Local Heroes

Looking for a new furry friend to add to the family? Kittysnip will be hosting an adoption day every Friday in April.

I love nothing more than learning about life and the world, and podcasts are a wonderful tool to do that. Last year I stumbled across Kerning Cultures, a source of rich storytelling about the Middle East.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi released a touching letter in honor of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, completing 50 years of service – a beautiful way to enter the New Year in the UAE.

Sheikha Mozah bint Marwan bin Mohammed bin Hasher Al Maktoum, who passed the APP First Officer Programme from CAE Oxford Aviation Academy in 2016, earned her wings as the first Emirati female pilot from Dubai’s royal family in the same year.

The Emirati artist and visionary Mattar Bin Lahej is known for his distinctive signature to his art and photography.

Meet Sofiane Si Merabet, a half-French, half-Algerian cultural cartographer who uses social media as a visual tool to start a conversation.

Fatma Lootah is an Emirati artist who has always expressed her thoughts through unique projects. She is known for creating amazing pieces of some of the UAE’s leaders, including HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

E-waste is the fastest-growing type of waste in the world. As part of a joint initiative between Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Science Park, almost a tonne of e-waste was collected by Uber drivers this summer.

In this world of fast-moving tech, getting an update on the latest tech device – and an honest review – is more than a nice thing to have. It’s a necessity. Enter EMKWAN VLOGS.

UAE’s current Minister of Development and International Cooperation is the first female minister ever appointed in the country.

Originally from Saudi Arabia, Arwa Al Banawi is the designer behind the women’s contemporary ready-to-wear brand tailored for “the suitable woman.”

Living in Dubai is inspiring – the city keeps offering up great examples of successful figures who constantly motivate others to move forward. One prominent example of such a figure is Omar Al Busaidy.

This issue’s pick for our local hero is the inspiring Emirati athlete Dr. Khaled Jamal Al Suwaidi, who has come a long way in his transformation from overweight to fit. Recently, he ran from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi – in just 3 days!

“I find my inspiration in the strength that people show during adversity – it makes me reach within myself for my own courage and determination.” – Jumana Abu-Hannoud.

Obaid Mohammed AlBudoor, As Known As “beedii” is an Emirati artist who is definitely one to look out for. His love of adventure and progressive storytelling makes for the perfect mix to show off the great content creator he is.

“Science Lead for UAE’s space project Mars Mission Hope.” Once I heard the introduction, my mind raced wanting to learn more about the person behind this amazing title. It brought me greater joy when I learned that the title belonged to an Emirati woman, Sarah Al Amiri.

As we all know, the UAE has broken many world records, from the tallest building in the world, to the largest standing lantern, to the biggest mango sticky rice. But this world record might just take the cake.

In memory of their grandfather, two brothers – Sherif and Omar Saadawi – swam around the Palm Jumeirah with one goal: to raise awareness and funds for diabetes research.

Essa’s journey into the fitness world started in 2012 when he transformed his lifestyle, losing 70kg in three years. Now he is a motivational speaker, inspiring people around the world.

We bet you didn’t know that according to Dubai’s Health & Safety Department, women are not allowed to work or even be present in barbershops. Except if the barbershop is in a hotel graded as 4+ stars.

Amal Murad, is the first Emirati female to become a parkour instructor and a Nike woman. Amal found her love for parkour when she was just a kid. Now, she’s easily one of the best in the parkour world of Dubai.

Just as the kitchen is the true heart of the home, Sally Prosser represents the true heart of food blogging. Her blog My Custard Pie and associated social media platforms exude warmth, inspiration and authentic goodness, and it’s no surprise that she wins awards as one of the best in the business.

Our local heroes this issue are the incredible team at Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP).

Yara Tlass is a Damascus-born MBA graduate living in Dubai who started her career in the startup world just like many young graduates nowadays. However, this inspirational nomad’s plan changed when the Syrian revolution broke out and she felt compelled to shed light on the civilian cost of the conflict.

Co-founders of NOW Money, a mobile account and remittance service for the unbanked population of the UAE, Kat and Ian Dillon are shining examples of millennial entrepreneurship – socially impactful, driven by purpose, and enabled through tech.

Elissa Freiha is the co-founder of WOMENA, a Dubai-based angel investment company that empowers and educates female investors. The group focuses on bringing together the growing pool of highly educated and well capitalised women across the MENA region to invest in startups collectively.

The statistics are alarming. Road-related deaths are the second biggest killer in the UAE, behind heart attacks, and the largest killer of children under the age of 14.

During Dubai’s art month, we couldn’t think of a better hero to salute than Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi. The sought-after UAE media commentator is a respected patron of Arab arts.

Omar Saif Ghobash was six when his father, a UAE diplomat, was killed during the attempted assassination of a Syrian minister. Rather than allow vengeance to consume him, he instead focused himself on arts and education to broaden young minds. Ghobash founded an art gallery and established two literary initiatives.

With a broader purpose to encourage reading in Arab youth, Qais Sedki has broken new ground in literature. His Gold Ring series are graphic novels comprised of original content classical Arabic in traditional Japanese manga format.