Sheikh Mohammed greeted camel trekkers from 21 countries on their way to Expo 2020 Dubai.

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

A caravan of 29 camel trekkers from 21 countries participating in the 8th Camel Trek organised by Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center (HHC) had a surprise meeting with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on their last leg of the trek.

The camel trekkers are set to reach Expo 2020 Dubai on Tuesday but before reaching their final destination, they got a surprise meeting with His Highness on Monday morning at Seeh al Salam.

The camel caravan started at dawn on December 9 from Liwa Empty Quarter in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi. This is the biggest camel trek to date, with 29 participants coming from 21 countries.

In the video shared by HHC on its social media account, Sheikh Mohammed is seen waving at the camel trek participants on the success of their trip. He also spoke with Abdullah Hamdan Bin Dalmook, CEO of HHC, who led the camel trekkers composed of Emiratis Batool Hassan Ghaith, Hakima Hassan Ghaith, Khawla Al Blooshi and Saeed Mohammad Rais. They were joined by Howard Leedham from UK; Madawi Alahmad  form Saudi Arabia; Andreas Wim Deges, Paulin Piesker, Emilia Piesker from Germany; Meriam Sehrewerdi from USA; Prijumon K Dominic, Bilal Gulammohiddin Palekar, and Ammar Ahmed from India; Nicola Bettio and Nicole Busetto  from Italy; Joost Verploeg from The Netherlands; Mohamed Amehdar from France; Renate Antolkovich from Austria; Claudia Granberg from Nicaragua; Jana Vintrova from Czech Republic, Laura Ezzat from Estonia; Mariska Verploeg from Brazil; Monika Teresa from Poland; Ann Carine from Belgium; Silke Pfitzer from South Africa; David Pescador from Spain; Amina Samy from Egypt; Geul Bang from South Korea; and Nathaniel Alapide from The Philippines.

Bin Dalmook thanked the support and inspiration given by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, in promoting the UAE’s cultural heritage in the framework of spreading peace and tolerance among the different peoples and cultures of the world.

He added that it is only fitting that the final destination of the camel trek is at Expo 2020 Dubai. “It is a matter of pride and honour that we showcase the UAE’s cultural heritage at the world’s biggest stage,” he underlined.

Majlis brings together creatives, animators, filmmakers of UAE: Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of Dubai Council, convened her latest Majlis that brought together UAE-based filmmakers, animators, and creatives from the gaming industry at The Youth Hub at Expo 2020 Dubai.

The session, which was attended by Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority; Noaf Tahlak, Executive Director, Chairperson Office, Dubai Culture & Arts Authority; and Dr. Saeed Mubarak Bin Kharbash Al Marri, Chief Executive Officer, Arts & Literature at Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, saw the creatives share their perspectives on the current creative ecosystem and what is further needed for the industry to grow and flourish in Dubai.

On this occasion, Sheikha Latifa said, “It is always a pleasure to meet with Dubai’s creatives, and hear them talk passionately about their work, experiences and the challenges they face on their journey. These Majlises help us keep our finger on the sector’s pulse and have informed many of the strategies that we have implemented in the past few years, and they continue to shape our plans for the future of the sector. I am very happy with the openness and candour I witnessed during our Majlis and many perspectives and ideas that were shared. Dubai Culture is already integrating them into its plans, which confirms to me that the Authority is moving in the right direction when it comes to supporting our creatives.”

“The film, animation and gaming industries are on the top of our agenda, and we want to work with our creatives to create the best roadmap for its development. This session was intended as the first of many devoted to identifying the top priorities for those operating in these industries. We will have more sessions that delve into further details, which will provide key inputs for developing our multi-year strategic plan and setting clear milestones,” Sheikha Latifa added.