Day: April 26, 2023

SHARJAH, 26th April, 2023 (WAM) The Emirates Publishers Association (EPA) held its annual General Assembly meeting on 26th April, marking the largest gathering of the EPA board and executive office for the year. This year’s event was particularly significant as it involved the voting and election of a new board. The voting for the new board members resulted in the election of Abdullah Al-Kaabi from Dar Al-Ramsa Publishing House, Muhammad bin Dakhin from Dar Al-Takhayal Media, Amira Boukadra from Ghaf Publications for Book Trading, Fatima Al-Khatib from Dar Sidra Publishing Services, and Abdullah Al-Sharhan from Dar Ajyal Publishing. The General Assembly serves as a platform for EPA members to present the new year’s plan and discuss the previous year’s report, most notably the hosting of the sixth edition of the Arab Publishers Conference, which witnessed the participation of more than 400 guests and a group of specialists to shed light on the challenges facing the publishing sector in the Arab world. Distinguished representatives from the Ministry of Community Development attended the meeting and contributed valuable insights to the proceedings. Their expertise was especially vital in addressing critical agenda items, including approving the Board of Directors’ annual report and the current year’s programmes, activities, and budget plan. Furthermore, the EPA’s bylaws were amended to reinforce the association’s role in serving its members and promoting the growth of the publishing industry. The attendees also discussed the EPA’s achievements from the previous year, which included noteworthy workshops, sessions, and participation in local and international exhibitions. Rashid Mohammed Al Kous, Executive Director of the Emirates Publishers Association, said: “The General Assembly is an important annual event for the EPA during which we review our accomplishments, set new goals, and elect a new board; this year’s meeting was particularly significant as we made key changes to our bylaws to bolster the association’s ability to serve its members better.” The Emirates Publishers Association aims to achieve a qualitative leap in its activities, particularly in distributing and marketing books. Moreover, the association remains a key driving force in championing reading and literacy nationwide, firmly dedicated to instilling a passion for books and learning among all members of society. The association continues to play a vital role in promoting reading and literacy throughout the country, as it recognises the importance of fostering a love of books and learning for everyone.

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)

DUBAI, 26th April, 2023 (WAM) More than 100 tourism representatives from Austria, Germany, Ireland, and Switzerland will gather in Dubai later this month at the Discover Europe Travel Summit to explore new opportunities within the Middle East travel market. The two-day networking event will take place at 25Hours Hotel Dubai One Central from 29th to 30th April, the weekend immediately prior to the start of the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the region’s largest travel exhibition. Promising an ideal prelude to ATM, Discover Europe is held in partnership with the European Travel Commission and set to draw attendance of at least 110 GCC buyers specialising in the culture and luxury sectors of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Set to feature presentations from the four national tourism boards along with one-to-one meetings and networking events, the summit will bring together buyers and exhibitors holding just under 4,500 meetings. Miguel Gallego, Head of Marketing at the European Travel Commission, said: “As we prepare to kick off the Discover Europe Travel Summit in Dubai, we are thrilled to be a partner at an event that has been collaborating with GCC buyers to strengthen our existing relationships and explore new opportunities. Our goal is to foster long-lasting partnerships and promote Europe’s rich culture, history, and natural beauty to the discerning travellers of the GCC region. We believe that by working together, we can create innovative travel experiences that showcase the best of what Europe has to offer and pave the way for a bright future of travel industry growth and success.” Michael Tauschmann, Head of Markets Middle East and India at the Austrian National Tourist Office, concluded: “It is an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to reconnect with the GCC market and stay up to date with the latest travel trends. We take immense pride in being recognised as one of the top premium destinations for travellers from the Middle East, alongside the other three European countries. We are excited to once again collaborate and facilitate meaningful connections between major tourism players and the local travel trade.” Yamina Sofo, Director of the Dubai-based German National Tourist Office (GNTO), the regional office of the German National Tourist Board (GNTB), added: “We recognise the importance of the GCC market, especially with the surge in travellers in 2022 compared to previous years. With our exceptional cultural offerings and breath-taking natural landscapes, Germany offers GCC residents the opportunity to explore unique places throughout the year. With a keen focus on sustainability and accessibility we’re looking forward to highlighting the plethora of eco-friendly and inclusive travel options for visitors during the Discover Europe event to our key partners.” isling McDermott, Manager Middle East and Asia of Tourism Ireland, said she is excited to showcase the island of Ireland’s unique offerings at an event that traditionally produces results. “We are delighted to be present at the Discover Europe event and eagerly anticipate the positive outcomes of our efforts,” McDermott said. Participating in this event was an effortless choice for us, having witnessed the impressive results achieved by top European tourism boards in previous years. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to stand alongside them once again and showcase the island of Ireland as a quintessential holiday destination for their GCC clients.” Matthias Albrecht, Director GCC of Switzerland Tourism, added: “It’s a special pleasure to see “Discover Europe” growing and blooming, especially as it will be my last one. But to showcase Switzerland to the GCC in the middle of our European friends is not only a lot of fun, it’s also very important to us. “The GCC are a priority market, the highest tier in our market framework. In 2022, visitors from the GCC to Switzerland almost reached the level of 2019 pre-pandemic and growth is continuing strongly into 2023 – it seems that Switzerland’s green nature, the fresh air, it’s deep blue lakes, snowcapped mountains, lively cities and our sustainable train offering is never losing its charm. We are looking forward to welcome many more visitors from the GCC in Switzerland this summer.”

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)

ENEVA, 26th April, 2023 (WAM) To help countries better prepare for future pandemics, WHO launched a new initiative today that provides guidance on integrated planning for responding to any respiratory pathogen such as influenza or coronaviruses. The new Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats Initiative, or PRET, incorporates the latest tools and approaches for shared learning and collective action established during the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent public health emergencies. Through the initiative, WHO will use a mode of transmission approach to guide countries in pandemic planning, given that many capacities and capabilities are common among groups of pathogens. PRET answers the call for technical guidance and support for promoting and strengthening integrated preparedness and response, as outlined in World Health Assembly resolutions. The COVID-19 pandemic and other health emergencies have shown that countries need to be operationally ready to respond to infectious disease threats, with tailored preparedness plans in hand and better coordination and collaboration with other sectors such as agriculture. “Preparedness, prevention, and response activities must not be the province of the health sector alone,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Just as health emergencies have impacts across many sectors, so must our preparedness and response efforts span sectors, disciplines and pathogens. It is critical, too, that community engagement and equity are the centre of our efforts, especially for those populations that are marginalized and most at risk.” PRET is an evolution in WHO’s approach to pandemic preparedness through the application of a mode of transmission lens, rather than a focus on specific diseases. WHO will continue to develop and disseminate guidance on specific diseases as needed. The launch of the initiative is taking place on the last day of meetings with over 120 individuals representing Member States, partners, and the WHO secretariat, to define the path forward for PRET, including the development of a global implementation roadmap for respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness. The PRET Initiative’s first module focuses on respiratory pathogens, including influenza, coronaviruses, and respiratory syncytial virus. Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the possible threat of avian influenza, this module will enable countries to critically review, test, and update their respiratory pandemic planning efforts to ensure they have the functional capacities and capabilities in place. A process is underway to identify the next group of pathogens, such as arboviruses, to be addressed under this initiative. This will follow priorities identified through the ten proposals to strengthen the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response, and resilience (HEPR). The PRET Initiative ushers in a new era for pandemic preparedness and represents an evolution of WHO’s core activities to support all Member States in strengthening health emergency preparedness, prevention, and response capacities and capabilities. The initiative can also serve to operationalize the objectives and provisions of the Pandemic Accord, which is currently being negotiated by WHO Member States. Tariq Al Fahaam

Source: Emirates News Agency (WAM)