Dubai: Dubai government's keenness to promote the Arabic language and reaffirm the UAE's deep-rooted Arab identity, has led to the launch of the Arabic domain name of the website of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The move comes on the heels of Telecommunications Regulatory Authority winning approval from the Internet Corporation Assigned for Names and Numbers (ICANN) to use the internet domain in Arabic, placing the UAE among the first four countries in the world to register domain names in their official languages. Shaikh Mohammad's website can now be reached through the following addresses when typed in Arabic script, "shaikh-mohammad-bin-rashid.emarat" or "mohammad-bin-rashid.emarat".
The Dubai Government Media Office said Shaikh Mohammad has given full backing to a diverse range of initiatives that nurture and encourage the use of the Arabic language. With a substantial increase in the number of internet users in the region, Arabic domain names will allow a greater audience of Arabs to access information online.
National identity
Emphasising the importance of the Arabic language as a key symbol of national identity, the UAE government decided in March 2009 to authorise Arabic as the official language at all federal institutions and entities.
Launched in 1999, the official website of Shaikh Mohammad stands out among other personal websites in the region, as it combines the latest audio-visual technology with innovative website design and clever writing. Features such as live streaming of notable events and pages filled with information about the country's tourism and traditions make it a must-see website to acquaint oneself with the UAE.
Available in both Arabic and English, the site is the leading source of news and information about Shaikh Mohammad's activities, with an archive of more than 30,000 articles, 18,000 photographs and 1,500 video clips. The latest figures put the number of visitors to the site at about 85,000 per month, at a rate of 3,000 hits per day. Since its launch, the site has received 180,000 e-mails and over 7,000 visitors have left messages on the guestbook.
