V-Marine, a leading provider of houseboats and floating resorts, is proud to announce the opening of its commercial office in Dubai, UAE. The new office will be led by Giovanni Sorrentino, a well-known figure in the yacht industry for his collaborations with European and GCC yards such as Silent Yacht, an award-winning company for sustainable yacht industry, and Tecnomar for Lamborghini. Sorrentino's contribution to V-Marine's development of sustainable and self-sufficient houseboats, floating villas, and resorts will be instrumental in the company's expansion in the region.
Currently the production is served from Bahrain, while V-Marine plans to set up additional production facilities in GCC to meet the growing demand for houseboats and floating resorts projects in the area. This move is in response to the significant growth and the increasing demand from customers in the region, which is expected to soon outpace the current production capacity in Bahrain.
"We are excited to have Giovanni Sorrentino leading our Dubai operations," said Wael Joujou, CEO of V-Marine. "His experience and expertise in sustainability yachts will be invaluable as we expand our presence in the UAE market and deliver high-quality, self-sufficient houseboats, floating villas, and resorts."
Sorrentino's and V-Marine's commitment to sustainability will drive the development of innovative solutions for houseboats and resorts that are both luxurious and eco-friendly.
"The UAE is an important market for us, and we are committed to serving our customers here with the highest quality sustainable houseboats and floating resorts," said Sorrentino. "With the new production facilities in UAE, we will be able to better meet the growing demand for our products and services in the region while contributing to a more sustainable future."
Wael Joujou added “V-Marine house boats already met the taste of UAE boaters thanks to the quality of the construction and the finishing of the interior space. Now the next step is to bring technology and sustainability to our models in order to offer not only an eco friendly experience but also a valid alternative to the Luxury Yacht industry in terms of luxury and space at a much more reasonable price”
Wael and Sorrentino met occasionally in Qatar during the Launch of the floating pop-up Lounge at the Pearl Doha, produced by V-Marine, during exclusive presentation of the Urus Performante, and that experience led only recently to a fruitful collaboration .
V-Marine has a strong track record of delivering high-quality houseboats and resorts projects to customers around the world, and the company's expansion into UAE represents a significant milestone in its growth trajectory. V-Marine is confident that its presence in UAE will enable it to better serve its customers in the region, and looks forward to continuing to deliver exceptional products and services to its customers in UAE and beyond.
Manama, Bahrain -- (ARAB NEWSWIRE) -- The ever-evolving online landscape continues to provide new opportunities for wildlife traffickers on a virtual marketplace where chances of detection are low and profits from selling endangered wildlife can be extremely high.
The challenge is that the Internet and social networking sites facilitate the illegal trade in wildlife and its product—including but not limited to ivory products, lion and cheetah cubs, apes, parrots, birds of prey and reptile skins—through online platform advertising live animals, birds or their products to sellers and buyers. Moreover, these online platforms provide direct sellers and buyers with dedicated pages and groups to traffic wildlife, feeding larger global networks. The ease facilitated though electronic payment platforms is encouraging people to trade in wildlife especially with the encryption tools that allows these people to remain anonymous.
In order to limit the spread of illegal online wildlife trade, IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), in cooperation with the Supreme Council for the Environment in Bahrain, is implementing a regional training workshop on combating wildlife cybercrime on 14-16 June 2022 in Manama, Bahrain. Conducted by IFAW, with technical assistance from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), this workshop will train participants on methods to track online activities and report accounts used to illegally trade in wildlife.
“Distinguishing between legal and illegal wildlife trade is particularly challenging online – especially given the huge volume of daily transactions,” said Elsayed Mohamed, IFAW’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. He continued, “There are already many threats on wildlife and their natural habitats, endangered animals cannot survive further pressure coming from the online market which is open 24/7”.
The capacity of wildlife law enforcement authorities in investigating these accounts online must be built to research and audit online accounts violating the law. Moreover, social media platforms and e-commerce sites should adopt policies to combat illegal wildlife trade to support law enforcement agencies responsible for preventing illegal wildlife trade.
The workshop was inaugurated by His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Mubarak bin Dina, Minister of Oil and Environment and Special Envoy for Climate Affairs, who indicated in his speech that "with rapid technical development, electronic commerce has imposed itself on society, including electronic commerce in endangered species, which has contributed to the prosperity of this species. The Internet has become a major gateway for advertising wildlife, and some have exploited this technical development for illegal trade in endangered species, so it is necessary to address this illegal trade.
In addition, his Excellency stressed the importance of concerted efforts between all partners and stakeholders in order to strengthen measures and procedures to combat wildlife cybercrime, through tightening control over content, and an immediate response to address these violations. His Excellency also reviewed the efforts made by the Kingdom of Bahrain toward combating the illegal trade of endangered species starting with the accession of the Kingdom of Bahrain to CITES in 2012 until the issuance of Environmental Law No. (7) Of 2022, through the national law on regulating and controlling international trade in endangered species.
This regional training workshop is the first of its kind in the region and includes participants from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan.
Manama, Bahrain — (ARAB NEWSWIRE) —
تستمر الحالة الإلكترونية، التي تتطور باستمرار، في توفير فرص جديدة للمتاجرين بالحياة الفطرية (البرية). هؤلاء التجار يستخدمون الأسواق الافتراضية حيث تكون فرص ضبط تعاملاتهم غير القانونية منخفضة بينما يمكن أن تكون الأرباح عالية للغاية من الإتجار بالحياة الفطرية المهددة بالانقراض.
يتمثل التحدي في التغلب على هذه المشكلة في أن الإنترنت ومواقع شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي تُسَهل التجارة غير المشروعة في الحياة الفطرية ومنتجاتها - على سبيل المثال لا الحصر منتجات العاج وأشبال الأسود والفهد الصياد وأنواع القردة وطيور الببغاوات والطيور الجارحة وجلود الزواحف - من خلال الاعلان عن الحيوانات الحية والطيور أو منتجاتها عبر منصة ما على الإنترنت لتسهيل التواصل بين البائعين والمشترين. علاوة على ذلك، توجه هذه المنصات الالكترونية البائعين والمشترين إلى صفحات ومجموعات مخصصة للإتجار بالحياة الفطرية، وتزويد الشبكات العالمية الأكبر. إن اليسر في التعامل الذي يتم من خلال منصات الدفع الإلكترونية تشجع الناس على التجارة في الحياة الفطرية خاصة باستخدام أدوات التشفير التي تتيح لهؤلاء الأشخاص عدم الكشف عن هويتهم والمحافظة على سريتهم.
من أجل الحد من انتشار التجارة غير المشروعة في الحياة الفطرية عبر الإنترنت، ينفذ الصندوق الدولي للرفق بالحيوان IFAW بالتعاون مع المجلس الأعلى للبيئة في البحرين ورشة عمل تدريبية إقليمية حول مكافحة الجرائم الإلكترونية للحياة الفطرية خلال الفترة 14-16 يونيو 2022 في المنامة، البحرين. ستعمل هذه الورشة التي يقوم بها الـ IFAW بمساعدة فنية من وكالة التحقيقات البيئية (EIA) على تدريب المشاركين على طرائق تتبع الحسابات والأنشطة الالكترونية التي تتاجر بشكل غير مشروع بالحياة الفطرية والإبلاغ عنها.
ذكر الدكتور السيد محمد، المدير الإقليمي لمنطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا في IFAW: "إن التمييز بين التجارة المشروعة وغير المشروعة في الحياة الفطرية يمثل تحديًا خاصًا على الإنترنت - لا سيما بالنظر إلى الحجم الهائل من المعاملات اليومية". وتابع: "هناك بالفعل العديد من التهديدات والضغوطات على الحياة الفطرية وموائلها الطبيعية، ولا يمكن للحيوانات المهددة بالانقراض أن تتحمل المزيد من الضغوط القادمة من سوق الإنترنت المفتوح على مدار الساعة طوال أيام الأسبوع".
يجب بناء القدرات والكفاءات لدى سلطات إنفاذ قانون حماية الحياة الفطرية من أجل البحث والتدقيق في هذه الحسابات الالكترونية. ومع ذلك، يجب أن تتبنى منصات وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي ومواقع التجارة الإلكترونية سياسات تمنع التجارة غير المشروعة في الأحياء الفطرية لدعم وكالات إنفاذ القانون المسؤولة عن منع التجارة غير المشروعة في الحياة الفطرية.
افتتح الورشة سعادة الدكتور محمد بن مبارك بن دينه وزير النفط والبيئة المبعوث الخاص لشؤون المناخ الذي أشار في كلمته إلى أنه "مع التطور التقني السريع فرضت التجارة الالكترونية نفسها على المجتمع، ومن بينها التجارة الالكترونية في الأنواع الفطرية المهددة بالانقراض، مما ساهم في ازدهار هذا النوع من التجارة، وأصبح الانترنت بوابة رئيسية للإعلان عن تجارة الحياة الفطرية. ولقد استغل البعض هذه التطور التقني للإتجار غير القانوني بالأنواع الفطرية المهددة بالانقراض، فكان لابد من التصدي لهذه التجارة غير القانونية.
مؤكدا سعادته على "أهمية تظافر الجهود بين كافة الشركاء والمعنيين من أجل تعزيز التدابير والإجراءات لمكافحة التجارة غير القانونية في الحياة الفطرية عبر الانترنت، و ذلك من خلال تشديد الرقابة على المحتوى، والاستجابة الفورية للتصدي لهذه المخالفات" ، كما استعرض سعادته الجهود التي بذلتها مملكة البحرين تجاه مكافحة التجارة غير القانونية للأنواع الفطرية المهددة بالانقراض بدءا من انضمام مملكة البحرين لاتفاقية سايتس في العام 2012 حتى صدور قانون البيئة رقم (7) لسنة 2022، مرورا بالقانون الوطني المعني بتنظيم ومراقبة التجارة الدولية في الأنواع الفطرية المهددة بالانقراض.
يُشار إلى أن الورشة الإقليمية هي الأول من نوعها في المنطقة وتضم مشاركين من البحرين والكويت وسلطنة عُمان والمملكة العربية السعودية والإمارات العربية المتحدة ومصر والأردن.
Muscat, Oman (ARAB NEWSWIRE) – Shark populations continue to decline due to unsustainable shark catch practices, including shark finning. Hence, as many countries begin to prioritize the importance of marine life protection and fishing regulations, Oman takes the first step to outline science-based shark catch assessments to further regulate shark catch and trade in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), with the support of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
In the Middle East and North Africa region, Oman will be the first country to carry a study in the direction of outlining a science based shark catch assessment known as “CITES Non-Detrimental Findings” (NDFs). Funded by the Shark Conservation Fund, and with the technical support of Save our Seas Foundation, the three-day workshop will start on 17 May in Muscat, Oman.
What are CITES NDFs?
CITES is a convention regulating the international trade in endangered species between countries, which are referred to as “parties”.
To regulate and systemize the international trade process, CITES designated “Appendix II” list for species which are allowed to be internationally traded for commercial purposes on the condition that it is regulated and its export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species in their natural habitats.
The decision on whether or not the export is detrimental will be determined by the Scientific Authority of the State of export based on the NDF assessment.
NDF is carried out through data collection, which is the core purpose of the NDF. Therefore, to complete the NDF, the data collected must comprise the biological characteristics of the species—breeding period, species count and survival, the pressure on the species in terms of catch and trade, and finally the existing laws concerning its protection.
What is the challenge in outlining NDFs?
Referred to as “non-detriment findings”, these are intended to ensure that exports of individual listed animals and their products and derivatives, have not harmed wild populations or ecosystems which they have come from.
Because the Scientific Authority of each CITES Party is responsible for making NDFs and determining how to do so, the Conference of the Parties (CoP) has not produced binding technical criteria for undertaking NDFs—in other words, NDFs are specifically tailored for each country and it is the countries responsibility to undertake it. Therefore, considerable effort has been made by some CITES Parties, inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the CITES Secretariat and the CoP to develop non-binding general and taxon-specific guidance for making NDFs. This is where IFAW steps in.
IFAW in cooperation with the Environment Authority, and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Recourses, will provide an outline to collect data and complete the NDFs assessment for the most caught shark species in Oman: the silky and bigeye thresher sharks. Participants including local authorities as well as on-ground expertise such as the National Marine Research Centre, and the Environment Society of Oman, will be participating in the workshop and take part in completing the NDFs.
Why are NDFs important?
In the Arabian Seas alone, there are more than 30 different species of shark, and the majority need protection since three-quarters of the species studied are now threated with extinction according to IUCN criteria.
“To be able to protect species, we must know about them” says Akram Eissa Darwich, IFAW’s MENA Program Manager. He continues, “Undertaking NDFs in Oman will support the authorities in making the right decisions concerning trade which will ultimately save them”.
Undoubtedly, building capacity in this scientific route is a necessary step to combat wildlife trafficking, and those who will participate in this novice process will be fundamental in improving the national laws that regulate trade according to CITES.
Steps forward?
IFAW is encouraging other countries to follow lead and begin working on their NDFs which will enable them to develop their national legislation based on scientific research that will ultimately protect more animals that are endemic to the country, and is considered to many, an invaluable national treasure.
Moreover, IFAW is highlighting the importance of neighbouring countries working together as many of the species are migratory and their protection would be impossible without the collective effort of the countries and their unity in the conservation mission.
ENDS
مسقط، عُمان (17-19 مايو 2022) Muscat, Oman (ARAB NEWSWIRE)
تستمر أعداد مجموعات أسماك القرش بالتناقص بسبب الممارسات غير المستدامة لصيد أسماك القرش، بما في ذلك الصيد لأجل زعانف سمك القرش. ولذلك بدأت العديد من البلدان في إعطاء الأولوية لأهمية حماية الحياة البحرية وتنظيم صيد الأسماك، حيث تتخذ عُمان الخطوة الأولى لتحديد التقييمات المتعلقة بصيد أسماك القرش بالاستناد على العلم من أجل تنظيم صيد وتجارة أسماك القرش وفقًا لاتفاقية التجارة الدولية بأنواع الحيوانات والنباتات البرية المهددة بالانقراض (السايتس: CITES)، بدعم من الصندوق الدولي للرفق بالحيوان (الأيفو: (IFAW.
ستكون عُمان أول دولة، في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا، تجري دراسة من أجل تحديد التقييمات المتعلقة بصيد أسماك القرش بالاستناد على العلم والمعروفة باسم "دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع وفقًا لاتفاقية سايتس (NDFs)". ستبدأ ورشة العمل في 17 مايو في مسقط، عُمان وتستمر ثلاثة أيام، وهي بتمويل من الصندوق الدولي للحفاظ على أسماك القرش، وبدعم فني من مؤسسة حماية بحارنا (Save Our Seas Foundation).
ما هي دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع وفقاُ لاتفاقية سايتس CITES NDFs؟
السايتس هي اتفاقية دولية تنظم التجارة الدولية بالأنواع المهددة بالانقراض فيما بين الدول، والتي يشار إليها باسم "الأطراف". لقد حددت السايتس، من أجل تنظيم عملية التجارة الدولية، قائمة "الملحق الثاني" والتي تضم الأنواع المسموح تداولها دوليًا للأغراض التجارية بشرط أن يتم تنظيم هذا التداول التجاري وأن يتم التأكد من أن تصديرها لن يضر ببقاء هذا النوع في بيئته الطبيعية. سيتم إتخاذ القرار فيما إذا كان التصدير ضارًا أم لا بالنوع من قبل الهيئة العلمية للاتفاقية في دولة التصدير بناءً على تقييم دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع NDF.
يتم تنفيذ دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع من خلال جمع البيانات، وهو الغرض الأساسي من هذه الدراسات. من أجل ذلك، ولاستكمال دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع، يجب أن تشتمل البيانات التي تم جمعها على الخصائص البيولوجية للنوع المدروس: فترة التكاثر، تعداد وبقاء النوع، والضغوط على النوع من حيث حجم الصيد والتجارة، وأخيرًا القوانين الحالية المتعلقة بحمايته.
ما هو التحدي في تحديد دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع NDFs؟
تهدف هذه الدراسات إلى ضمان أن الصادرات من الحيوانات المدرجة ومنتجاتها ومشتقاتها لم تسبب الضرر بالمجموعات البرية أو النظم البيئية التي أتت منها.
نظرًا لأن السلطة العلمية لكل دولة في السايتس هي المسؤولة عن القيام بدراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع وتحديد كيفية القيام بذلك، فإن مؤتمر الأطراف (CoP) لم ينتج معايير فنية ملزمة لإجراء هذه الدراسات. وبعبارة أخرى، فإن دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع مصممة خصيصًا لكل دولة و تقع على عاتق الدول مسؤولية القيام بها. لذلك، بذلت بعض الأطراف في اتفاقية التجارة الدولية بأنواع الحيوانات والنباتات البرية المهددة بالانقراض (السايتس)، والمنظمات الحكومية الدولية (IGOs)، والمنظمات غير الحكومية (NGOs)، وسكرتارية ومؤتمر الأطراف في السايتس، جهودًا كبيرة لتطوير إرشادات غير ملزمة عامة أو خاصة بوحدات تصنيفية معينة من أجل وضع دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع. وهنا يأتي الدور الذي تتدخل فيه الأيفو.
سيقوم الصندوق الدولي للرفق بالحيوان بالتعاون مع هيئة البيئة ووزارة الثروة الزراعية والسمكية وموارد المياه في السلطنة بوضع مخطط لجمع البيانات وإكمال تقييم دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع وذلك لأنواع أسماك القرش الأكثر عرضة للصيد في عُمان: القرش الحريري (Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis والقرش الثعلب أبو عين كبيرة (Bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus. سيقوم المشاركون في ورشة العمل والذين يتبعون للسلطات المحلية إضافة لخبراء حقليين وأكاديمين من المركز الوطني للبحوث البحرية، وجمعية البيئة العُمانية، بالمشاركة في إكمال دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع لهذين النوعين.
لماذا تعتبر دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع مهمة؟
يوجد في البحار العربية وحدها أكثر من 30 نوعًا مختلفًا من أسماك القرش، غالبيتها تحتاج إلى الحماية لأن ثلاثة أرباع الأنواع المدروسة مهددة الآن بالانقراض وفقًا لمعايير الاتحاد الدولي لحماية الطبيعة (IUCN).
يقول أكرم عيسى درويش، مدير البرامج في الأيفو للشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا: "لكي نتمكن من حماية الأنواع، يجب أن نعرفها" ويتابع قائلاً: "إن القيام بدراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع في سلطنة عُمان سوف يدعم السلطات في اتخاذ القرارات الصحيحة المتعلقة بالتجارة بهذه الأنواع والتي ستحميها في نهاية المطاف".
مما لا شك فيه أن بناء القدرات في هذا المنحى العلمي يُعد خطوة ضرورية لمكافحة الاتجار غير القانوني بالحياة الفطرية، وسيكون أولئك المشاركون في هذه العملية الجديدة أساسيين في تحسين القوانين الوطنية التي تنظم التجارة وفقًا لاتفاقية السايتس.
الخطوات قُدُمًا؟
يشجع الأيفو الدول الأخرى على اتباع هذه الخطوة الرائدة والبدء في العمل على إعداد دراسات عدم الإضرار بالنوع الخاصة بهم بما يُمكنَّهم من تطوير تشريعاتهم الوطنية على أساس علمي والذي سيحمي في نهاية المطاف المزيد من الحيوانات المتوطنة في دولهم، والتي تعتبر بالنسبة للكثيرين كنزًا وطنيًا لا يقدر بثمن.
علاوة على ذلك، يقوم الأيفو بتسليط الضوء على أهمية عمل الدول المجاورة معًا لأن العديد من الأنواع مهاجرة، وستكون حمايتها مستحيلة بدون الجهد الجماعي للدول واتحادها في مهمة الحفظ والحماية.
ENDS
He described the main challenges faced by the world, and stated, “There’s now a peace deficit in Europe and the numbers of refugees is rising. There’s also a big deficit in sustainability and I think that’s where academics can really play a part by working with industry. The third main deficit is a deficit of equality. The number of people living in poverty has increased for first time since 1990”.
DMU hosted the conference with PRME – the UN’s Principles for Responsible Management Education team, which focuses on how to educate future leaders to focus on achieving the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, global targets which address issues like hunger, poverty and equality.
The theme of the ninth PRME Regional Chapter MENA Forum and 2022 Conference was the ‘Power of Partnerships in Addressing SDGs’. Over three days, a wide range of leaders from business, charity, humanitarian organisations and higher education joined the event.
Dr Mette Morsing, Director of PRME, said “PRME was launched to nurture responsible leaders. It wants to redefine success, focus goals on society, and focus on skills required. Success is often defined as winning the battle. It is a language of conflict, of conquest. It is not the language of partnerships, of collaboration. That is what we want to change in PRME.”
Moreover, Faiz Shah, the Director of the Yunus Centre, which works to build networks promoting sustainable work, poverty alleviation and social business, spoke about how universities can help connect business in their communities. He highlighted that a consequence of the pandemic was the realization that small businesses can be players in a global market because of modern globalised communication, however, the success is dependent on partnerships.
DMU has twice been chosen by the UN as a global hub for SDG 16, the promotion of peace justice and strong institutions and a big part of this status has been down to the creation of strong partnerships across HE to share practice in supporting refugees in local communities.
Hosting the final day was Professor Simon Oldroyd, DMU’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Sustainability, who summed up the conference’s aims, “The purpose of this conference is to connect networks and ideas to try and enact real change. It’s powerful partnerships with industry which move us towards the SDG goals.”
Experts on blockchains also spoke at the event and outlined how the emerging internet economy could help make the distribution of wealth in society fairer.
"Behind sustainable choices is not the actual sustainability of the company, organization, or brand, but the sustainability experience," writes Timo Järvinen, CEO of the Finnish empathy analytics company NayaDaya Inc.
If we split the core of sustainability, in addition to the ecological, social, and economical consequences of our actions, we will find something that has a decisive impact on people's behavior, business success, and sustainable development.
This other aspect of sustainability is experience. Sustainability is an increasingly important part of the customer and employee experience. Customers and employees appraise the sustainability of companies, organizations, and brands in relation to their own values. Appraisals lead to subjective meanings and emotions – thus creating an emotional experience of sustainability.
Emotional experiences have a decisive impact on behavior – as do sustainability experiences. We have seen this especially recently. Emotions make us ignite, participate, and commit to things that represent the world we believe in. The emotions within the experiences of sustainability can also cause the opposite: avoidance, resistance, and even aggressive behavior.
From the point of view of companies and organizations, the effects of sustainability experiences are at best seen as traction and retention, or even as a competitive edge. At worst, they can cause loss of customers and employees.
If a company, organization, or brand wants to succeed and be a part of change toward a better world, sustainability experiences are critical to the success of its mission. We must accept that, for example, behind sustainable consumer choices is not product sustainability but rather consumer sustainability experience.
People are not able to react to anything other than the experiences produced by their own judgment.
A company or an organization needs to identify the essential parts of its sustainability to its customers and employees. It is beneficial to find out how elements of the sustainability experience affect behavior. By strengthening engaging elements and fixing or transforming the causes of stagnation, avoidance, and resistance, people are involved – this way it’s possible to create value for customers and employees, strengthen loyalty, and promote a sustainable, profitable growth.
Sustainability must be built, and the sustainability experience managed responsibly. However, this self-evident idea is not so self-evident after all. As people do not react to sustainable actions but rather to their sustainability experiences, it is possible to influence their experiences and emotions in ways that are not responsible but aim only to create images.
Recognition of authenticity contributes to healthy development. Companies, organizations, and brands that embrace sustainability as a key guideline and a part of their DNA implement these principles in all their operations and communications. When deeds and words meet each other and people’s values, the result is hope for the better, trust, change, and ultimately, success.
Sustainability is the way to a better future and competitive edge, but it is often full of curves and pitfalls. We must accept that sustainable actions do not always evoke positive, engaging emotions. It is not sustainable to always do and say what people wish and want to hear.
The consequences of acts of sustainability can be contradictory. Sometimes they mean cutting personal interests, which causes negative reactions. Sometimes the public and social media deal with events in ways that don’t do justice to real efforts.
In all circumstances, it is helpful to identify the customer and employee experiences and reactions. Collective empathy and data are needed to identify emotions as well as their root causes and consequences. The answers are not found on social media, where the loudest voice is often held by a relatively small number of people.
Communication is needed to manage sustainability experiences – not just to evoke images but to portray boldly and uncompromisingly the reality. From time to time, we all need to be steered into the right direction. Sometimes we must give up our own interests here and now so that all people, including future generations, will have hope.
The power of compassion should be better harnessed to engage and involve customers and employees.
The author of the blog post is Timo Järvinen, CEO of the Finnish empathy analytics company NayaDaya Inc.
Timo Järvinen, tel. +358 40 505 7745, timo.jarvinen@nayadaya.com
All are welcome to these free events at the DMU Dubai Campus and online. Register now for the Conference and Gala. See the event programmes here.
The Conference, Forum and Gala are a collaboration between the UN PRME MENA Chapter member academics, their institutions and De Montfort University Dubai. The event will investigate the possibilities for leveraging change through responsible management and leadership – and will focus on the application of SDG nexus approaches to establish good practices in order to provide a roadmap for creating better partnerships.
This forum aims to be a catalyst for the development of projects and papers through the partnerships established as the legacy of the conference, to strengthen the connection and collaboration of the PRME MENA Chapter Network and UN Global Compact Networks.
To register for the Conference and Forum – or for the Gala (which requires a separate registration) please go to: PRME Conference & Forum Registration - or for the final day Conference Gala Event go to the PRME Conference Gala. All Attendance is free. Once registered you will receive directions for in-person and online attendance.
SDG 17, Partnerships for the Goals is a key SDG that enables the implementation of all SDGs. Achieving the goals Partnership requires a nexus approach to understand and develop methodologies for change. Businesses, governments and institutions will need to undergo systemic changes beyond the limitations of individual organizations or industries by removing their jurisdictional boundaries that resonates especially with SDG 16, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. This will require higher levels of partnership focusing on linking the implementations of SDGs and engaging with all the stakeholders. The level of partnership and integration is expected to grow as we face unprecedented challenges.
Resources:A Nexus Approach for The SDGs: Interlinkages between the goals and targets
Websites: PRME MENA Conference & DMU Dubai PRME Conference
Enquiries & Press Info: prme.mena22@dmu.ac.uk
Expo Gala Enquiries: dmuevents@dmu.ac.uk
Press Enquiries: prme.mena22@dmu.ac.uk
Strategically located in Dubai International Academic City with a purpose-built, independent campus building, DMU Dubai welcomes students from all backgrounds and offers a perfect combination of high-quality teaching, excellent facilities and a fantastic student experience.
The sessions during the Open Day will encourage prospective students to participate in subject-specific talks, speak to academics, industry professionals, and current students, understand application procedures and admission pathways. Future students can explore the state of art facilities firsthand, including interactive learning spaces, design studios, mechanical and electrical labs, moot court, sports facilities, multi-purpose auditorium, library, and on-campus accommodation facilities.
The Open Day is another great opportunity for eligible students to apply for the university’s excellent scholarships. A wide range of student demographics is covered by the DMU Dubai Scholarship Programme and they fall under family discounts, international students' discounts, sports scholarships, community engagement scholarships, students with determination, merit scholarships, corporate discounts, full advance fee scholarships and early bird discounts.
De Montfort University (Leicester) has been ranked in the top 20 universities for graduate prospects in The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and previous DMU graduates have gone on to win Oscars and work with organisations such as the BBC, HSBC, Nike, BMW and the NHS. DMU Dubai students will be offered the opportunity to transfer their studies to the UK campus at any point of the academic year to experience diversity and exceptional international career support by DMU Works, DMU Leicester's careers and employability service.
Manjeet Ridon, provost, DMU, said: “We know that regardless of discipline, developing graduates for successful trajectories beyond university is of critical importance. Enabling our graduates to have a positive impact, whether that be through creating value that is economic, social, cultural, or environmental – or indeed a mixture of each is the embodiment of our success.”
Admissions are now open for September 2022 intake at DMU Dubai for the foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that include: International Year Zero (with subject pathways), BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Styling, B.Sc. (Hons) Psychology, BA (Hons) Business and Management, BA (Hons) Interior Design, BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance, Law LLB (Hons), BSc (Hons) Cyber Security, B Eng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering, and MBA (Global). Along with this existing bouquet of academic programmes, the university has extended its offerings to employability-oriented programmes which include BSc (Hons) Architecture, MA Human Resources Management, MSc Artificial Intelligence and MSc Strategic and Digital Marketing, among others. To get more information on all programmes and facilities visit: Undergraduate and Foundation courses (dmu.ac.uk)
To know more about Open Days or to arrange a personalised campus tour, please contact DMU Dubai.
The sessions during the Open Day will encourage prospective students to participate in subject-specific talks, speak to academics, industry professionals, and current students, understand application procedures and admission pathways. Future students can explore the state of art facilities firsthand, including interactive learning spaces, design studios, mechanical and electrical labs, moot court, sports facilities, multi-purpose auditorium, library, and on-campus accommodation facilities.
The Open Day is another great opportunity for eligible students to apply for the university’s excellent scholarships. A wide range of student demographics is covered by the DMU Dubai Scholarship Programme and they fall under family discounts, international students' discounts, sports scholarships, community engagement scholarships, students with determination, merit scholarships, corporate discounts, full advance fee scholarships and early bird discounts.
De Montfort University (Leicester) has been ranked in the top 20 universities for graduate prospects in The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and previous DMU graduates have gone on to win Oscars and work with organisations such as the BBC, HSBC, Nike, BMW and the NHS. DMU Dubai students will be offered the opportunity to transfer their studies to the UK campus at any point of the academic year to experience diversity and exceptional international career support by DMU Works, DMU Leicester's careers and employability service.
Manjeet Ridon, provost, DMU, said: “We know that regardless of discipline, developing graduates for successful trajectories beyond university is of critical importance. Enabling our graduates to have a positive impact, whether that be through creating value that is economic, social, cultural, or environmental – or indeed a mixture of each is the embodiment of our success.”
Admissions are now open for September 2022 intake at DMU Dubai for the Foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that include: International Year Zero (with subject pathways), BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Styling, B.Sc. (Hons) Psychology, BA (Hons) Business and Management, BA (Hons) Interior Design, BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance, Law LLB (Hons), BSc (Hons) Cyber Security, B Eng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering, and MBA (Global). Along with this existing bouquet of academic programmes, the university has extended its offerings to employability-oriented programmes which include BSc (Hons) Architecture, MA Human Resources Management, MSc Artificial Intelligence and MSc Strategic and Digital Marketing, among others. To get more information on all programmes and facilities visit: Undergraduate and Foundation courses (dmu.ac.uk)
To know more about Open Days or to arrange a personalised campus tour, please contact DMU Dubai.
Strategically located in Dubai International Academic City with a purpose-built, independent campus building, DMU Dubai welcomes students from all backgrounds and offers a perfect combination of high-quality teaching, excellent facilities and a fantastic student experience.
The sessions during the Open Day will encourage prospective students to participate in subject-specific talks, speak to academics, industry professionals, and current students, understand application procedures and admission pathways. Future students can explore the state of art facilities firsthand, including interactive learning spaces, design studios, mechanical and electrical labs, moot court, sports facilities, multi-purpose auditorium, library, and on-campus accommodation facilities.
The Open Day is another great opportunity for eligible students to apply for the university’s excellent scholarships. A wide range of student demographics is covered by the DMU Dubai Scholarship Programme and they fall under family discounts, international students' discounts, sports scholarships, community engagement scholarships, students with determination, merit scholarships, corporate discounts, full advance fee scholarships and early bird discounts.
De Montfort University (Leicester) has been ranked in the top 20 universities for graduate prospects in The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 and previous DMU graduates have gone on to win Oscars and work with organisations such as the BBC, HSBC, Nike, BMW and the NHS. DMU Dubai students will be offered the opportunity to transfer their studies to the UK campus at any point of the academic year to experience diversity and exceptional international career support by DMU Works, DMU Leicester's careers and employability service.
Manjeet Ridon, provost, DMU, said: “We know that regardless of discipline, developing graduates for successful trajectories beyond university is of critical importance. Enabling our graduates to have a positive impact, whether that be through creating value that is economic, social, cultural, or environmental – or indeed a mixture of each is the embodiment of our success.”
Admissions are now open for September 2022 intake at DMU Dubai for the Foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes that include: International Year Zero (with subject pathways), BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Styling, B.Sc. (Hons) Psychology, BA (Hons) Business and Management, BA (Hons) Interior Design, BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance, Law LLB (Hons), BSc (Hons) Cyber Security, B Eng (Hons) Mechanical Engineering, and MBA (Global). Along with this existing bouquet of academic programmes, the university has extended its offerings to in-demand employability-oriented programmes which include BSc (Hons) Architecture, MA Human Resources Management, MSc Artificial Intelligence and MSc Strategic and Digital Marketing, among others. To get more information on all programmes and facilities visit: Undergraduate and Foundation courses (dmu.ac.uk)
To know more about Open Days or to arrange a personalised campus tour, please contact DMU Dubai.
وفي تعليقه على الحدث، قال وزير الدولة نايجل آدامز:
"يعد التوسع العالمي الذي حققته جامعة دي مونتفورت من قلب ليسيسترشاير في المملكة المتحدة إلى دبي وكازاخستان استثمارًا رائعًا سيسهم في بناء جيل عالمي من الخريجين الجامعيين المتميزين. وهذا يمثل إحدى أروع الصادرات البريطانية أي رعاية المواهب وتنميتها.
"كان من دواعي سروري افتتاح المختبر الهندسي فائق التطور وتهنئة فريق الكريكيت بالجامعة. وآمل أن أرى بعض أسماء اللاعبين الذين تعرفت عليهم اليوم وهم يلعبون الكريكيت في المملكة المتحدة في السنوات القليلة القادمة لصالح مقاطعة يوركشاير العظيمة".
من ناحية أخرى، تعد جامعة دي مونتفورت أحد الشريكين المؤسسين لجناح المملكة المتحدة في معرض إكسبو دبي، وقد استثمرت مبلغ 750,000 جنيه إسترليني في برنامج المملكة المتحدة لعرض مزايا التعليم العالي في المملكة والجامعة في هذا المنبر العالمي.
وكانت جامعة دي مونفورت الموجودة في المملكة المتحدة قد افتتحت رسمياً حرمها الجامعي الثالث في دبي في شهر ديسمبر عام 2021.
وكان من أهم الأسباب التي دفعت الجامعة لرعاية جناح المملكة المتحدة هو التزامن والتنسيق بين إطلاق حرم الجامعة الجديد في دبي ومعرض إكسبو 2020.
ومن خلال هذه الشراكة، نأمل في إقامة وتطوير علاقات جديدة مع دوائر الأعمال في منطقة دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة وزيادة توظيف الطلاب للوصول إلى الأهداف التي تنشدها جميع فروعنا جامعية.
كما نتطلع أيضًا لإبراز مكانة ومزايا جامعة دي مونفورت ليستر للطلاب الدوليين الراغبين بالدراسة في المملكة المتحدة.
وخلال زيارته إلى جناح الاستدامة، تعرف الوزير على نهج دي مونفرت دبي الذي يركز على خطة طويلة الأجل للمنطقة في هذا الشأن. وشارك في مناقشات حول قابلية الخريجين للتوظيف والحاجة إلى تطوير المهارات القابلة للنقل.
وقدم البروفسور سايمون برادبري، نائب المستشار الدولي وعميد كلية الفنون والتصميم والعلوم الإنسانية في جامعة دي مونفورت، عرضاً موجزاً للوزير عن الرؤية الطموحة للجامعة. وأوضح ذلك بقوله: "نحن نمتلك سجلاً بحثياً متميزاً بفضل التزامناً بخدمة الصالح العام، من خلال البحث فيما يؤثر على المجتمع وحل المشكلات وإحداث تغيير فعلي في حياة الناس وسلوكهم عبر إيجاد حلول مبتكرة في مختلف جوانب الحياة".
وتلتزم جامعة دي مونفورت، باعتبارها الجامعة البريطانية الوحيدة المصنفة بأنها مركز عالمي للأمم المتحدة لتحقيق هدف التنمية المستدامة (16)، بالعمل على دراسة وإنجاز أهداف الأمم المتحدة بشأن التنمية المستدامة في أنشطتها البحثية والتدريسية ومشاريعها. وفي هذا الإطار، تستضيف الجامعة المؤتمر الثامن لمبادئ تعليم الإدارة المسؤولة (PRME) على مستوى الشرق الأوسط وشمال إفريقيا في حرم الجامعة بدبي في الفترة من 21 إلى 24 مارس 2022 لإيجاد منهجيات لتنفيذ شراكات تتمحور حول هدف الأمم المتحدة الخاص بالتنمية المستدامة.
وأضاف سايمون: "تلتزم الجامعة بالعمل على بناء عالم مستدام من خلال نشر مفاهيم التميز البحثي والتفكير النقدي والاستراتيجي والخطط المدروسة بعناية. كما نعتمد استراتيجية بحثية متينة تمثل ركناً أساسياً في رسالة جامعة دي مونفورت".
واستمع المجتمعون أيضًا إلى كلمة من الدكتورة فيديا فينود، رئيسة المجموعة والرئيسة التنفيذية لمؤسسة ستادي وورلد، التي تدير الحرم الجامعي في دبي بالشراكة مع جامعة دي مونفورت- ومن الدكتور مانجيت ريدون، رئيس جامعة دي مونفورت دبي.
وقال الدكتور مانجيت ريدون: "نحن نعلم أنه مهما كان الاختصاص الجامعي، يمثل إعداد الخريجين لتحقيق مسارات ناجحة ما بعد الجامعة أمراً بالغ الأهمية. كما أن تمكين خريجينا من إحداث أثر إيجابي، سواء كان ذلك من خلال خلق قيمة اقتصادية أو اجتماعية أو ثقافية أو بيئية - أو مزيجاً من ذلك كله، هو الشهادة الحقيقية على نجاحنا".
من جهتها قالت الدكتورة فيدهيا فينود، الرئيسة التنفيذية لمؤسسة ستادي وورلد لخدمات التعليم العالي: "تتمتع "ستادي وورلد" بخبرة تزيد عن عقدين من الزمن في تقديم مجموعة واسعة من الخدمات التعليمية بالشراكة مع جامعات دولية من مختلف أنحاء العالم، وستثبت شراكتنا هذه مع جامعة دي مونفورت في دبي مدى فائدتها الكبيرة للطلاب في الإمارات العربية المتحدة والمنطقة بشكل عام. إذ ستساعد شبكتنا الدولية في استقطاب الطلاب من أكثر من 120 دولة ونتطلع إلى تقديم شهادات جامعية رفيعة المستوى والجودة تركز على أهلية الطلاب للتوظيف".x`
**النهاية**
Minister of State Nigel Adams said:
"De Montfort University's global expansion from the heart of Leicestershire in the UK to Dubai and Kazakhstan is an amazing investment that will help build global alumni. It's another fantastic UK export that is nurturing talent.
"It's been great to open the state-of-the-art engineering lab and congratulate the university's cricket team. I hope to see a few of the names I have heard today playing cricket in the UK in a few years playing for the great county of Yorkshire.”
DMU is one of two founding partners of the UK Pavilion at ExpoDubai and has invested £750,000 in the UK programme to showcase UK higher education and the university on a global stage.
In December 2021, the UK-based university officially opened its third campus in Dubai.
One of the key reasons for DMU's sponsorship of the UK Pavilion is the alignment between the launch of the new Dubai campus and Expo 2020.
Through this partnership, we hope to establish and develop new relationships with businesses in the UAE region and increase student recruitment to reach objectives across all of our campuses.
We are also looking to promote DMU Leicester for those international students who would like to study in the UK.
During his visit to the Sustainability Hub, he heard about DMU’s approach focusing on long-term plan for the region. He engaged in discussions about employability and the need for developing transferable skills.
Simon Bradbury, Pro Vice-Chancellor International and Dean of Arts, Design and Humanities of DMU briefed the Minister on the ambitious vision of the institution. He explained: “We have an excellent research record as we are committed to serving the public good, by investigating what impacts society, solve issues and make an actual change in people’s lives and behaviour through originating solutions in various life aspects".
Being the only UK university to be designated the United Nations Global Hub for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16, DMU commits to addressing the UN SDGs in its research, teaching and enterprise activity. In line with this, DMU is hosting the 8th Middle East and North Africa MENA, Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) conference at the Dubai campus from 21-24 March 2022 to create methodologies for the implementation of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal partnerships.
“DMU is committed to shaping and promoting a sustainable world by deploying research excellence, critical, strategic thinking and well-built plans. We also have a well-established research strategy that is central to DMU’s mission", Simon added.
The gathering also heard from Dr Vidhya Vinod, Group President and CEO of Study World – the organisation running the campus in partnership with DMU – and Dr Manjeet Ridon, DMU Dubai Provost.
“We know that regardless of discipline, developing graduates for successful trajectories beyond university is of critical importance. Enabling our graduates to have a positive impact, whether that be through creating value that is economic, social, cultural, or environmental – or indeed a mixture of each, is the embodiment of our success,” added Manjeet Ridon, Provost, DMU Dubai.
Dr Vidhya Vinod, CEO of Study World Higher Education Services, said: “Study World has over two decades of experience in providing a range of educational services in partnership with international universities worldwide and this association with DMU in Dubai will prove highly beneficial for students in the UAE and the wider region. Our international network will help attract students from over 120 countries and we look forward to providing high-quality, employment-focused degrees to students.”
الأردن - السودان الثلاثاء، 2 فبراير (شباط) 2022
بعد رحلة تهريب مرهقة، تم إنقاذ تمساح النيل المصادر "محظوظ" من التجارة غير القانونية بالحيوانات، وكان هذا الإنقاذ نتيجة التعاون الوثيق بين مؤسسة الأميرة علياء / محمية المأوى للطبيعة والبرية والسلطة الإدارية الوطنية لاتفاقية السايتس "CITES" (الجمعية الملكية لحماية الطبيعة"RSCN") وهو حاليًا في مرحلة إعادته إلى الموئل حيث ينتمي – إلى البرية.
تمت عملية المصادرة أساسًا نتيجة للتعاون الوثيق بين السلطة الإدارية الوطنية لاتفاقية السايتس (الجمعية الملكية لحماية الطبيعة) مع إدارة الشرطة البيئية، حيث لاحظ المسؤولون الإعلان عن تمساح مهرّب للبيع من خلال مراقبة شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي.
قام الصندوق الدولي للرفق بالحيوان (IFAW) وبالتعاون مع كل من مؤسسة الأميرة علياء - محمية المأوى للطبيعة والبرية -، والجمعية الملكية لحماية الطبيعة في الأردن، ومع الإدارة العامة لحماية الحياة البرية في السودان بتنسيق الخطوات اللازمة لنقل وإعادة تأهيل وإطلاق التمساح - والتي قد تستغرق حوالي أسبوعين اعتبارًا من اليوم - في محمية الدندر الاتحادية للإنسان والمحيطالحيوي في السودان /بحيرة التماسيح/. يعتبر هذا الموقع من أهم الموائل لوجود التمساح النيلي.
"الحيوانات التي يتم ادخالها في التجارة غير القانونية بالحيوانات الأليفة هي ليست الوحيدة التي تعاني، فالسلطات المعنية تعاني من ذلك أيضًا لأنهم بالنهاية يقومون بتغطية ودفع التكاليف التي لا يستطيعون تحملها في الكثير من الأحيان". حسب تصريح الدكتور السيد محمد، المدير الإقليمي للصندوق الدولي للرفق بالحيوان (الأيفو)، حيث يستطرد قائلًا: " ينتهي الأمر بمعظم الحيوانات، لا سيما بسبب نقص الموارد والقدرات، إما بالموت الرحيم أو أن تبقى محصورة في الأسر لبقية حياتها. إنه وضع مأساوي حقًا".
ومع ذلك، يصر الصندوق الدولي للرفق بالحيوان على إعطاء هذا التمساح نهاية مختلفة للنهايات السيئة حيث يرسل من خلالها رسالة بصوت أعلى؛ لوقف الطلب على ملكية الحيوانات الأليفة الغريبة. ووفقًا لتصريح السيد، فإن هذا التمساح يعتبر "محظوظًا"، حيث أن العديد من الحيوانات المصادرة لا تصل إلى هذا الحد في الرعاية، خاصة وأن العديد منها تقع في أيدي المالكين الخطأ الذين ليس لديهم أي فكرة عن كيفية الاعتناء بها، أو أنها تعتبر" غير جديرة بالعناء أو التكلفة للنقل والإرجاع" من قبل بعض السلطات المعنية، لأن إطلاق الحيوانات البرية في موائلها الطبيعية يعد تحديًا كبيرًا بشكل عام - علميًا واقتصاديًا. ولحسن الحظ، لا تمثل المورثات لدى التماسيح في كثير من الأحيان تحديًا عند إطلاقها مرة أخرى في البرية - على عكس العديد من أنواع الحيوانات البرية الأخرى.
قام جميع الشركاء في عملية النقل هذه بترتيب التصاريح اللازمة والاختبارات الحيوانية والصحية والشهادات البيطرية المطلوبة لتصدير التمساح والتحضير لاستخدام قفص مناسب للشحن الجوي من مطار الملكة علياء الأردني إلى السودان. وبمجرد وصول التمساح إلى السودان، ستقوم الإدارة العامة لحماية الحياة البرية في السودان بنقل التمساح إلى مأوى مناسب لتأهيله وإجراء أي فحوصات لازمة على الحيوان للتأكد من جاهزيته للإطلاق في البرية.
تم تحديد موقع الإطلاق من قبل جميع الشركاء للتأكد من أنه بعيد عن المناطق الحضرية والمستوطنات البشرية لضمان سلامة الناس وتجنب أي صراع بين الإنسان والحياة الفطرية على المدى الطويل.
Jordan / Sudan – (ARAB NEWSWIRE) -- After surviving a stressful journey being smuggled into Jordan, the confiscated Nile crocodile “Mahzooz” —meaning “Lucky” in Arabic— was rescued from the exotic pet trade in close collaboration between the Princess Alia Foundation / Al-Ma’wa for Nature & Wildlife, and the CITES management authority (The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature - RSCN), and is currently in the process of making it back home where it belongs —the wild.
The initial confiscation process was due to close cooperation between the CITES Management Authority in Jordan (RSCN) and the Environmental Police Department, after officers noticed an advertisement for trading a smuggled crocodile while monitoring the Social Media channels.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in cooperation with Al-Ma’wa for Nature & Wildlife managed by Princess Alia Foundation and Four Paws , and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) in Jordan, and with the Sudanese Wildlife Conservation General Administration in Sudan, are working together to transport, rehabilitate and release the crocodile which could take up to two weeks starting today.in Al-Dinder Biosphere Reserve in Sudan at the Crocodiles Lake there. This site is considered within the natural habitat for the Nile crocodile.
“The animals caught in pet trade are not the only ones who suffer; the concerned authorities do too as they end up covering costs they often cannot afford.” Elsayed Mohamed, the Regional Director at IFAW continues, “especially with the lack of resources and capacity, most animals either end up euthanized or trapped in captivity for the rest of their lives. It is truly tragic.”
IFAW however insists on giving this crocodile a different ending to it’s story and is using it to send a louder message; stop the demand for exotic pet ownership. According to Elsayed, this crocodile is “lucky“, as many of the confiscated animals don’t make it this far especially since many tend to fall in the wrong hands of owners who have no idea how to take care of them, or considered “not worth the trouble or cost” for concerned authorities, as the release of wild animals is generally a great challenge scientifically and economically. Fortunately, crocodile genes often do not represent a challenge when releasing them back into the wild—contrary to many other wild animals.
All partners in this translocation process have arranged the needed permits, zoological and health tests and veterinary certificates to export the crocodile using a suitable cage with cargo from Jordan’s Queen Alia Airport, to Sudan. Once the crocodile arrives in Sudan, the Sudanese Wildlife Conservation General Administration will transfer the crocodile to a suitable shelter, in order to rehabilitate it and carry out any necessary checks on the animal to confirm its readiness for the release.
The release site has been determined by all partners mentioned in order to ensure that it is far away from urban areas and human settlements thereby ensuring the safety of human and avoiding human-wildlife conflict in the long run.
GymNation, the UAE’s leading gym operator, today announces the success of its partnership with inclusive sports community NPO, Heroes of Hope. The partnership was set up at the start of November 2020, to reaffirm GymNations focus on supporting UAE communities, by providing People of Determination the opportunity to excel through employment and access to fitness.
The partnership comes in response to Abu Dhabi’s launch of a comprehensive five-year strategy for People of Determination, aiming to create an integrated and enabling environment for them with the participation of over 28 local and federal government entities. The announcement came on September 12th, by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The strategy addresses People of Determination’s needs at all stages of life, including health, rehabilitation, education, employment, social care and social security, as well as social engagement, sports, culture and tourism. The partnership has created ‘GymNation Heroes’ and is split into two key activities. “Both elements of the partnership provide a fully inclusive fitness community, where individuals of all abilities can experience the positive impact that involvement in fitness can generate.” Ant Martland, Co-Founder of GymNation said.
The first activity is a GymNation Heroes internship initiative, providing People of Determination with the opportunity to take part in an ongoing paid internship scheme within their chosen GymNation location. As part of the ongoing initiative, GymNation Heroes will gain experience within all functions of gym operations, including; front of house, back office admin support and gym floor management. Throughout the internship, regular assessments will be put in place along with certificates of achievements for reaching various success milestones. All GymNation Heroes will be remunerated monthly at the same rate as full-time GymNation staff. The aim of the internship is to provide foundations in the form of invaluable life and workplace skills, to all GymNation Heroes, with the goal of full-time employment at GymNation in the near future.
After undergoing the standard interview process with a member of GymNation’s management, and a full induction into the GymNation team; Marwan Mansoor, Kieran Carter and Verano Field were all selected to be the first GymNation Heroes. The three Heroes began their internship at GymNation Motor City in mid-November. GymNation Hero Kieran Carter said “I love being part of the GymNation team, I love learning new things each time I visit GymNation and we are all having a lot of fun carrying out all the tasks in the gym.”
The second activity in the partnership is centered around creating and maintaining a safe and inspiring environment where People of Determination across the UAE have the opportunity to exercise. Under the guidance of fully trained and qualified instructors, GymNation and Heroes of Hope are working together to create an ongoing series of fitness classes, events and training programmes dedicated to championing inclusion in fitness for as many of the 110,000 People of Determination within the UAE as possible.
Martland said: “As a UAE homegrown brand, a key mission for GymNation is to align with and support other homegrown organizations that are doing unbelievable things within the local community. Heroes of Hope epitomize that. Following the recent opening of our Khalidiyah Mall and Mirdif gyms, there are now six GymNation locations across the UAE, with at least five more planned for 2021 opening. We are looking forward to working with Heroes of Hope on a number of initiatives across these locations that will further support the five-year strategy for People of Determination, which was announced by the UAE government in September this year.”
Hollie Murphy, Founder of Heroes of Hope added: “When I started out as PE teacher in Dubai, twelve years ago, People of Determination were not given the opportunity to be as involved with sports and fitness as they are now. Since then, I have worked tirelessly to create a fully inclusive community in the form of Heroes of Hope, through which, thousands of People of Determination have been empowered and have shown that there is no barrier to inclusion. After the latest round of successful interns, I am looking forward to more opportunities with GymNation, to not only provide People of Determination with the opportunity to thrive in the workplace but to create a base where People of Determination can take part in fitness across the whole of the UAE.”
For more information on GymNation visit: www.gymnation.com
For more information on Heroes of Hope visit: www.heroesofhopeuae.com
United Arab Emirates, Dubai, August 3, 2020: Paw Pack announced the launch of its innovative subscription pet gift box services specially designed for cats and dogs. The first of its kind in the region, Paw Pack will provide pet owners each month with a selection of treats, toys and other fun goodies that are curated to a surprise box with only the best quality products from local suppliers that would include gifts for pet owners too.
Paw Packs are curated according to each pet's size, age and food preferences, and themed monthly according to the season or a special event. The customizable subscription is priced at a from AED 135, offering free delivery across the U.A.E. with options to choose subscription frequency - monthly or bi-monthly. Even non-pet owners can find at Paw Pack a gift for a friend pet-owner as one-time purchase without the need to subscribe. Paw Pack contents include products and services from local small businesses as well as established quality brands, helping to support the growing local pet industry of artisans, craftsmen and chefs.
Not only this, Paw Pack also released the first pet-specific podcast in the region; The Pawedcast – offering interviews and advise for U.A.E pet owners from those in the pet industry, including vets, trainers and animal rescues.
Designed for pet owners with generous hearts, every month Paw Pack will collaborate with an animal rescue charity to donate a percentage of its profit, and every animal adopted from that shelter that month will receive a free Paw Pack to help them get started in their new furever home. When purchasing a pack for their favourite pets, pet owners will be helping another animal in need.
Register your pet online at pawpackuae.com
Follow on social media @Pawpack.uae
The free zones in the UAE can be categorised into two groups—industry-specific and general-purpose. Here's to give you an idea:
Industry-Specific Free Zone
Industry-specific free zone specialises to only particular or interrelated sectors. Examples of these free zones are Dubai Internet City and Silicon Oasis, which are specifically designed for the IT and innovation industries. Or, Dubai Healthcare City that caters to the healthcare industry as well as Dubai International Academic City which is for the education sector alone.
General-Purpose Free Zone
A general-purpose free zone, on the other hand, encompasses a much broader range of business activities, which are almost for any type of business. Examples of general-purpose free zones are Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ), International Free Zone Authority (IFZA), Ajman Free Zone, and more.
Steps of free zone business setup
Now that you have a bit of background about the UAE free zones, let's take a look at the simple steps of setting up your business in the UAE. It only takes minimal effort and is rather straightforward.
All free zone authorities provide a list of permitted business activities within the jurisdiction. At this early stage of your company formation, it is recommended that you work with a business setup firm like Decisive Zone to help you with narrowing down the list. The Company Formation Specialists are knowledgeable, and they can easily advise you on the best licensing options for your company, so you don't get lost in the process.
There are certain restrictions on choosing a name for your company in the UAE, and this is usually the trickiest as you need to be mindful of the rules. For example, your company name should not contain references to known organisations or religious connotations and must avoid the use of offensive language. A Business Setup Consultant can liaise with the government for your trade name approval and once approved, you can now apply for your business license.
Each free zone in the UAE has its governing rules. While it usually requires less paperwork, compliance is a must and submission of complete legal documents is mandatory. To do this efficiently, a Company Formation Specialist can assist you in completing your documents as well as applying for the necessary approvals that follow.
Visa allocation varies in every free zone. It is advisable to take note of your visa requirements before choosing a jurisdiction that meets your needs. Visa applications through professional and reliable PRO services will save so much of your time.
The unprecedented rise of entrepreneurs in the country today signifies a healthy business economy, and it only gets better with the free zone's much-improved offerings. As an aspiring entrepreneur in a competitive country like the UAE, successful business incorporation is paramount to fulfilling your business goals. Decisive Zone will help you at every stage of the business setup process so that your company is set to a promising headstart.
Now, it doesn’t mean that you have to perfect your business plan from the get-go. A well-written business plan requires time and effort, and it keeps evolving as you learn and understand more about your business, your market, and ultimately, yourself.
However, even how important a business plan is, some entrepreneurs today still underestimate its relevance to achieving business success. And sooner or later, they fail because of poor planning or worse, the lack thereof.
What is a Business Plan?
A business plan is a written document about your company. It elaborates your business idea and gives the audience an overview of your goals and objectives, products and services, operational management, competitor and market analysis, and financial projections, and more. It serves as a guideline for employees, a roadmap for business owners, and a pitch for investors.
How to structure a business plan
Every business is different. There is no single formula to follow, and therefore, a business plan is and should be, dynamic. It changes and improves through continuous discovery about the business, intensive research, and brainstorming. Here are some tips from our business setup consultants at Decisive Zone on how to structure the perfect business plan for success:
Who will read your business plan? Whether it’s for investors, your future employees, or lenders, your business plan should have an audience. If your purpose is to get funding for your venture, then your business plan should be written in such a way that catches the attention of venture capitalists or angel investors. Once you identify your audience, writing your business plan will now lean towards your intended direction.
A technique to stay organised mentally is to create a business plan framework or an outline of ideas. Start by listing down all the elements that will comprise your business plan to get the whole picture of what you are trying to achieve in your writing. Once the framework is laid out, prioritise the elements that can be done right away and identify the ones that need further research or analysis.
Your business plan must be written in a clear and comprehensible manner. There is no need to be flowery with words but instead, be direct and logical. The flow must be natural with the aim to inform and educate. Remember, the shorter and neat your business plan is, the more likely it is to be read from cover to cover.
A well-structured business plan should have the below elements, and the most important among these is the executive summary. The executive summary is the first document that investors will read and sometimes, this is where you make or break it. While this is the first document in your business plan, it is advisable to write it last once you have completed the others. As the name suggests, it is a summary of your business which should cover all the vital details and highlights.
Lastly, a business plan should solve the question of how your company intends to deliver its unique offerings to the market and make profits. It should also serve as a guideline and a roadmap towards your business goals. Keep learning about your business and don’t be afraid to rewrite from time to time.
If you are a startup company, there is always a phase of trial and error. At this stage, learning from your own mistakes and of others is pivotal to your growth as it is an opportunity to discover a more effective business approach. It allows you to change your perspective and have a deep awareness of what your business needs to thrive.
However, without the right strategy or external support, anything can go astray. So, to protect your company from the common startup pitfalls, we have compiled some helpful tips from the experts at Decisive Zone.
The root of failed startups is sometimes the lack of research and appropriate planning. No business is ever successful without going through the labour of comprehensive planning—from building your business model to formulating your business strategies and key delivery measures. Researching and planning are interminable phases of every business to stay up-to-date with the industry and consistently find solutions to meet the market demands. As a startup, you may want to consider allotting more time or even months to research and plan your next best move to avoid a failed execution.
There is a big difference between knowing the industry and understanding the market. You may probably be adept about a particular industry,but failing to understand and identify the market of your business will cause a major roadblock to your success. Your market is where you capitalise your expertise in the industry by aligning your business strategies, so your products and services can reach the right target market. Always have a clear picture of who your market is and only then can you veer away from the pitfall of failed product-market fit.
Some entrepreneurs don’t realise the importance of a stable and proper funding to keep the business afloat. Hence, startups fail and end up losing more money than gaining returns. So before you even get started, and assuming that your company has yet to reach the financial stability it hopes to achieve to operate long-term, there must be enough funds in your bank to sustain it for at least the first two years. It is also vital to keep your cash flow in check faithfully. In this way, your startup will survive at least until the business starts making real, steady profits.
It is your first responsibility as an entrepreneur to know the governing laws of owning a business in the UAE and be well acquainted with the business rules and regulations to ward off possible legal implications. Failing to do so may result in severe violations, and you may find yourself incurring penalties before you know it. The only way to protect your company from a legal pitfall is to educate yourself and stay on track with government updates regularly.
No company has survived without seeking advice or help from others. Even at the beginning of your business journey, consulting an expert is the only way to achieve a successful headstart. It begins at the period of business setup where a company formation firm like Decisive Zone will act as your partner during the incorporation process. The business setup consultants will help you navigate the many facets of setting up a business in the UAE. From ensuring that you meet all the government requirements for a successful company formation to providing you with professional startup advice, so you can grow in the competitive UAE marketplace.