative of Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, a member of the Ajman royal family who’s fondly known as the “Green Sheikh”.
I was part of a team of Emirati peace ambassadors who travelled there to provide support to the people of Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture. In April, the city was struck by a series of earthquakes, the most serious of which had a magnitude of 7.0. Dozens of lives were lost and thousands of buildings, including historical places such as Kumamoto Castle and Aso Shrine, were damaged. More than 44,000 people were evacuated from their homes and are currently living in shelters provided by the Japanese government.
Four Emirati women, including myself, were chosen to accompany Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who said he had focused on selecting women he believed held influence within their own communities and could do so around the world.
Our visit involved aid and cultural-exchange activities, and also included meetings with influential Japanese figures such as astronauts Mamoru Mohri and Naoko Yamazaki, who shared their experiences in space.
To me, this experience was an amazing journey. To be introduced to a different culture and meet people who share the same values makes you realise how small the world is.
It was a pleasure to meet some of the people in the shelters and share some emotional moments with them – people who lost their homes and some who lost family members.
Aside from the gratitude and sense of worth we received, it was also beautiful to be so close to nature, including the largest active volcano in Japan, Mount Aso. And the region is rich in nature and full of peaceful, lovely people.
One of the most unforgettable memories was visiting Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center in Tokyo, before heading to Kumamoto. There, we experienced a simulation of an earthquake of the magnitude the people of Aso experienced, so that we could understand the fear and damage on the same scale. Before that, a video was shown about past earthquakes in Japan and how the country had learnt to overcome these kinds of crises.
The Japanese people are a living example of the power of unity, overcoming challenges by working as one.
In this context, Islam comes from a place of peace and this is the message we want to spread. Being one, united and working together for peace, should be our mission always. As Prophet Mohammed said: “Believers are like a building whose different parts support each other.”
Aisha Al Ameer is an Emirati adventurer and motivational speaker.
If you have a good story to tell or an interesting issue to debate, contact Melinda Healy on mhealy@thenational.ae.
Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
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SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.9" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264ppi, wide colour, True Tone, Apple Pencil support
Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR
Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps
Audio: Stereo speakers
Biometrics: Touch ID
I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)
Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular
Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue
Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
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BORDERLANDS
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis
Director: Eli Roth
Rating: 0/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
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