Ajman Fantasia 2002 to be held from January 16

A grand shopping festival, "Ajman Fantasia 2002", will be held here from January 16 to February 28.

The 44-day festival, which was announced by the Ajman government, will be organised by the Ajman Chamber of Commerce and Industry in coordination with the Ajman Department of Culture and Information (ADCI) and other public and private sector departments and companies.

The government has allocated a special area of more than 50,000 square metres next to the Ajman City Centre to host the Ajman Fantasia 2002.

Speaking on behalf of Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Higher Organising Committee of the Festival, Eyad Khalil Mattar, head of the Festival Activities Committee, noted: "This year's Ajman Fantasia will carry an assortment of pleasant surprises.

"With decorated and illuminated streets and markets, fireworks, thrilling carnival rides, skilled street performers, hundreds of retailing kiosks, fine cuisines, live media coverage and hundreds of thousands of people attending, our Ajman Fantasia will definitely be a meaningful and unique event."

He noted that while it seems like every city in the region has some sort of a shopping festival, the Organising Committee was striving to make the Ajman Festival as different and unique as possible.

"The event will start on January 16 just as the school's spring break starts, and continues until February 28, including the Eid Al Adha holidays," he said.

Mattar also extended an invitation to all private businesses in Ajman to support the government's efforts and take an active part in the festival. "If Ajman is to have a spectacular event, then all of Ajman has to participate," he asserted.

He urged businessmen to use the event to achieve their commercial objective and show support for their community.

A number of leading businessmen from Ajman also attended a meeting hosted by the Ajman Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Ajman Kempinski Hotel and Resort on Monday.

The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, and attended by officials of the chamber and various other government departments.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the ADCI, has formed a Higher Organising Committee for Ajman Fantasia 2002. The committee will be headed by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi.

The Higher Committee comprises nine members and every member is the head of one sub-committee. They include: Abdul Aziz Zakri Al Jasmi, general coordinator; Ghalib Kamil Tabir, consultant; Salem Abdullah Al Shamsi, head of the festival and sports committee; Eyad Khalil Mattar, head of the activities committee; Humaid Ahmed Al Attar, head of public relations committee; Thani Obaid Al Matroushi, head of security committee; Omar Abdullah Al Marzouki, head of media; Abdullah Ismael, deputy head of media committee; and Jamil Abdul Rahman Al Saeedy, head of City Centre and raffle committee.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz assigned the new committee with the task to draw up the framework for the festival to achieve its main objectives – to promote business and provide shopping and entertainment opportunities for community members in coordination with the public and private sector.

He directed the Higher Committee members to coordinate with the local and federal department to make this year's festival a great success.