Saudi film director Haifaa Al-Mansour has been named as one of the recipients of the 25th Annual Crystal Award, which celebrates the achievements of leading artists and cultural figures. Conductor Marin Alsop and broadcaster and naturalist, Sir David Attenborough were the other recipients, the World Economic Forum announced. The winners will be honoured in the…
London: For the first time in the history of the British Air Force, a Sikh and a Muslim cleric have joined the Royal Air Force Chaplain’s Branch. Kenya-born Flight Lieutenant, Ali Omar becomes the first Muslim chaplain while Flight Lieutenant Mandeep Kaur, who grew up in Punjab was chosen to be the first Sikh chaplain.…
A formerly homeless man who co-founded an interfaith group creating bonds between Jews and Muslims is among London’s “unsung heroes” for a Faith and Belief Community Award. Lewisham resident, Mfa Zaman, 30, who was a London Ambassador at the Olympics in 2012, was homeless himself before setting up a charity to feed those in the…
An estimated 85,000 children under the age of five may have died from acute malnutrition in three years of war in Yemen, a leading charity has said. They suffered immensely as their vital organ functions slowed down and eventually stopped. Their immune systems were so weak they were more prone to infections with some, too…
Jordan’s King Abdullah, accompanied by crown prince Al Hussein Bin Abdullah II recently attended a celebration at Al Hussein Cultural Centre in Amman held by churches in Jordan on the occasions of Christmas and the New Year. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, church leaders from Jordan and Jerusalem and representatives of the Jerusalem awqaf, attended the…
Makkah: Sign language, Braille Qur’ans and electric wheelchairs are some of the new features in Makkah and Madinah to help pilgrims with disabilities to execute the religious rites of Hajj and Umrah. An official at the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques described those with disabilities as “highly motivated people with…
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan recently declared 2019 as the Year of Tolerance. The leader said 2019 would highlight the UAE as a global capital for tolerance, instilling the values of co-existence and peace in local, regional and international communities. Sheikh Khalifa said that the Year of Tolerance will focus…
Jeddah: Islamic values preserve the legal rights and freedoms of everyone and these values do not accept any form of division or discrimination, the secretary-general of the Muslim World League said in Abu Dhabi. Mohammed bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Forum for Promoting Peace, which drew hundreds of…
Rabat: The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) will participate in the 21st edition of the Islamic Arts Festival, to be organised by the Department of Culture and Information of Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, from 19 December 2018 to 29 January 2019. The festival, to be launched under the theme of “Horizon”, will…
UAE for the first time in what will be a landmark moment for interfaith relations and Catholics in the Gulf. The Vatican announced the visit to the country on February 3-5, 2019. The news follows an official invitation from the UAE that was delivered in person by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs…
