The ancient Greek storyteller Aesop is quoted as saying: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Showing kindness, helping others, and doing things that bring benefits beyond your own personal life is what makes this world a better place.
One definition of kindness is the act of being helpful to others or to another, and kindness comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be anything from a friendly smile to a stranger, cleaning up a dirty street, writing a book to capture moments of history, or developing an organisation that builds products and services to improve the way we live our lives.
Unfortunately we live in world where kindness doesn’t sell, at least not in the way that humour, adventure, danger and drama do.
Think of all the videos that have spread through social media, or the pictures or stories that are broadcast through your WhatsApp group. I am pretty sure that most of the time you are either in a state of laughter or shock rather than feeling a warm sense of joy.
What kindness needs is a platform, something that celebrates both the bold and ambitious plans to bring good to the world, as well as the little acts of individuals that are dedicated to spreading hope and joy to communities across the city.
A platform is necessary to spread the awareness, and increase the potential of not only online virality of the acts, but also the real-life domino effect these acts can have on other people, inspiring them to give back in whatever way they can.
For the UAE that platform has come in the shape of the Abu Dhabi Awards. These awards are an initiative which recognise and honour individuals who have selflessly dedicated themselves to support and contribute to the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
What is truly beautiful about these awards is that they are blind – blind to religion, ethnicity, colour, status, age, or gender. Everyone who is a citizen or resident of the emirate of Abu Dhabi is eligible.
For example, a young British schoolgirl who leads a community project has just as much of a chance of winning an award as the Emirati head of a billion-dollar government initiative. A labourer, who created a competition to motivate his fellow workers, can just as likely be recognised as a nurse of the local hospital who has made a difference to the lives of her patients.
You may be asking yourself, how is that so? Well when the Abu Dhabi Awards initiative was first set up it wanted to emphasise the acts and deeds regardless of the individuals behind them. It wanted to remove any potential biases, influence or status from the picture and focus purely on impact, not by the number of nominations received.
I am really excited about this year’s Abu Dhabi Awards. Given the growing and dynamic youth in the emirate, as well as the tools in our hands to spread powerful messages, means there is so much to bring to light, and so much good to be shared and spread throughout the city.
More importantly these awards give us a chance to build on the UAE’s narrative of kindness, giving, and supporting those in need. This, year the UAE was ranked number one in the world for per capita foreign aid for the second year in a row. The Abu Dhabi Awards in turn shows how this attitude is reflected internally within our very own borders, within our very own communities, and within our very own lives.
So what can you do as an individual? You can recognise the people who have played a role in making your life and your community better, whether it’s your boss, your friend, your teacher, your local deliveryman, even someone you only met once (or never met at all) that you felt was doing work that had a positive impact on the emirate and its people.
All a person needs is one nomination to be eligible for the award, just one. Think of how that could change their future, spread their positive message, and increase the impact of their work. It could be that pivotal moment that sets the tone for the rest of their lives.
At the end of the day it is not about who receives an award or not, it is about what we learn about each other along the way, it is about how we have come together to promote everyone in this city who is trying to make a difference, it is about giving the good in our lives and our communities a chance to grow, and that is a reward in itself.
Khalid Al Ameri is an Emirati columnist and social commentator
On Twitter: @KhalidAlAmeri
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
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Brolliology: A History of the Umbrella in Life and Literature
By Marion Rankine
Melville House
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Nick's journey in numbers
Countries so far: 85
Flights: 149
Steps: 3.78 million
Calories: 220,000
Floors climbed: 2,000
Donations: GPB37,300
Prostate checks: 5
Blisters: 15
Bumps on the head: 2
Dog bites: 1
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
