Fujairah at Sunset

There are some times when Fujairah looks dusty and dirty and other times when it looks sensational.

Here is a photo of the Fujairah waters at sunset. It was taken by Delson Roche and posted on one of his web sites with the caption, “The last boat sails back to the docks at Fujairah.”

Check out Delson’s site at DelsonClicks and find the links to his other sites on which he has posted black and whites, photos of animals and another section devoted to flowers.

He is a terrific photographer and I am grateful to Delson for his permission to post this fine picture of Fujairah.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: “The last boat sails back to the docks at Fujairah.”

Monitoring Impact of Fujairah’s Growth on Health and Environment

Cementing Fujairah Development
The announcement was made today that the Sharaf Group is setting up a cement factory in the town of Habhab, in the emirate of Fujairah, at a total cost of Dhs1billion.

This investment comes hot on the heels of a rash of new ventures being announced for Fujairah in the way of the:
Fujairah Business Park (Business Compound, The Market and Hotels)
Strengthening of Infrastructure
Oil Industry developments

Environmental & Health Costs?
One of the pleasing aspects of today’s announcement was when Mr. Rashid Hamdan Abdullah, the Director of the Municipality of Fujairah emphasized “that the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammad Al-Sharqi, member of the Supreme Council and the Governor of Fujairah focused on the need to abide strictly by all the factory conditions and environmental laws of the Federation of Environment Authority, and the laws of environment and safety for the sake of public health.”

Furthermore the Director highlighted that the location of the new factory in Habhab is at a safe distance and away from the nearest housing complexes.

Fujairah and Health Issues
There is significant anecdotal evidence to suggest that many newcomers to Fujairah find, especially in the first few weeks of arrival, that they and their family members get sore throats, stinging eyes and infection. Fujairah doctors and pharmacists corroborate these personal reports saying that the dust from the quarries and smoke from fires and factories contribute to a significant health risk, especially for those who already have respiratory problems. Cases have been reported whereby expats have developed asthma while living in Fujairah and have been told by local doctors that they are wise to return to their homeland to prevent a serious deterioration in their health.

Independent Monitoring Needed
Residents of Fujairah will be glad to observe the development of infrastructure, the upgrading of facilities and the expansion of industry and tourism. They will be heartened to learn that the Fujairah Municipality is insisting that new industries sign up and abide by conditions that will help preserve the environment and personal health.

It would provide greater peace of mind if the Fujairah Municipality would establish an independent monitoring of the way industry is impacting the land, sea and air, including the effect on personal health. Publicizing the existing measures and letting residents know of new monitoring and policing methods will be essential as Fujairah continues to develop.

Dr Geoff Pound

Source: ‘Sharaf Group to Set Up a Cement Factory in Fujairah’, AMEInfo 27 March 2008.

Image: A cement factory on the Arabian Peninsula.

Fujairah Business Opportunities Being Tapped

Fujairah Commercial Directions
In recent weeks some significant announcements have highlighted the key business directions for the emirate of Fujairah.

These announcements have included the development of cement plant, new oil and gas pipelines with expanding terminals and new hotels and resorts being opened.

Specific Projects
Earlier this month at the opening of the new headquarters of the Al Taif in Fujairah some new opportunities were announced:
* Tourism projects
* Industrial ventures including an aluminum plant (Dh300m) and a gypsum board factory (Dh45m).
* Business Projects including the establishment of the Fujairah Business Park (at Dh650m-750m a project consisting of two towers with offices, apartments, hotel rooms and shopping mall—this will be located next to the Al Bustan ballroom at Hamad bin Abdullah Street) and The Market (a Dh2bill investment involving housing facilities, business areas, and a shopping, entertainment and cultural complex).

Fujairah No Longer Overlooked
Khalid Kalban, Chairman of Al Taif Investment, which is a joint venture between Dubai Investments and Fujairah Investment Establishment (FIE), admitted that the emirate of Al Fujairah had largely been overlooked and investors stood to realise significant gains by seizing opportunities in Fujairah. He said. “While the UAE continues to grow, the business potential of smaller emirates such as Fujairah remains largely untapped.”

Source: Salah Al Deberky, ‘Dh2.5b Real Estate Projects Launched in Fujairah’, Khaleej Times, 6 March 2008;

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: “The emirate of Al Fujairah had largely been overlooked…”

Fujairah Being Readied for Growth

The massive network of trenches and drains across Fujairah at the moment is a response to the huge allocation of money by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan to expand and strengthen the infrastructure for the growth of some of the smaller emirates in the UAE.

Eric Feferberg of AFP has posted this report entitled ‘UAE to Spend 4.4 billion dollars on Infrastructure’, 22 March 2008:

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan has allocated 4.4 billion dollars for infrastructure projects in parts of the oil-rich seven-emirate federation, the official WAM news agency said on Saturday.

The funds will go towards setting up new towns and intercity highways as well as stormwater and sewage systems in the northern emirates, WAM said without identifying which emirates will benefit from the projects.

The United Arab Emirates comprise the wealthy emirate of Abu Dhabi, the country's capital, as well as the booming state of Dubai -- both of which are spending billions of dollars on their infrastructure.

Northern emirates, where the economy is growing at a much slower pace, include Ajman, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Qaiwain.

Sheikh Khalifa is the ruler of Abu Dhabi.

Image: UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan.

Further Oil Spillages Call for Urgent Action

Oil on Fujairah Beaches Again
Another ‘oil spill’ has washed onto Fujairah beaches only three weeks since the last major ‘oil spill’.

The damage to the diving, hotel and tourist industries is colossal. With the regular and relentless oil spills on the UAE’s East Coast, people would be stupid to buy so called ‘fresh fish’ from the local markets unless they like it soused in crude oil. But the long term environmental damage makes these frequent ‘oil spills’ catastrophic.

Oil Spills or Oil Drains?
To speak of an ‘oil spill’ is to suggest that the act was accidental or unintentional e.g. ‘Oops! I’ve split coffee on my shirt’; ‘See if you can pour the juice into your glass without spilling it’.

We need to stop calling oil on the beaches an ‘oil spillage’ and start speaking of ship owners deliberately draining their oil slops into the sea. The shipping and oil industries are highly technological so the oil drains at sea are too frequent to call these accidental and unintentional.

Cleaning Process
Before oil tankers are reloaded with a fresh cargo of oil they must have their tanks cleaned. This cleaning takes place out at sea and it involves putting the remains of the old oil cargo into a ‘slop tank’ which is taken by a ‘slop carrier’ and put into a ‘slop farm’ near the port. The tank is cleaned with solvent so what is appearing on the Fujairah waters is often not oil alone but a mixture of old oil and solvent. This procedure takes time to do it properly and it costs money—currently between $500,000-$600,000 depending on the size of the vessel.

Low Fines and High Profits
It is therefore tempting for a sea captain to save half a million dollars by releasing the oil slops into the Fujairah waters during the inky darkness of the night. And with fines for oil spills currently at the level of only $100,000 it is a risk that some rogue ship owners think is worth taking.

In the fluctuating price climate of oil futures, time is of the essence so whatever a ship owner can do to minimize the amount of time anchored in the Fujairah waters can look very attractive. The issue is accentuated at this time when there is a shortage of oil tankers in the world.

Urgent Action Proposed
With 150-300 ships at any time out from Fujairah and with these numbers due to escalate it is getting increasingly difficult to identify the culprits under the present system.

Fujairah is already being called ‘the biggest bunkering port in the world’ and with new oil refineries, terminals and oil pipelines being built, it is urgent that something be done to stop the willful draining of oil slops into the ocean.

The fine for oil spills must be increased and must be to a level that is significantly higher than the cost of cleaning the tank and depositing the oil slops properly into the slop carrier.

Furthermore, a more effective policing mechanism must be instituted with more police boats on patrol and creating a climate of high vigilance.

This will cost money but with the bunkering business now worth billions of dollars it is proportional. Otherwise the significant oil revenue that is coming to the UAE will be at great expense to the tourism, diving and fishing industries. Most importantly is the need to safeguard the priceless environment on the UAE’s East Coast.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: Oil tanker.

Oil Industry Expands in Fujairah

As oil topped the $100 per barrel mark, the Singapore-listed company Chemoil Energy announced that it will launch its marine fuel business in Fujairah this month (March) and will more than double the storage capacity within two years.

The Reuters article said:
“The foray into Fujairah will put it in direct competition with Vitol, which will soon start trading in a region dominated by a small group of Arab players and had already seen several large foreign firms fail in their attempts to cement a foothold in the market.”

Company chairman, Robert Bandy spoke of the attractiveness of the Fujairah location when saying:

“I think if you run the numbers, Fujairah is the largest fuel oil port in the world now... it’s outside the Strait of Hormuz, every oil tanker loading crude oil out of the Middle East will entertain that as a stopping point for fuel.” Bandy said.

Fujairah handles about 100 vessels at any given time for various marine services including re-fuelling, port data show.

Source: Luke Pachymuthu and Yaw Yan Chong, Chemoil Asia, Mideast Expansion on Track, Reuters UK, 27 February 2008.

Image: Oil Pump

Fujairah Unified Call to Prayer is a Backward Step

It was noticeably different on our walk early this morning to hear only one voice emanating from the mosques in Fujairah. The volume was loud and the caller was skilful.

A report in today’s Gulf News (27 February 2008) entitled, ‘Fujairah Introduces Unified Call to Prayer’, indicated the news and supplied the explanations:

“Religious authorities in Fujairah have introduced a unified call to prayer [adhan] on Tuesday, meaning the call will go out at the same time, sounded by a single caller.”

“The system, similar to that already in use in Abu Dhabi, relies on a singular live rendition of the adhan and not a pre-recorded sound-clip.”

“Some 320 mosques in Fujairah and surrounding areas have been fitted with dish receivers to catch the adhan signal beamed via a satellite…”

“Rashid Obaid Al Danhani, Director of the council said the new system is part of the policy of updating all mosques with new technologies.”

Improvement?
This move is certainly new, it marks an update in method and it involves the use of technology but does this mean it is a good move? Just because it is modelled in the capital does not make it right for Fujairah.

Reasons to Bring Back the Muezzins
1. The adhan (ذَان) recited by a live muezzin has been a tradition practiced for centuries and has not only religious significance but important cultural value for this nation.

This was the feature that struck Wilfred Thesiger, the explorer of the Arabian deserts in the 1940s when his Bedu friends emerged from their tents each morning:

“They… were lined up praying, their shadows long upon the desert floor. I was watching them and thinking how this ritual must have remained unchanged in every detail since it was first prescribed by Muhammed…” Wilfred Thesiger, Arabian Sands, 67.)

Now this technological innovation has broken this ancient tradition by diminishing considerably the human factor.

2. What a difference to be woken by an unknown voice relayed by satellite (at least this is better than a pre-recorded sound-clip). What a different effect this will have when Fujairah Muslims are lying in bed and they hear the words beamed by satellite: “Prayer is better than sleep…Make haste towards prayer.” There might now be an un-hasty response that is different from when you knew personally the caller who had already awoken and was at your mosque waiting for you to join him with your company and devotion.

3. The technological innovation reduces the personal factor. If company and fellowship were insignificant the imams would be broadcasting the adhan by television and radio and encouraging people to pray alone in the privacy of their own homes. In a world that is becoming increasingly impersonal it is imperative that religions give a lead and highlight for people the importance of the human factor.

4. The Gulf News reports that 320 mosques in Fujairah have gone high-tech. This means that 319 Fujairah muezzins (and their substitutes—650+) are out of a job. If participation and the exercise of gifts are integral to religious faith and practice then this is a major loss. The unique and sacred task of calling people to prayer will be lost within a generation as young devotees go untrained in this ancient art. One can imagine in a couple of decades a thunderstorm and lightning hitting Fujairah, disabling the satellite system and this being followed by a silence, as there is no one who is able and practiced in calling people to prayer.

5. The technological innovation has been introduced on the basis that ‘a unified call to prayer’ is superior to the traditional method of many voices not in unison. Certainly if this morning’s muezzin is anything to go by the call to prayer will be relayed with power, musicality and confidence. But the disparate voices that I have heard every morning emanating from the nine mosques around our street has been testimony to the diversity in Islam and the truth that while there is a universal call, religious expression can take on a local colour. The homogenization of religion is a retrograde step and it represents the insidious influence of globalization.

6. This franchise approach to religion or what has been called McDonaldization may make mosques more efficient and ensure an even quality every time a call to prayer is sounded. But the cacophony will be missed. The caller who sings out of tune, the singer who sounds like he is gargling and the muezzin who calls up and down like a xylophone all express something fundamental about worship and all of life—the preparedness to offer one’s best to God regardless of whether or not the standard of excellence is attained.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: “Make haste towards prayer.”

French Award Medal to Fujairah Ruler for Cultural Leadership

The Emirates News Agency and UAE Interact reported:

“The Arab Institute in Paris (L'Institut du Monde Arabe) has awarded its Gold medal to HH Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Fujairah in recognition of his services in the cause of cultural and intellectual interaction between the Arab and the European worlds.”

Further information on this presentation and award at:
‘Arab Institute in Paris Awards Fujairah Ruler its Gold Medal’, UAE Interact, 26 February 2008.

Image: The presentation.

Locust Swarms Threaten Fujairah Crops

Ria Novosti has posted this article on a swarm of desert locusts invading UAE farms:

ABU DHABI, February 21 (RIA Novosti) - The United Arab Emirates has seen its largest swarms of desert locusts in 25 years, which could threaten crops, national media reported on Thursday.

Desert locusts migrate from Africa across the UAE and Saudi Arabia to Iran about every five years, and some groups fly as far as India and Pakistan.

The first swarms appeared in western regions of the UAE around a week ago. Recently, agriculture authorities detected the pests in the eastern emirate of Al Fujairah along the coast of the Gulf of Oman.

The country's last locust plague was seen a quarter of a century ago, according to the Al-Bayan newspaper. However, the paper quoted authorities in Al Fujairah as saying such a large number of the insects had not been witnessed in the country in 50 years.

The insects have destroyed over 10% of vegetation in the Al Buraimi Oasis in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, mostly forests and date palms, the Al-Ittihad newspaper reported.

Authorities have called on farmers not to panic.

"This is not a dangerous situation at the moment. We have ground operations ready but the swarms are small," acting deputy minister, Abdullah Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz, said, adding that the situation was under control.

The Gulf News portal quoted an official from the country's Ministry of Environment and Water as saying that locusts as yet pose no major threat to farmers.

Desert locusts are considered the highly dangerous pests because of their ability to cover long distances at great speed.

Image: Desert locust

Oil Damages Fujairah Beaches, Marine Life and Tourism

Sara-Lise Haith from Deeper Blue posted this report on 19 February 2008:

The oil spill which happened in the earlier hours of today has caused havoc for the tourism industry of Fujairah and Sharjah, on the east coast areas of the United Arab Emirates.

Photos sent to Deeperblue.net today from a dive centre on the East Coast of Sharjah, represent extreme damage to marine life, beaches and the sun seeking tourists of what is normally a golden sandy beach have been driven away.

Dive centres are still reporting that no assistance has been offered to finance the cleanup of these areas and hotels, such as the Le Meridien Al Aqah, are financing their own cleanups in order to rid the beaches of the mess as soon as possible.

No company has claimed ownership or fault to the damage and the Ministry of Environment is allegedly shrugging their shoulders and not offering any solutions. A report on Zawya.com says that a leak occurred two days ago off the Abu Dhabi coast but it was announced that no pollution had occurred.

Original Post: Deeper Blue.

Images: Oil on beaches (courtesy of Deeper Blue).

Further information on the oil spill and the outrage can be found at these links:

Gulf News: ‘Hotels Seek Strict Action on Oil Spill’, 21 February 2008.

7 Days: ‘Clean-up Operation Under way After Beach Devastated by Oil Slick’, 21 February 2008.

Fujairah in Focus, Further Oil Spillages Call for Urgent Action, March 2008.

Regional UAE: Places of Surprising Beauty

Photographer Nan Kebab has captured this outstanding photograph of the Hatta Dam.

This beautiful place is easily within reach of a drive from Fujairah or Dubai and is well worth a visit.

The photograph depicts the beauty of the mountain, the clear sky and the reflective water, which is there in abundance after a good pour. It is one of the many scenic spots that visitors can enjoy if they are prepared to recognize that the UAE is more than Dubai.

The original site where this larger picture is posted should be seen and enjoyed.

Congratulations and thanks to Nan for posting this marvelous shot.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: Hatta Dam.

Fujairah Cleaner: ‘It’s My Duty'

A recent (9 February 2008) Khaleej Times article ran an interview with Anand, a native of India’s Andhra Pradesh, who works as a cleaner for the Fujairah Municipality.

It is an interesting story that mirrors the lives of thousands of people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Philippines who keep the economy of the UAE going.

Like so many people, Anand gets up early and works extremely hard doing menial work for very little money (Dh800 a month, which reflects an increase in the last month of 70%). Anand has left his wife and three children back in his homeland and he endures this existence in order to support them. Like so many others, this is seen as his ‘duty’.

Andand appears to carry out his work happily as he feels lucky to have a job. But he despairs at the people who drop paper and plastic on the streets and he would love to get invited to schools to lecture schoolchildren. Asked about the content of his lecture, Anand said, “I would urge children not to throw waste like cans and chips bags on the street.”

The full article can be read at this link.

Dr Geoff Pound

Image: Anand, a Fujairah cleaner (courtesy of Khaleej Times)

Assessing the Fujairah Experience

Jenny Coutinho spent three years living in Fujairah and has written an article describing her experience.

What does Fujairah offer?

Serenity, ships bobbing in the ocean, mountain ranges with its evocation of nostalgia and comforting balm, bargaining at the Friday Market, the beauty of the twilight skyline, the soothing effect of the starry, starry night and more.

It was not all ‘beer and skittles’ as Jenny writes about homesickness blended with hospitality.

Read more in this article entitled, ‘Fujairah: An Experience to Cherish’, Meri News, 11 February 2008.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: Not the glitz of Dubai, nor the bling of Abu Dhabi but serenity in the eastern emirate. Fujairah teacher experiencing serenity in the waters of the Indian Ocean.

New Cement Factory for Fujairah

The Fujairah Municipality has signed an agreement with Sharaf Group for setting up a cement factory in the Habhab region at a cost of AED 1 billion.

Vice Chairman of the Sharaf Group said that Fujairah was selected to set up the factory in view of its huge deposits of raw materials as well as its proximity to crushers.

The factory will have an initial production capacity of two million tons and will gradually be increased to 4 million tons.

Director General of Fujairah Municipality Rashid Hamdan said that the emirate is rich in raw materials and this will substantially help the cement production.

He praised the support of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, UAE Supreme Council member and ruler of Fujairah to the economic movement in the emirate.

Source: Emirates News Agency, WAM, 15 February 2008.

Image: “rich in raw materials…”

Diving Discoveries in Fujairah Waters

Have a look at this photograph and see why Fujairah is one of the most popular and significant regions for diving in the world.

This may be a fryeria rueppelii or a phyllidia varicosa but to the laity it might be better known as a sea slug.

These 15 mm beings were photographed on 13 February 2008 by Yahia Mokhtar while diving around Dibba Rock, Fujairah, Gulf of Oman, Indian Ocean.

The information and photograph is posted on the Sea Slug Forum which is part of the Australian Museum Online.

Check this site to see and learn more about life under the sea off Fujairah. There are some amazing photos of sea slugs from the Gulf of Oman, the Red Sea, Egypt and Western Australia.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: A Fujairah fryeria rueppelii

Fujairah Shakes in Earthquake Zone

Not a Sheikh up caused by leadership but a shake up caused by movement in the earth.

An earthquake in Fujairah yesterday (12 February 2008) has followed further tremors (and resulting panic) earlier in the month and has led to a report in the Khaleej Times.

In the article, Fresh tremors trigger panic in Fujairah, by staff reporters, Zoe Sinclair & Salah Deberkey, mention was made of tremor reports, the perceived epicentre and Fujairah’s location on the northeast of the Arabian tectonic plate.

National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology (NCMS) seismologist Mohammed Jaragat said, “It’s normal.” He added that it was unlikely recent tremors suggested a more severe earthquake could hit.

“Historical records show light and moderate tremors,” he said.
“Not above 4.5 to 5 which is moderate.”

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: Hajar Mountains, situated along the Arabian tectonic plate.

Power Boat Grand Prix for Fujairah

Gulf News reports that promoters of the Continental F2000 Championship have earmarked Fujairah as a prime location for the sport, announcing it will host a Grand Prix meeting on February 23.

Altogether 18 boats from 12 nations will be vying for valuable points as well as a share of the $30,000 prize money as Fujairah looks set to become an important stop on the F2000 diary.

Further details from the Gulf News article, ‘F2000 Grand Prix in Fujairah’, 11 February 2008.

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: Power boat

Looking to Buy Property in Fujairah?

Check out John Hill’s very good article on the state of property purchase in the UAE emirate of Fujairah.

Why Fujairah is Desirable
Hill sets forth several compelling reasons for eyeing Al Fujairah as a bright prospect for investors. These include the following:

* Fujairah has one of the smallest populations of any of the seven Emirates—only 130,000—so it is spacious, uncluttered and has a remote, ‘getaway’ holiday feel.

* The geography is strikingly different—rugged, mountainous, lengthy beaches, accessible islands and coral reefs which make it an adventurer’s paradise.

* The climate is more pleasant than most Middle Eastern locations. The mountains create a higher rainfall than the other emirates and the sea breezes drop the mercury.

Changing Property Laws
Before you go dashing forth to drop your dirhams and dollars on the Real Estate counters, check out what John Hill writes about buying property in Fujairah. My summary of his detailed statement is this:

* Until 2002 purchasing property freehold in the UAE has been limited to UAE citizens and citizens of Gulf (GCC) states but foreigners have been able to hold property under a 99 year lease arrangement.

* Dubai from 2002 has made property purchase available to foreigners but Fujairah has not followed apart from in one instance.

* The Fujairah government is currently considering a law to allow foreign freehold ownership of residential property.

* The Fujairah Free Zone allows the opportunity of fully foreign owned businesses.

Check out all the details, including information on Fujairah’s tourist property expansion and properties available in this eastern emirate at:

John Hill, UAE Property Guide—Fujairah

Dr. Geoff Pound

Image: “rugged, mountainous… accessible islands… which make it an adventurer’s paradise.”

Fujairah-Abu Dhabi Pipeline to be Flowing by 2009

RigZone.Com reported that contracts have been finalized for supplies of pipes for the trans-UAE pipeline:

First delivery of the pipe, which will have a 48-inch diameter, is expected in July 2008, IPIC said.

Abu Dhabi, the largest U.A.E. sheikdom, plans to build the 360-kilometer oil export pipeline to transport up to 1.5 million barrels a day of crude to Fujairah to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which Persian Gulf oil producers ship their crude exports.

About 17 million barrels of crude oil, or 20% of global consumption, are being shipped through the tanker route every day.

Oil prices have risen over the past two years partly on fears Iran could block exports from the region through Hormuz if tensions with the U.S. over the Islamic republic's nuclear program escalate.

The Adcop project, being fast-tracked for completion in 2009, will involve building storage and terminal facilities for the crude export from Fujairah.

The crude oil will be sourced from the onshore Habshan field in Abu Dhabi. The emirate pumps 95% of the crude in the U.A.E., which is the third-largest oil producer in the Persian Gulf after Saudi Arabia and Iran.

IPIC is also studying the option to build an export refinery in Fujairah despite ConocoPhillips (COP) dropping out of the project earlier this year.

Watani Camp Scheduled for Fujairah

A report at Arabian Business.Com outlines the purpose of the Watani [Arabic for ‘My Homeland’] social development program:

“As part of its ongoing initiatives aimed at helping the young ones understand their rich history and heritage and discover their country's renowned sights, Watani, the social development program launched a new series of children camps that kicked of during the school holidays. Watani Spring Camps dedicated to the children aged 8 to 14 years old consist of a variety of educational workshops and entertaining activities as well as informative trips to heritage areas to relive the different aspects of the UAE traditional life.”

“The first of this series of camps was organized recently on 23 until 27 December 2007 at Mushref park-Dubai. Children enjoyed the various activities focusing on traditional arts and crafts such as drawing with charcoal, Arabic calligraphy and ceramic craft. They also enjoyed a series of entertainment activities, competitions, the water games and cruises where they discovered the different types of ships, species of fish and the traditional tools of fishing. They learned the basics of the First Aid.”

To read more of Watani’s work, the camp coming up in Fujairah and to get an application form see this article:

‘New Adventures for Children with Watani’, Arabian Business.Com, 3 January 2008.

Another article is posted on UAE Interact.

Image: photo from an earlier Watani camp with children learning craft skills.