DUBAI // Young GCC nationals have asked to take part in introducing programmes that encourage people in the region to be more active and adopt healthier lifestyles.
The measures came from Health, Sports and Entertainment, a two-day workshop in Dubai attended by more than 200 young people, from students to health professionals.
Organised by the secretariat general of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC-SG), the event wrapped up on Monday with a general review session of all of the ideas raised on Sunday.
“We don’t just want to give you ideas and walk away, we are here because this subject is important to us and we want to make a difference in people’s lives,” said a young woman from Saudi Arabia.
“Please, we ask that you let us participate in implementing these programmes.”
Dr Abdullah Al Hashim, assistant secretary general for human and environmental affairs at the GCC secretariat, said that would be only fitting.
“Of course we would be more than happy to have our young men and women participate in the implementation,” Dr Al Hashim said.
“After all, we do this for them and the generations to come. We want to get the youth more active, and so we want them to tell us how best we can do that.”
He said some of the ideas could be implemented “directly and swiftly, but some required more study and planning”.
Ideas included: educating on the importance of sports and activities; using advanced technology in health programmes; adding nutrition and health studies to school curriculums; banning the sale of toys with children’s fast-food meals; and more centres for women.
“People, but mostly education ministries, must recognise that physical education class is just as important as chemistry and physics classes,” said Dr Amna Alwan, a member of the expert committee at the workshop.
Another recommendation was to implement Oman’s Sports Summer programme across the GCC.
The programme is a travelling festival of sports held at coastal cities from Musandam to Salalah.
“More than 200,000 people participate each year in the Sports Summer programme organised by the government for the past three years,” said Radhi Al Kathiri, a civil engineer from the Oman ministry of sports affairs.
“The programme also includes awareness campaigns on the need to lead and active lifestyle, and offer free health checks for everyone, so it is like hitting two birds with one stone.”
But a Kuwaiti government official said the initiatives would be hard to introduce without a proper budget.
“Please, I ask you to be realistic with these requests,” said Dr Hmoud Al Shammari, deputy director general of the public authority for youth and sports in Kuwait.
“The public authority for youth and sports has a budget of 90 million [Kuwaiti dinars, about Dh1.17 billion].
“About 50m dinars is budgeted for sports, and just 1m dinars for youth, which barely covers the costs of the youth centres. I’d love to implement all these ideas, some of which I had already tried. But without a proper budget that is just not possible.
“All competitive sports should be privatised. It is no longer feasible for governments to spend on clubs. If you look all over the world the sports clubs are private companies not government departments.”
malkhan@thenational.ae
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Install an air filter in your home.
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Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
End of free parking
- paid-for parking will be rolled across Abu Dhabi island on August 18
- drivers will have three working weeks leeway before fines are issued
- areas that are currently free to park - around Sheikh Zayed Bridge, Maqta Bridge, Mussaffah Bridge and the Corniche - will now require a ticket
- villa residents will need a permit to park outside their home. One vehicle is Dh800 and a second is Dh1,200.
- The penalty for failing to pay for a ticket after 10 minutes will be Dh200
- Parking on a patch of sand will incur a fine of Dh300
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Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
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New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
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A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding, was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
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The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
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That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
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This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)