Bridging gap between expats and nationals

Bridging the gap between the expatriate population and UAE nationals is the main aim of the activities planned by the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding for the Dubai City That Cares 2001- Ramadan festival.

The event is organised in conjunction with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Announcing the Centre's activities at the gardens of the Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai yesterday, Director of the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, Abdullah bin Essa Al Serkal, said that the Ramadan programme includes special mosque visits where visitors will be able to enter the mosque during both morning and evening sessions.

He added that a majlis will also be open to the public from 9am to 1pm and from 8pm to 11pm. Volunteers from the Centre are available to answer all questions.

Al Serkal noted: "Our programme addresses a great need within our community. There is no better time than this to build better levels of understanding about the UAE religion and culture. Our work is simple yet important. We hope to bridge the gap that exists between the expats and nationals and to erase the many misconceptions that exist."

Thani Juma'a Berregad, Chief Coordinator of Dubai the City that Cares 2001, said: "We are pleased to witness the great success of the ongoing promotion, not only in terms of sales figures and numbers of visitors, but also on the humanitarian and charitable level.

"Charity organisations are very active and all participants in Dubai the City that Cares 2001 are offering their full support.

"The Chamber is proud of participating, along with the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, in communicating the right image of Islamic culture to the different cultures and communities present in Dubai," he explained.

Announcing the media prize to be presented at the end of the campaign, Berregad noted: "As much as we appreciate the efforts of the participants in Dubai The City that Cares 2001, we also appreciate the work of those who are keen to cover its events and convey its success and uniqueness through the various media channels.

This year, we have allocated a Dh5,000 prize for the best feature article (English and Arabic), Dh2,500 for the best published photograph, and a trophy for the newspaper or magazine that carries the best coverage of the event."

Dubai The City that Cares 2001, which continues until December 19, continues to unveil various activities and events under its umbrella, as well as lots of prizes for shoppers and visitors to Dubai in participating outlets.