Under the patronage of HH Crown Prince of Fujairah “Heritage Values” Celebration Kicks off 37th UAE National Day at Le Méridien Al Aqah

Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, Le Méridien Al Aqah will celebrate the 37th anniversary of the UAE with a “Heritage Values” celebration to take place at the resort from the 30th of November to the 4th of December.

Hosted in collaboration with the UAE Architectural Preservation Association in Dibba Al Fujairah, the inaugural “Heritage Values” celebration will feature more than 30 exhibitions and activities scheduled to take place in and around the hotel. The celebration will include trips to a number of nearby charitable, educational, and medical institutions in order to enhance participation in traditional UAE heritage and stress the importance of the connection between generations.

National and governmental bodies will join the festivities which as a whole represent a comprehensive, entertaining, and educational celebration of UAE National Day.

Highlighted activities will include exhibitions featuring coins and stamps issued prior to the unification of the UAE, other artifacts that pre-date 1971, and old craftsmanship and cultural products. Hotel guests will be able to attend educational presentations to learn about national traditions and architectural heritage, in addition to daily shows of folklore music.

The celebration will also showcase a series of documentaries produced by the “Onasi” media production company based in Abu Dhabi including: "Homeland of history ... nation for the future" which documents the archaeological discoveries confirming the history of human settlement in the UAE, and “Dar Zayed...hidden treasures” which was produced by five students from Zayed University and won the awards competition organized by the media production company this past May.

“The celebration activities are designed to emphasize the country’s great past and happy present under leadership of HH President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his brother HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and their brothers in the UAE supreme council,” said Patrick Antaki, General Manager, Le Méridien Al Aqah. “We aim to honor all those who have supported this country’s great progress and we greatly appreciate the fantastic response and cooperation which we have had with the celebration’s organizing committee who have facilitated these exhibitions about heritage and civilisation, as well as documentaries about the UAE,” added Antaki.

“The National Day celebration is the most important event on the hotel’s agenda and we have worked very hard to develop programs that communicate the importance of the 37th anniversary of the UAE, especially given the growing achievements in all fields. We have worked to capture the festive spirit of the Federation and the nature of the society,” said Salah Al Hamad, head of the carnival organizing committee.

Fujairah Rotana Joins Al Raheeb School

 

Energetic screams and laughter could be heard from Al Raheeb Girl’s School on the morning of Thursday November 27 as its young students commemorated UAE’s upcoming National Day at their End of Term Concert. From singing and dancing, to drama-filled depictions on UAE culture and tradition, the atmosphere was enchanting and festive. Fujairah Rotana could not be left out from the festivities so were enthralled to be coined guests of honor on the day. The resort’s General Manager, Mr. Jean Francois Laurent and Director of Human Resources Ms Cheryl Holden, were accompanied by Executive Chef Mauro Seu, Director of Food & Beverage Nicola Zamboni and Marketing and Communications Executive Yvonne Makonye as they presented the school’s Principal with cookies decorated with the UAE flag as well as fruit juices for the 400 school children and their parents in attendance.

“It is always our pleasure to be a part of community events in any way possible,” stated Mr. Jean Francois as he presented the sweet delights to the children. “We are grateful for the opportunity to put some smiles on the children’s faces.” Decorations carrying the National colors of green, red, white and black were spread across the assembly hall, and children from kindergarten age-group through to teenagers were well adorned in jewelry and outfits made of the same. “It was impressive to see such young ones that are aware of what National Day means, and how important it is to UAE,” stated Ms Holden. “We learnt about UAE culture from children’s perspective this morning, and the youthfulness was delightful. We look forward to the next opportunity that Fujairah Rotana gets to be involved in initiatives with the Al Raheeb School.”

Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa is located only 5 minutes away from Al Raheeb School which is a stone throw away from Al Aqah Beach. Nestled between the Hajar Mountains and the magnificent Indian Ocean, the Resort is renowned for community involvement and initiatives that celebrate local culture. This year it will showcase a myriad of activities in commemoration of the UAE's National Day, its culture and traditions. From traditional meals on the all day-dining buffet, a beachside local dance group on National Day to an all Arabic welcome for our guests, Fujairah Rotana promises to have a host of goings-on in celebration of the country’s 37 years of existence.

 

Le Méridien Al Aqah Hosts contemporary exhibition of Fused Glass during December and January Fujairah-based artist Haley Haddow displays her unique artwork in the resort’s Tea and Dates lobby café Fujairah, United Arab Emirates

Visitors to Le Méridien Al Aqah during the festive season and New Year will be able to view and buy unique fused glass creations by Fujairah resident Haley Haddow, who trained in the complex art of fused glass in England and runs her own fused glass company in Fujairah. Haley’s exhibition, which opened this week and will run until 13 January, includes functional glass pieces such as bowls, platters and vases; as well as decorative hanging wall panels. Each art work began as a simple sheet of glass and was transformed using cutting, layers, fusing, grinding and finally polishing techniques. Using a special oven called a kiln, the layers are melted together at up to 1700 degrees fahrenheit, becoming one piece.

“The glass exhibition is part of the resort’s focus on art and cultural activities. It also provided an ideal opportunity to support the local community, as Haley has created a successful studio and business in Fujairah,” said Patrick Antaki, General Manager, Le Méridien Al Aqah.

The process of melting and molding the glass means that each piece is different and some of the pieces may include bubbles within the glass, created by the high temperatures. For Haley, the exhibition is a chance to share her passion for fused glass with the public. The pieces have been attractively displayed through the lobby, including a few tactile pieces to encourage people to experience the look and feel of the work.

“I started with a beginner’s course in Fused Glass and I never thought my interest would take me this far – now I plan to do more advanced courses internationally. I appreciate the support from the staff at Le Méridien Al Aqah in holding my second exhibition, as it’s an ideal chance to showcase the art of fused glass and to increase awareness about this stylized art form,” Haley said. The exhibition is being held in the Tea and Dates lobby café, and the opening hours are from 10:00am to 10:00pm daily.

For more information, please call +971 9 244 9000 or visit lemeridien.com/fujairah

This 2009, there's another reason to head to the East Coast for business travels, leisure weekends & holidays. The five-star Al Diar Siji Hotel in Fujairah, managed by Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) has renewed its tie up with some of the country’s major banks. Card holders of ABN Amro Bank, RAK Bank & American Express Bank can avail 25% to 35% discount on room rates depending on room classification, and up to 25% discount on food & beverage in the hotel’s restaurants & bars. The promo is valid until 31st December 2009.

For enquiries call 09-2232000

Sushi & Teppanyaki Feast @ Al Diar Siji Hotel In time for the winter season, Al Diar Siji Hotel invites everyone for an artful, unique, and healthful dining experience as it once again opens the Sushi & Teppanyaki live cooking station. Al Diwan, the hotel’s flagship restaurant welcomes guests with the exciting world of the famous Teppanyaki with nightly live cooking station every Sundays, Tuesdays & Thursdays. Relax, enjoy and savor this authentic cuisine as the chef prepares your meals before your eyes through this ancient art of cooking on iron plates. A selection of highest-grade beef, juicy chicken, sweet & fresh seafood cooked on a hot iron griddle will be served to you hot off the grill by our specialty chef Rogelio Martin Mico. Menus include sets of Fujiyama & Hokkaido, served with mixed vegetables, deep fried ice cream in chocolate sauce & strawberry compot salsa. Meantime, the sushi feast will feature a wide selection of Japanese foods which include Sashimi varieties, Tako sushi, Kani (crab meat) sushi, and wide range of maki such as California Roll, Hana Maki, Kappa Maki (cucumber), Crispy Roll, Rainbow Roll, Caterpillar Roll, Canadian Maki, Unagi (eel), Futto, etc.

For reservations and other enquiries call (09) 2232000

Hundreds of Volunteers take part in Clean Up Arabia at Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort on 29 November

More than 100 staff from Le Méridien Al Aqah joined more than 200 volunteers from Emirates Diving Association on 29 November for the 13th Clean Up Arabia campaign in Fujairah. The extensive clean-up removed two tonnes of rubbish and debris from underwater and the coastline of the East Coast.

The Clean Up Arabia campaign is organized by the UAE-based Emirates Diving Association (EDA) in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme - Regional Office of West Asia (UNEP – ROWA). Le Méridien Al Aqah sponsored the event, along with Dubai Properties Group, Al Futtaim Carillion, Majid Al Futtaim Group, Emirates NBD. “Le Meridien Al Aqah is pleased with the results of the clean-up and we appreciate the partnership with EDA, the corporate sector and the local community,” said Patrick Antaki, General Manager, Le Méridien Al Aqah. “However, our commitment to the environment goes beyond an annual clean-up. We are in discussions with EDA to organize similar events more frequently in 2009 and we will also be focusing on Green initiatives to create environmental awareness and send strong conservation messages to society and industry alike. We also plan to team up with international organizations for such initiatives and create educational programs with the participation of local schools and universities as well as respective ministries,” added Antaki.

Officials attending the event included Major General Khalfan Al Muhairi, Financial Director and Board Member, EDA; Mr Salim Al Sharah, Director-General, Ministry of Environment and Water, East Coast and Chairman of the Fisherman’s Association in Dibba; and representatives from Fujairah