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Monday, September 29, 2008

Dubai/Sharjah/Abu Dhabi/Ras Al Khaimah: Malls and traditional souqs are buzzing with shoppers who are being spoilt for choice by Ramadan sales.

With Eid Al Fitr round the corner Eid mussallas (prayer grounds) and mosques are also getting ready to welcome worshippers.

Families are swarming to shops to buy new clothes and to keep traditions alive by buying jewellery for the special occasion.

Sara Hakeem, a Syrian mother of three, said she is using up part of her savings to buy gifts for her family.

"Our monthly budget would not allow us to buy clothes and jewellery for myself and my two daughters. But we have decided that it is okay to splurge during Eid," said Sara.

"There are times when one cannot compromise, and Eid is one of those times.

"I had saved up a bit extra with Eid in mind and I am splurging it all on buying gifts for my friends and family," said Mahmoud, who works as a manager in a transportation company.

"There are more things on the list like a gold chain for my wife, and gifts for my relatives who are visiting us from Kuwait," said Mohammad who is the chief accountant in a hotel.

Fatima Zafeer, an Indian homemaker said though everything is getting expensive, it does not stop her family from indulging during Eid.

"This occasion is very special and only happens once a year. Children are so excited about it and we do not want to disappoint them. We are taking them to Wild Wadi and will be buying a Playstation that both my sons have been long asking for," said Fatima.

Many shopping malls and supermarkets said they are already witnessing a 25 to 30 per cent surge in business since last week.

A senior salesperson at Damas Jewellery said sales have gone up in his outlet by 25 per cent since last week.

Jewellery shops at the Gold Centre and Souq Al Markazi also saw their fair share of customers since Ramadan started.

"There was a boom of customers around 20 days ago, and everybody was buying bangles and gold sets," said Ramesh Sagar, shopkeeper at K.V. Jewellers.

The cost of 22 carat gold has risen from Dh95 per gram last week to Dh98 now. The cost of 21 carat gold is Dh92 per gram, although it is not as popular among residents.

"We have had a lot of customers in the past week buying jewellery for babies, such as bangles and pendants," said an accountant at J.J. and Sons Jewellers.

A staff member at the Mall of the Emirates said they are expecting the footfall to increase by over 35 per cent during the Eid holidays.

Many shoppers in the capital said thanks to the early payment of salaries by employers they could start shopping well ahead of Eid.

"I am trying to purchase garments for the family, and gifts for relatives and friends now, said V.M. Ali, an Indian.

The outlets have already been crowded, well ahead of Eid and it was expected, a large retail chain said.

"Apart from food and other essential commodities, there is huge demand for garments and gifts," said V. Nandakumar, Corporate Communication Manager of Emke Group that runs LuLu hypermarkets.

Abu Dhabi Cooperative Society said the capital being promoted as a tourist destination has reflected in Eid shopping which has attracted tourists.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economy has urged the public to avoid last minute shopping.

The ministry said that last minute buying is anticipated by some greedy traders who take advantage of this trend to raise prices.

Dubai: Celebrations being organised by the Dubai Shopping Festival Office as part of its "Eid in Dubai" event will lean heavily on tradition in a bid to foster a community spirit.

Laila Sohail, chief executive of the Dubai Shopping Festival Office, said the aim was to bring all communities together in their rejoicing.

The Eid celebration district at Dubai Festival City will be the main location for the celebrations. Laila said that the concept of holding festivities in one location is not new, but one that has been forgotten.

Years ago in Dubai, families would gather at an open space or maidan. It was an opportunity for children to play, and everyone to be treated with traditional sweets and delicacies.

"While different nationalities have individual ways of celebrating Eid, the basics are the same," Laila said, "We all have sweets in our homes on Eid."

Malls will be covered with festive trimmings and will host Fuwalat Al Eid, traditional sweets, that are given to visitors on the occasion.

The sweets will also be a substitute for Eidia, a monetary gift given to children during the holiday.

Events such as plays, concerts and fireworks will be at the malls for adults and children.

"We are bringing back the traditions and introducing residents and visitors in Dubai to the Emirati way of celebrating," Laila said.

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage's endeavour to give talented young filmmakers a chance to perfect their art has started giving results, with six talented Emiratis showing tremendous promise, an official said.

The Circle, an initiative devoted to financing, producing and encouraging budding filmmaking talent in the Middle East, has announced that one of its programmes - the Circle Film Labs, known as Adasa (Arabic for lens) - is making significant headway.

Adasa is a year-round programme devoted to nurturing young filmmakers with special emphasis on story structure and original feature film scripts. Adrienne Briggs, Director of The Circle, said the programme was launched with six participants from the UAE: Alia Al Shamsi, Abdullah Bastaki, Fadel Al Muhairi, Khadeja Al Buloshi, Khalid Al Subaihi and Lamya Gargash.

"They were flown to Los Angeles to attend summer workshop sessions, which provided them with an overview of the filmmaking process and a focus on how to create a story outline," she said in a statement.

Eisa Al Mazroui, Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage Project Manager said: "The Adasa Labs provide a wonderful opportunity to preserve Emirati culture by creating local stories that can be filmed and shared with the world."

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Eid in Dubai’ and Global Village present action-packed children’s cartoon show

As Dubai gears up for an exciting and eventful first edition of ‘Eid in Dubai’, there is news of some special guests making their way to town. Barney, the fun loving purple dinosaur, will be back in Dubai during Eid. And this time, he is here with a live-action stage show featuring the ‘Backyard Gang’ in a medieval-themed, musical-fantasy adventure with kings and knights, an enchanted forest, a costume parade, and twenty tunes to entertain children.

Barney’s Musical Castle has been performed in front of over a million Barney fans and ‘Eid in Dubai’, along with Global Village, is pleased to bring home this tee-rific show that promises to be a super-dee-duper success among families celebrating their Eid holidays in Dubai. The show will be held at the Airport Expo Dubai in two shows at 4pm and 6pm on the first, second, third, and fourth day of Eid-Al-Fitr.

“We are very pleased to present the “Barney’s Magical Castle” show as part of the ‘Eid in Dubai’ festival”, said Abdul Redha Ali Bin Redha, Project Director for Global Village. “Eid is a very special time for families and visitors to Dubai, and Barney is a perfect choice for family entertainment. Barney is also the main attraction of the Little Big Club, a new children’s entertainment brand which is making its world debut in Global Village. We are hoping the excitement and happiness that Barney creates during Eid-al-Fitr with this show will carry over to his re-introduction at Global Village this year.”

Laila Suhail, Chief Executive Officer of DSF Office said, “Eid-Al-Fitr is a time when children are given gifts and they are treated to goodies. The Barney Musical is our way of sharing ‘Eid in Dubai’ with the thousands of children celebrating this festive occasion in the city.”

Compiled as a bonanza of colours, song, dance and creative learning, Barney’s Musical Castle is another feather in the cap for ‘Eid in Dubai’, the new initiative by the Dubai Shopping Festival Office.

Created in 1987 by former teacher, Sheryl Leach, Barney has enjoyed a large fan following. He is a 200-million year old, lovable, huggable T-rex who encourages sharing, caring, imagining, dancing and learning. He springs from a child’s imagination and encourages his friends to go and grow as they explore exciting places. He encourages positive values and good manners for children everywhere. His arrival in Dubai at the time of Eid will indeed delight the children who already enjoy his shows and songs on television. Other popular characters will accompany Barney from his show, including Baby Bop and BJ, both introduced to his team in the early 90s.

Join Barney on a new musical adventure to a faraway castle with flags, trumpets and knights in shining armour. Barney, Baby Bop and BJ have found a lost crown in the Enchanted Forest and must return it to the King. Joined by children and animal friends, the dinos make their way to the king’s castle – a memorable visit featuring dancing, singing and a colorful costume parade.

Targeted at children and families, the Barney''s Musical Castle Show will incorporate elements of the popular television series, Barney & Friends to present an edutainment show that will appeal to all this Eid.

National Bonds is the founder sponsor of ‘Eid in Dubai’ and the event is supported by wasl, the asset management group owned by Dubai Real Estate Corporation. ARY Exclusive, Dubai Festival City, Emirates airline, and Dubai World Trade Centre are the key sponsors. The Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG) and the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG) will also be associated with ‘Eid in Dubai’.

International artists Strings, Shaan & Overload to perform together. ARY Exclusive, one of its kind loyalty card by the renowned ARY Group presents SANGAMConcert in association with du and Dubai Shopping Festival Office as part of the Eid celebrations and EID in Dubai initiative by the Government. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, Oct 3rd at the Tennis Stadium, Dubai Aviation Club. International artists such Shaan, Bollywood’s numero uno singing sensation; Strings-internationally acclaimed and immensely popular Pakistani pop band and Overload, a rage in Pakistan and the latest percussion sensation will enthrall Dubai with their astonishing performances. The opening act will be done by an upcoming local Dubai band 2live.

On the event, Mr. Yousuf Mubarak, Chief Operations Officer, Dubai Shopping Festival Office said, “The DSF Office strives to organize a wide spectrum of events for visitors and residents and the Sangam concert is very much in line with our aim of catering to a diverse range of audiences. This event is our way of sharing and spreading the festive feeling of ‘Eid in Dubai’ throughout the city, especially since it hosts a multi-cultural society.”

Speaking on the event, Mr. Mohammed Iqbal, Vice-Chairman & CEO of ARY Group said, “Sangam is an extension of our ongoing EIDIYAH promotion by ARY Exclusive wherein customers are entitled to get anywhere from a guaranteed 20 % to 100 % value back on purchasing from ARY or our brand partner outlets. We want people to enjoy and live the spirit of EID and Sangam will certainly provide them a great experience”.

“Our aim is to have a good show and total entertainment for audiences; all the artists we are bringing in are internationally acclaimed and very popular. The tickets are priced at Dhs. 150, Dhs. 250 and Dhs. 500, however in actual it will be free of cost as tickets will have coupons of the face value which can be redeemed at ARY jewelry and brand partner outlets hence 100 % Eidiyah with an opportunity to watch this magnanimous concert”, added Mr. Arjun Kumar, General Manager Marketing & Events – ARY Exclusive card.

“du is committed to changing the way people communicate, bringing them together through common interests. We are pleased to be associated with Sangam which aims to bring communities together, as we all get ready to celebrate Eid.” said Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du.

As the holy month of Ramadan begins to unwind and EID approaches, a time for family and reflection become the priority. To celebrate its first EID, Dubai’s premier luxury hotel, The Monarch Dubai, is offering a special rate for guests to best experience the atmosphere of this special time of year.

The special EID rate offers guests the unique experience of staying in one of the hotel’s beautiful Arabian influenced contemporary deluxe rooms or suites from only AED 899++ per room per night.

Additional services of the EID package include a 15 percent discount on all F & B services, Laundry, telephone and the Mandara Spa. Unique to The Monarch Dubai, guests will also be treated to a 24 hour butler service.

Note: This special rate must be booked and used on or before October 5, 2008.

The Monarch Dubai - (04 501 8888) One Sheikh Zayed Road
welcome@themonarchdubai.com

Elegant designs from UK’s leading luxury footwear retailer to dazzle DFW’s ramps. Kurt Geiger, the leading luxury footwear retailer from the UK will showcase its Autumn Winter collection on the 8th of October during a 30 minute stand alone show at the prestigious forthcoming Dubai Fashion Week. Known for its chic sophistication and modern elegance, Kurt Geiger has ruled the luxury designer market in the UK for several decades.

Gerry Prete, Brand Manager of Kurt Geiger franchise in Dubai said, “We are proud to be invited as the official associate partner of Dubai Fashion Week. Kurt Geiger’s Autumn Winter collection will feature the hottest designs for the coming season. This exclusive collection is being specially flown in for the prestigious trade event. It is a matter of great excitement for us that Kurt Geiger’s special collection will hit the ramps of DFW for the first time. To create further enthusiasm for viewers and the media, we have arranged a prelude to the event where the designer pieces will be displayed in an innovative style.”

While bringing regional and international buyers and designers face to face during its four-day event, Dubai Fashion Week provides an excellent platform to the fashion industry to meet and create productive business links. Added Gerry: “Dubai Fashion Week does a great service to the fashion trade in the region and is sure to go from strength to strength in the coming years.”

Monday, September 22, 2008

The Fireworks During Eid In Dubai Will Be Among The Most Sophisticated And Will Illuminate The City’s Night Sky

‘Eid in Dubai’, the new initiative organized by Dubai Shopping Festival Office along with National Bonds, will witness a colourful first edition through a spectacular fireworks display that will be held during celebrations to mark Eid-Al-Fitr. Dubai Festival City, a key sponsor of ‘Eid in Dubai’ and a member of the Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG), will host the fireworks display that will last for 25 minutes, starting at 8pm on all three days.

The fireworks have been specially designed to celebrate the first edition of ‘Eid in Dubai’. Mohammed Ali Al Kamli, Senior Sponsorship Coordinator at Dubai Shopping Festival said, “The fireworks during ‘Eid in Dubai’ will be among the most sophisticated and will illuminate the city’s night sky. Taking into account the spirit of Eid-Al-Fitr, the display will be around 25 minutes long and we would like every visitor to remember the first edition of ‘Eid in Dubai’ as a colourful one.”

The fireworks will be launched from the Festival Centre promenade at Dubai Festival City that is also hosting the Eid District. The promenade will be open to all visitors who can catch a glimpse of the spectacle.

‘Eid in Dubai’ is organized by the Dubai Shopping Festival Office in cooperation with National Bonds, the founder sponsor. The event is also supported by wasl, the asset management group owned by Dubai Real Estate Corporation, with ARY Exclusive, Dubai Festival City, Emirates and Dubai World Trade Centre as key sponsors, and in association with Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG) and Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group.

The Newly Launched Dubai Government Initiative Eid In Dubai Has Been Very Well Received By The Private Sector In Dubai

The newly launched Dubai Government initiative, “Eid in Dubai”, has been very well received by the private sector in Dubai. The Dubai Shopping Festival Office revealed recently that “Eid in Dubai”, organised by the Office, has attracted major entities from the private sector to sponsor the initiative.

Organised in collaboration with National Bonds as a founder sponsor, supported by Wasl, the asset management group owned by Dubai real-estate corporation (DREC), the “Eid in Dubai” initiative is also sponsored by ARY Jewellery, Emirates, Dubai Festival City and Dubai World Trade Centre, in association with Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG) and Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DGJG).

Laila Suhail, CEO, DSF Office, hailed the great response from a wide range of companies and establishments in the private sector, stressing that it comes as no surprise as the private sector in Dubai has always lent its support to government oriented initiatives.

“Dubai Shopping festival and Dubai Summer surprises are two perfect examples of success stories for a unique Government-Private sector cooperation, “Eid in Dubai” will complement this solid partnership. This initiative addresses a huge segment of the population in Dubai thus making it a perfect platform for any establishment to reach out to its target audience,” she said.

Mohammad Qasim Al Ali CEO, National Bonds
“National Bonds is proud to associate itself with ‘Eid in Dubai’, an initiative of the Dubai Shopping Festival Office, as a founder sponsor. Given the immense success of the Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises since 1996, we are confident that ‘Eid in Dubai’ will attract a large audience from around the world and soon become an important part of Dubai’s calendar of festive events. National Bonds has committed towards a three year strategic alliance with Dubai Shopping Festival Office until the year 2010.”

Alya Al Mutawa, General Manager- Marketing and Corporate Communications, wasl.
“As part of our corporate social responsibility programme, wasl is committed to participating in events that significantly enrich our communities and underscore our deep-rooted values. In keeping with this philosophy, we are delighted to collaborate with the Dubai Shopping Festival Office to organize the inaugural ‘Eid in Dubai’ event. Through this initiative, we also aim to elevate the festive spirit during Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al Adha celebrations.”

“Our sponsorship of this event is an extension of our support to the Ramadan campaign, which is designed to foster greater communication and increased interaction among various sections of the society.”

Tom Miles, Senior General Manger Retail, Dubai Festival City
“Dubai Festival City is proud to be a key sponsor of the inaugural ‘Eid in Dubai’ Festival. Dubai Festival City has always played an important part in the development and promotion of Dubai’s major Festivals (Dubai Summer Surprises and Dubai Shopping Festival) and continues to support Government initiatives to position Dubai as a world-renowned retail and tourism destination.

With Dubai Festival City being a key sponsor of “Eid in Dubai”, Festival Centre becomes the hub of celebrations, hosting the first ‘Eid in Dubai’ opening ceremony, together with a variety of cultural displays and performances over three days.”

Majid Al Mualla, Emirates Vice President, Commercial Sales, UAE,
"Dubai Government’s tourism initiatives have always been strategic, carefully designed and have had tremendous success in boosting tourism to the city. Emirates fully supports the new retail and entertainment initiative ’Eid in Dubai’ and will align our operations to support the objectives of the government and the programme."

Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, DWTC
“Eid in Dubai will play an important role in enabling further development of the tourism sector , by providing a unique offering during the Eid celebrations, further establishing Dubai as an unmatched year-round tourist destination,” said DWTC Director General Helal Saeed Almarri. “Supporting such events is in complete alignment with our vision to make Dubai the leading destination for all major exhibitions, conferences and events as per the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015.”

Mr. Praveen Chandiramani,COO - ARY EXCLUSIVE
“Eid-Al-Fitr is a festival of sharing and giving and we are extremely delighted to be part of this fantastic initiative by the Dubai Government. Eid is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts and by way of our EIDIYAH promotion we are able to live the true spirit of EID”.


Grand prize winner to be announced by October 12, 2008

du, the integrated telecom operator in the UAE has announced the grand prize of the popular SMS Ramadan Challenge. The winner will get a travel voucher worth AED 50,000 for two people to any destination of choice as offered by the Al Tayer Travel Agency. The voucher includes both travel and accommodation. The name of the winner will be announced by Oct 12, 2008 at the end of the competition.

The grand prize will be given to the person who is the first to answer maximum number of questions correctly in the shortest response time. The winner will also get a certificate of appreciation from du.

Farid Faraidooni, EVP Commercial, du, said: “The door is now open for all participants to put in their best efforts and claim the grand prize. We are sure that the response to the competition will further go up and exceed our expectations, as it has so far. I would like to thank everyone for their enthusiasm and wish all participants the very best.”

Now in its third week, the du SMS Ramadan Challenge has drawn more than 1.8 million SMS hits with participation from over 50,000 du customers. Every week the top scorer gets free du talk-time worth AED 5,500 while 55 other winners each receive free talk-time worth AED 550. For the week ending 13 September, the top scorer is an Indian national Ms Aisha Tanvir.

Ms. Aisha Tanvir, the second week winner, said: “It feels great to be the winner. I would like to thank du for presenting this wonderful Quiz during the month of Ramadan. The questions are well suited for the occasion.”

Another winner, Abdul Jawad Zakariya, an Egyptian, said: “Honestly I did not expect to win this quiz. I found it challenging and now I feel my efforts have paid off. I am really very happy to win this. Thank you du.”

The competition which is designed to test du customers’ knowledge of Ramadan, the Arabic language and UAE culture has weekly and grand prizes to be won, in addition to free credits for every correct answer. For every ten questions played, du customers receive a bonus of 10 fils.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

A multi product consumer fair and complete family entertainment event. From 15 September - 2 October, 2008 at Expo Centre, Sharjah.

Event URl: http://www.expo-centre.co.ae

Organiser:
Expo Centre Sharjah
Phone: +9716 5770000
Fax: +9716 5770111
Expo Centre Sharjah P.O. Box 3222 , Sharjah, UAE
E-mail : info@expo-centre.co.ae
Website : http://www.expo-centre.co.ae

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Sony PlayStation Middle East has launched its new PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) with an extended memory of 80 GB. This new product will become the mainstay of the company’s hardware line-up.

The new model not only offers an extended storage memory but also continues what the previous 40GB offered in terms of a complete entertainment system comprising the highest quality games and films on Blu-ray, as well as the ability to download exclusive content, play games online and access the internet at any time through an integrated Wi-Fi connection.

Commenting on this new addition to the PlayStation family, Tim Stokes, Sales and Marketing Director commented: “Having studied closely our customers’ gaming habits and requests, we have provided them with our new PS 3 80GB model offering the same features and functionality of the previous 40 GB model. Our entertainment enthusiasts can now enjoy double the storage to accommodate more games, movies, graphics, music, photos and a diversity of other content.”

The multi-functionality of the 80GB PS3, combined with an incredible number of exclusive first and third-party titles, as well as PLAYSTATION®Network, makes PS3 a comprehensive entertainment value designed to appeal to a wide range of consumers from hard-core gamers to general entertainment enthusiasts.

The PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) 80GB alone will be priced at RRP AED 1799, and at RRP Dhs 1949 as a bundle with two games.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Ramadan Fair is a multi-product consumer and full fledged retail and wholesale event, www.ramadanfair.com helping companies capitalise on the market buoyancy during the festive season of Ramadan and Eid holidays, last fair attracted over 117,000 visitors from across the Middle East countries.
Highlights:

CAR RAFFLE AS GRAND PRIZE .GIFTS HAMPERS ON PURCHASE, FUN RIDES AND AMUSEMENTS

Visitor's Profile:

Visitors - END USERS, CONSUMERS, BULK BUYERS, TRADE BUYERS, Importers, Agents, Wholesalers, Distributors, Major retailers, corporate gift companies, Home Furnishings and Interior Design, Gifts, Games, Hobbies, and Toys & General Public are the target visitors.

Exhibitor's Profile:

Profile for exhibit include MANUFACTURERS, WHOLE SELLER, RETAILERS, SOLE DISTRIBUTERS, AGENTS, DEALERS, PROMOTION COMPANIES, AGENCY HOLDERS, PRINCIPLE SUPPLIERS, FOODSTUFF/SHOES/ FASHION GARMENTS/ FASHION JEWELLERY/BAGS /HOME FURNITURE /HOME TEXTILE / FABRICS /ELECTRONICS/PERFUMES COSMETICS ETC.

Start from: 9/15/2008 
End Date: 10/2/2008 
Venue: Expo Centre Sharjah

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Dubai: The Minister of Economy on Monday inaugurated the third session of Hunar Art Gallery's Arabic calligraphy exhibition entitled "Rhythm of the Pen".

The show, displays over 50 selected art works of 16 renowned contemporary Muslim calligraphers from the UAE, Egypt, Iraq, Iran Qatar, Tunisia, Syria, Morocco and France. The works have been made using ink, water colours, oil, ceramic and acrylic.

The event aims to demonstrate the beauty and power of the Arabic language as well as to recognise and promote the achievements of Muslims in the field of art. The display, which features single alphabets, Quranic verses and poetry written in classical and modern ways, will run until October 8.

Great civilisation

Speaking to Gulf News, Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy, said: "This exhibition, which involves the creative expertise of our artists, indicates how great the Islamic civilisation was and shall be and the extent to which it has contributed to the development of other cultures. The beauty of the various styles of Arabic writings also captivates the heart and minds of many non-Arabic speakers and non-Muslims."

The minister noted that there is need for such events and said he hoped the exhibition will create harmony and a culture of understanding between the Islamic and other societies. "Since the UAE has attracted many people of various nationalities, perhaps it can act as a gateway to promote our artists' talents."

Also present at the opening ceremony was the Deputy Head of Korean Mission, Keejong Chung. For him, the works created emotional and peaceful feelings.

Magali Moulin, a French teacher at Emirates International School, said that she was impressed by the intricacy visible in the art pieces."Although I don't understand the Arabic language, I can still sense that they provide some kind of a strong message. I also like that sometimes the curves within the letters make them look like pictures," she added.

Hunar Art Gallery will be open from 9am to 12pm throughout the week and from 4pm to 9pm on Fridays. The gallery is housed in villa no. 6 in Green Coast Village, near Airport Tunnel, in Rashidiya.

Makkah: The squares within and outside the Holy Mosque of Makkah witness in Ramadan the biggest iftar in the world.

More than 12,000 metres of tablecloth are stretched daily for iftar along the Mosque area for worshippers to end their fast.

Officials in charge of the iftar in the Holy Mosque say its daily cost amounts to about one million Saudi riyals (Dh982,200).

Iftar does not take more than 15 minutes - from the time that people stretch the tablecloths out to the clearing of the remaining food.

The area where people take iftar is cleaned as fast as possible in order to leave room for people to perform Maghreb prayers.

The meal is served by various benefactors who are assisted by cleaning boys.

The Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Affairs divided the squares around the Holy Mosque into various sections and assigned them to charity givers willing to provide iftar for worshippers.

Iftar offered by these benefactors are made of dates, juice, milk, and cakes.

Dates and Zam Zam water are served first before iftar.

Millions of dates

The number of dates consumed daily by worshippers in the Holy Mosque is estimated to be more than 5 million.

With about 1.2 million worshippers attending Maghreb prayers in the Holy Mosque, that huge number still only equates to three dates per person.

In the meantime, more than two million bottles of Zam Zam water are consumed by worshippers during iftar.

In the Tawaf area inside the Holy Mosque, the iftar tablecloths are not stretched until the last moment in order not to block the way for worshippers who want to finish the Tawaf rituals before Maghreb prayers.

Iftar inside the Mosque differ from that served in the outside squares.

It is not allowed to bring any food other than dates and coffee into the Holy Mosque to maintain the cleanliness of the Haram area.

Friday, September 5, 2008

Dubai Outlet Mall, the only value shoppingmall in Dubai, has undergone a transformation with Ramadan themed decorations, a special promotion, great bargains and longer trading hours to greet customers during the 30 days of festivities.   Enjoy the décor with the mall lit up with Ramadan moons and stars and you can relax in a Majlis style tent and have a Henna painting design with exotic live traditional Arabic music of the Oud, Canon and Violin in the background.  You can also enjoy a Puppet Show on Centre Stage.   Visitors to Dubai Outlet Mall during this period of celebration will have the unique opportunity to participate in an interesting and exciting promotion that gives each and every shopper an instant prize for their purchases.  Customers will be given a beautifully designed box of Chocolates in return for spending AED 350 in any of the retail outlets (conditions apply).    Celebrate Iftar with traditional coffee and dates in a beautiful Arabic tent in Centre Court and break your fast with sumptuous Iftar banquets from the delicious restaurants, cafes and food outlets in the mall.     To raise the spirit of sharing and caring in the holy month of Ramadan, Dubai Outlet Mall has joined with worthwhile charity organizations to collect your donations for the less fortunate.     “We want to give something back to the community we serve, and we believe our customers will appreciate an instant prize during Ramadan, so we came up with an innovative promotion where everyone is a winner. We have also extended our trading hours from 10am to 12 Midnight, 7 days per week during Ramadan.” said Vishal Mahajan, Director of Dubai Outlet Mall.   Ramadan is not only a month of fasting but it is time for friends and families getting together and celebrating the holy spirit of sharing and giving and what better place to meet than Dubai Outlet Mall which is only 20 minutes from the World Trade Centre and caters to the shopping and entertainment needs of everyone.   You don’t only get to shop for more than 800 of the most fashionable and premium brands under one roof but you can also make fantastic savings of between 30%- 90% in all the 240 stores on offer.  With the newly opened, huge “THE One Outlet” store and the amazing discounts  available from all other stores, Dubai Outlet Mall is the perfect place to buy your Eid gifts during the special month of Ramadan.   The unique ‘outlet’ concept, discounted prices, spiritual decorations and the traditional atmosphere of the mall will be of interest to all customers, especially tourist visitors who come to observe the traditions of this auspicious month.   
All management and staff of Dubai Outlet Mall wish you Ramadan Kareem.  
Big Brands. Big Savings. Every Single Day.

Stores across Middle East will offer exotic flavours and delicacies during the holy month. In celebration of the Holy month, Starbucks will provide its customers with the perfect ambience of Ramadan across its stores in the Middle East, by featuring its unique ‘Anniversary Blend’ coffee along with the traditional ‘Arabian Mocha Timor’ blend.  Known for its extra bold taste, the ‘Anniversary Blend’ was introduced in 1996 to celebrate Starbucks 25th anniversary of roasting the world’s finest coffee. Starbucks ‘Anniversary Blend’ and ‘Christmas Blend’ are the only Starbucks coffees that contain aged Indonesian coffees. Starbucks carefully ages coffee, especially for these blends. Arabian Mocha Timor also offers a bold taste combining coffees from Yemen and East Timor, with sumptuous berry notes.  Rana Shaheen, CSR & Communications Manager, Starbucks Middle East & Egypt said: “Starbucks is committed to provide its customers with the best it can offer during this special time of year and there is no better way to welcome the holy month but with the Traditional Arabian coffees coupled with delicious pastries – a perfect treat you can enjoy after breaking your fast.”  Ramadan pastries include the ‘Fig and Coconut Bar’, a delicious fruity filling of plump figs blended with a taste of exotic coconut on a shortbread base. This marvellous combination of fig jam, walnut and biscuit base, topped with a layer of coconut, is designed to perfectly complement Starbucks featured coffees and iced espresso beverages.   Another treat includes the ‘Pistachio Delight’, a mouthwatering and delicious cake, flavoured with pistachio, creamy filling and rosewater, the perfect traditional combination for Ramadan sweets. Customers can also enjoy the ‘Date and Apricot loaf’, the home-made fruity flavor of Arabia with a hint of apricot and a twist of nuts.  
The featured coffee beverage for this month is the classic Iced Caramel Macchiato, a sweet, indulgent treat, available hot as well. Sweet and rich with caramel and featuring a pronounced espresso flavour, Caramel Macchiato delivers an indulgent sweet coffee experience. The cold versions of the beverage provide a revitalising experience for the warm summer months.    An array of coffee merchandise including a collection of Anniversary Blend products, Seasonal and Coffee at Home products will also be available across Starbucks stores exclusively during Ramadan.