Picture Page on United Arab Emirates

Outline

  1. Holidays Celebrated in UAE
  2. Attractions
  3. Sports

Islamic New Year

Fireworks over Burj Al Arab New Year 2007

January 10, 2008 brings in the New Year for UAE

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/476537

 

The Islamic New Year, referred to as Al Hijra, occurs on the first day of the month of Muharram which begins on Hijra in the Muslim calendar. This holiday marks the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. The Islamic New Year is celebrated relatively quiet with religious reading and prayer, however there are festivities including parties and fireworks to bring in the New Year. The picture displays a firework event in front of the world’s largest hotel, Burj Al Arab in Dubai. Dates for Muharram, and all Muslim holidays, change year to year because they are based on the lunar calendar. For 2008 the New Year fell on January 10.

 

Eid ul-Fitr (End of Ramadan)

 

EID_PRAYERShttp://lh3.google.com/tmosprmo/RxeWCnMhFCI/AAAAAAAABEU/9ya-fGwj718/2007-10-14T101215Z_01_KAR12_RTRMDNP_3_PAKISTAN.jpg?imgmax=512

 

Thousands gather to worship and celebrate Eid ul-Fitr

 

http://muslimstoday.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/muslims-start-celebrating-eid-al-fitr/

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/tmosprmo/Photos943/photo#5122728072782615586

 

Eid ul-Fitr is a holiday celebrated by the Arab and Muslim worlds which includes the UAE. Eid is the Arabic word meaning ‘festivity’ and Fitr means ‘to break the fast’ which is exactly what this holiday comprises of, the end of fasting for Ramadan. There is no specific day for Eid ul-Fitr or any Muslim holidays because they change from year to year based on the phases lunar calendar. This is a time that Muslims celebrate not only for the end of fasting but also to thank God for giving them strength to complete Ramadan. This is a joyous time in which Muslims dress in their best attire and gather in large areas, mosques, or arenas for prayer and sermon as displayed in the pictures.

 

 

National Day

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Children honoring UAE on National Day                    World’s Largest Flag on Display in Dubai

http://archive.gulfnews.com/indepth/nationalday07/sub_story/10171868.html

 

National Day is a holiday that brings together the emirates of the state to celebrate the success of their nation. December 2, 2007 a record was set for the world’s largest flag, 50,000 square feet, which was flown over Dubai. During this holiday there are parades where people decorate everything from faces to their cars and drive through the streets laughing, honking, and dancing. The streets and buildings are decorated with lights and flags and numerous boat races occur as one of the holiday events. People visit parks and heritage sites to take pleasure in cultural activities and celebrations. There are also various concerts throughout the day and the holiday is not complete until an array of fireworks ends the evening.

 

 

Burj al-Arab

 Burj Al Arabhttp://farm1.static.flickr.com/97/239306926_108b8d66ec.jpg?v=1158410995

Views of the world’s tallest hotel Burj al-Arab

http://moniquearcher.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/burj-al-arab.jpg

 

http://travelngirl.blogspot.com/2006/12/burj-al-arab-hotel-dubai.html

 

http://flickr.com/photos/95801311@N00/239306926/

 

Acknowledged as the world’s best hotel by Institutional Investor Magazine and World Travel Awards 2007, this lavish Burj al-Arab hotel breaks the record for the world’s tallest hotel at a staggering 321 meters, which is 1021 ft. It was designed to resemble a dhow which is a type of Arabian vessel. The hotel was designed by British architect Tom Wright and construction began in 1994 and was completed in 1999. Much like the Eiffel tower in Paris, Dubai wanted a building that would make a symbolic statement which would be synonymous with the name of its country. Much controversy has followed the completion of this hotel, as the third picture shows, that the view from the sea resembles a Christian cross, seen as ironic since Burj al-Arab is considered Dubai’s most important landmark. Many locals believe this was an intentional move by the British architect.

 

Palm Islands

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Images of Palm Islands and the future World Islands

http://believe-pics.blogspot.com/2007/06/palm-island-of-dubai-uae.html

The man made Palm Islands are located off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf and were built to increase tourism to Dubai. The islands include The Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali and The Palm Deira. The Palm Jumeirah is the only property which has been completed and is shown above in the first and second picture. The Islands will be home to commercial and residential structures and between the three islands there will be over 100 luxury hotels, exclusive residential beach side villas and apartments, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities and health spas. The project is being constructed by Nakheel Properties who have also begun construction on The World Islands shown in the third picture.

 

Mall of the Emirates

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View of Ski Dubai inside Mall of the Emirates

http://www.wayfaring.info/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/mall-of-the-emirates.jpg

http://www.condohotelcenter.com/images/dubai-ski.jpg

The Mall of the Emirates opened on September 28th 2005. Strategically located in the heart of what is now deemed ‘New Dubai’. The mall measures 223,000 square meter centre offers a variety of shopping, leisure, and entertainment. Mall of the Emirates is home to over 450 retailers and also features a complete range of entertainment options including Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski destination in the Middle East, a two-level Magic Planet, the largest indoor family entertainment centre in the country, a 14-screen Cinestar Cinemas and the Dubai Community Arts and Theatre with a 500 seat-theatre and art gallery. It also has over 70 restaurants and coffee shops with everything from fast food to themed restaurants and exclusive dining alternatives.

 

Camel Racing

 

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Images of the traditional sport of Camel Racing

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http://www.lclark.edu/~krauss/advwrf99/culturecapsules/mubarakmisunweb/images/ready%20for%20race.jpg

Camel racing is a deep-rooted traditional sport that finds its origins in the desert culture of the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East. Camels, commonly referred to as "ships of the desert," have for thousands of years played a vital role in the region, influencing every aspect of daily life. Beyond providing transportation, food, and shelter, the camel also served as a means of entertainment, celebration, and competition on festivals and special occasions. Races would take place at such events, which were generally more for show than competition. Competitive races would typically take place as a result of a challenge among camel owners, therefore requiring preparation that differed from the show races. Camel races, usually held early on Fridays or on national holidays, provide visitors with a unique opportunity to observe traditionally clad local people in harmony with their surroundings.

 

Cricket

http://www.cricketworld.com/assets/images/articles/51197_uae.jpgSheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi

      UAE wins Title                     Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium

http://www.cricketworld.com/internationalcricketnews/article/?aid=14010

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/middle_east/uae/abu_dhabi_cricket2.jpg

Cricket has a history spanning from the 16th Century to present day, and while the true origin of cricket is unknown, many believe it was a game created by children in England and was eventually taken up by adults in the 17th Century. Although the sport of cricket is not a game often associated with the Middle East, its popularity is growing quickly not only throughout UAE but also throughout the world. The UAE joined the International Cricket Council as an affiliate member in 1989, and were elected to associate membership in 1990. The first picture displays UAE team members celebrating the win of the World Cricket League Division Two Title.

 

Football

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UAE’s Al Wasl takes on Al Shaab

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The United Arab Emirates national football team is the national team of United Arab Emirates and is controlled by the United Arab Emirates Football Association. It made one World Cup appearance, in 1990, but lost all three of its games, to Colombia, West Germany, and Yugoslavia. The side rebounded to take fourth place in the 1992 Asian Cup, and runner-up in 1996. In both tournaments their final match was lost on penalty kicks. In 2005 the UAE football team jointly won the Kirin Cup along with the Peruvian team. In 2007 the UAE beat Oman 1-0 to win the Gulf Cup for the first time in their history. The second picture shows fans purchasing UAE flags which have acquired price increases due to the success of the UAE football team.

Submitted by Jessica Wilkins on 3/1/08.