ArabWeeks

In its efforts to activate social programs which would contribute to enhancing social partnerships with charitable organizations, Dur hospitality signed a partnership agreement with the Charity Committee for Orphans’ Care “Ensan” and TADWEEER to support “Sponsor an Orphan with Your Old Devices” initiative.

This initiative comes in line with Dur hospitality’s endeavor to achieve environmental sustainability while supporting a humanitarian cause.

As per this agreement, Dur hospitality has embarked in collecting the old electronics from its headquarters and properties across the Kingdom. TADWEEER will then collect and recycle the old electronics in accordance with the international recycling standards, whereas the revenue generated from the recycling process will be donated to “Ensan”.

This initiative aims at providing the latest environment friendly methods of recycling and disposing e-wastes, creating job opportunities for Saudis with priority to orphans and widows, and support the humanitarian activities of Ensan.

“Sponsor orphans with your old devices” is a valuable addition to Dur’s CSR program that includes several initiatives such as, paper recycling program, rationalization of water and energy consumption according to international standards for green buildings, and minimizing the impact on the company’s project on the environment.

Dr. Badr Al Bader, CEO Dur Hospitality, said: “Serving the community is what motivates us to support various social, humanitarian and environmental initiatives, which positively reflects on the company’s operations and its relationship with our stakeholders.”

Dr. Badr Al Bader added: “Dur Hospitality was able to collect more than 4000 pieces of electrical and electronic waste from the company’s headquarters and properties around the Kingdom.”

Mr. Saleh Alyoussuf, Director General of Ensan, expressed his gratitude and appreciation towards Dur hospitality for supporting this initiative that reflects Dur’s responsibility and commitment towards its community and society. He also valued TADWEEER’s role in this initiative by dedicating a share of the recycling revenues to support Ensan’s initiatives and activities.

He also thanked TADWEEER for its prominent role in this field, announcing that the two parties had previously signed an agreement whereby TADWEEER channels part of the electronic and electrical waste revenue to the Association.

* Aspiring photographers from Palestine and Egypt named winners of this year’s competition for their striking images depicting Celebration in the Arab World

* This year’s competition welcomed over 19,000 entries and represented a creative and compelling mix of photography enthusiasts from across the Middle East and North Africa

* With Almarai’s partnership and continued support in pushing Arab talent for the 4th year in a row and Nikon as official camera partners

National Geographic Abu Dhabi today announced the winners of its celebrated “Moments” photography competition, a regional competition set up by the factual entertainment channel in 2010 to support photography enthusiasts in the Middle East and North Africa.  

Aspiring photographers from Palestine and Egypt have been named winners of this year’s competition, which received more than 19,000 entries across three key categories.

From dramatic portraits of a Palestinian bride before her wedding day to special moments showing children playing in the street, this year’s winners were praised by the judges for the originality and photographic quality of their images as well as their creative interpretation of this year’s competition theme, Celebration in the Arab World.

The award for the Adult Single Image Category went to Mohamed Mahdy, a 20-year-old photography lover from Egypt, for his image of a young boy playing with his chick under the watchful eye of his brother in the old Egyptian town of El Borg.

In the hotly contested Photo Documentary Category, 19-year-old Fatima Shbair from Palestine scooped the award for her series of images depicting the cultural traditions of a bride before her wedding day. The pictures show joy and celebration as well as highlight the heritage and meaning of Palestinian weddings.

The winner of the newly added Youth Category is Barakat Khaled, aged 17 from Egypt, whose image of children playing impressed this year’s judges. The new category, which was open to participants aged 17 and under, welcomed a range of artistic and beautifully captured images, from horsemanship in the Maghreb to cultural ceremonies and celebrations.

Building on the success of last year’s event, the 7th edition of the eminent competition, which is supported by Almarai, the GCC’s leading dairy brand, was significantly expanded compared to 2016 to include new awards categories such as the Photo Documentary Category and the Youth Category. This year’s competition, which is also supported by Nikon, the official “Moments” camera sponsor, also saw the introduction of the People’s Choice Award, which gives the public the opportunity to vote for their favourite image across all three categories, with the winner being announced at the Moments Awards Ceremony in Dubai in September.

This year’s entries captured what celebration means in the Arab world through the lens of photography lovers in the region, with submissions ranging from images of laughter, joy and family to cultural references such as national dance, national dress and national traditions. UNESCO World Heritage Sites and grand mosques were brilliantly photographed by some entrants, while others zoomed in on colourful Ramadan celebrations, grand monuments, breathtaking scenery and buzzing festivals such as the Gnaoua World Music Festival, a music festival held annually in Morocco. Participants explored different angles, framing and picture compositions, from close-ups and wide angles to motion photography and high-speed photography.  

This year’s judging panel included Rena Effendi, a renowned National Geographic photographer, Hussam Abdulqader, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at Almarai, and Chitra Shergill, a professional photographer who also runs the Nikon School of Photography in Jebel Ali.

The winners of this year’s Single Image Category and Photo Documentary Category will each receive an 11-day all-expense-paid National Geographic photography Expedition Trip to Cuba; a $7,500 photography hamper courtesy of Nikon, a long-standing photography partner of the channel; and complimentary travel to the Moments Awards Ceremony in Dubai in September. The winner of the Youth Category will receive a certificate and a $2,000 photography hamper, also courtesy of Nikon, while the winner of the People’s Choice Award will be awarded a National Geographic Goodie Bag worth $500.

The full list of this year’s shortlist can be viewed here.

For more information, please visit  http://www.natgeo-moments.com/

On the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, SaleCo, the leading ICT distribution company, participates in “Iftar” program organized by the Social Responsibility Club of King Saud University.  

The program provides observers with fast-breaking meals throughout the month of Ramadan, through distributing more 500 thousand meals in Ramadan tents, mosques, roads, and major crossroads in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.

Supporting social, environmental, health and other causes in the Kingdom, comes within SaleCo’s vision to develop the company’s social responsibility programs

, as a major key in achieving sustainable development and integration in the society.

Makarem Ajyad Makkah has recently earned 3 awards for its distinguished services, professional team and strategic location, which contributes to strengthening its position in the hospitality industry especially in the western region.

The renowned hotel was granted the 2016 Gold Circle Awards by Agoda.com, whereas the Saudi Female Chefs of the hotel won third place in the inter-hotel culinary competition that was organized by the Saudi Arabian Chefs’ Association (SARCA). Additionally, the hotel collected three awards during the “Saudi Food Expo 2017’’.

Based on sophisticated criteria that included positive customer reviews in terms of quality of service provided, competitive pricing in the marketplace and the outstanding online offers, Makarem Ajyad Makkah was handed the prestigious 2016 Gold Circle Award. Organized by Agoda.com, one of Asia’s leading hotel booking sites, the award recognizes accommodation partners around the world embodying the best qualities of the online booking travel experience.

Furthermore, the hotel’s Female Saudi Chefs won third place in the inter-hotel culinary competition held amongst the Kingdom’s finest hotels. Under the theme of “Mystery Box” , the competition was organized by the Saudi Arabian Chefs’ Association (SARCA) under the direct supervision of the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS), during the 2017 Foodex Saudi, which was held at Jeddah Centre for Forums and Events.

And lastly, the hotel was awarded a silver medal and two bronze medals during the  “SaudiFood 2017’’ that was held from 23 to 26 April 2017. The team was selected for its exemplary dedication to culinary skills, preparation, food taste and presentation, which reflected the culinary innovations of Makarem Ajyad Makkah hotel.

In this context, Mr. Amr Alsunari, General Manager of Makarem Ajyad Makkah Hotel, praised the achievements of the hotel team, and considered these awards as a recognition of the team’s efforts, hard work and dedication to improve the services offered in the hotel. He added inter-hotel competitions contribute to enhancing the positive competitive spirit amongst participants who come from different hotels around the Kingdom.

It is worth mentioning that being the first 5 stars’ hotel in Makkah Al Mokarramah, Makarem Ajyad Makkah is characterized by its strategic location near the Holy Mosque in Ajyad historic area. It encompasses 409 luxurious modern rooms, in addition to 2 royal suites.

About Makarem Hotels:

Makarem Hotels, the award-winning Saudi grown hotel brand owned by Dur hospitality, was established in 1983 for the purpose of delivering authentic Saudi hospitality services across the kingdom.

In 2015, Makarem launched its revamped identity, and reinforced its position in the market with a new strategy that focuses on enhancing its presence in the two holy cities of Makkah Al Mokarramah, and Al Madinah Al Mounawarah.

“Makarem Hotels” operates more than 2000 rooms across the major cities of Saudi Arabia, and constantly seeks to enrich the hospitality sector with new innovative services and products that cater to the travelers’ various needs, while abiding to international standards.

The Saudi hotel Brand offers its individual and corporate guests special rewards and privileges through its loyalty program “Karam Club”, which enables them to collect and exchange points in hotels and resorts around the world. Makarem also launched its own application, compatible with IOS, android and windows, that offers its users various features and services.