International Photography Exhibition for Islamic Cultures on in Muscat

Source: Omani Photographic Society. Exhibition poster.

The International Photography Exhibition for Islamic Cultures has opened at the headquarters of the Omani Photographic Society (OPS) at the Sultan Qaboos Higher Centre for Culture and Science (SQHCCS) under the theme One Belt, One Road, the Oman News Agency has reported.

The event, under the patronage of Dr Salim bin Shutait al-Ghanmi, Director General of Medical Services and the Diwan of the Royal Court, exhibition aims to promote cooperation among Islamic countries and to show the different religious characteristics, customs and traditions of Islamic countries.

The International Photography Exhibition for Islamic Cultures features images that reflect the Islamic culture of Asia, Africa, Europe and America. One hundred and fifty works from 50 countries are on exhibit, 35% of them from China. The exhibition also includes an introductory seminar on Muslim customs in China.

The exhibition will be travelling to other Islamic countries along the Silk Route. With its strategic geographical location, Oman is considered a key station along the route.

Hashtag: الجمعية_العمانية_للتصوير_الضوئي

Emirates to add flights to Ningxia

Source: Emirates. Jade Emperor Pavilion, Yinchuan.

Emirates will expand its services in mainland China with four weekly flights to Yinchuan (INC) and Zhengzhou (CGO), utilising a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, from 3 May 2016. These services will offer new international connectivity for two of China’s fastest growing cities, and expand Emirates’ destination offering on the mainland to five, the other cities being Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia, lies to the west of the Yellow River and to the east of Helan Mountain. With a large Muslim population, it serves as a gateway connecting China to Arab countries, and is positioned as a hub for economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange between China and the Middle East. Zhengzhou, is the capital of Henan Province and a major transportation interchange for central China.

“With the opening of these new strategic routes, Emirates looks forward to contributing to the enhancement of China’s trade links with the rest of the world, in particular with the UAE and Arab world. We believe the new international air links that we are launching will help create tourism and trade opportunities for Chinese business and leisure travellers that may not otherwise exist,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group.

“With our established network across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Emirates is a ready-made connector of people and trade, and we look forward to further developing aviation links with China in a mutually beneficial way.”

Emirates has been a large part of the China growth story, being the first airline to establish non-stop connectivity between the Middle East and mainland China, first with freighter operations to Shanghai starting in 2002, followed by passenger services in 2004. Emirates’ new services will connect Yinchuan and Zhengzhou with new destinations via a connection in Dubai, and help boost trade and tourism flows to the growing central and western parts of China where these cities are located.

Emirates flights to Yinchuan and Zhengzhou will depart on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from Dubai as EK326 at 02:45 arriving at Yinchuan Hedong International Airport at 13:35. The service will then depart from Yinchuan at 15:20 and arrive at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport at 17:00. The return flight, EK327, will depart Zhengzhou at 21:10, arriving at Yinchuan at 22:55. It will then depart Yinchuan at 00:40, arriving in Dubai at 04:30 the next day*. Timings of the new service have been scheduled to allow for seamless connections to many Middle East, European and African destinations.

Passengers travelling on Emirates’ Boeing 777-200LR will be able to enjoy the airline’s entertainment system with up to 2,000 channels of on-demand content, including Mandarin language movies and music. Emirates flights to and from China feature Mandarin-speaking cabin crew on board, and inflight cuisine options with popular Chinese dishes. 

The services will be operated by a three class configured Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, offering 266 seats and 14 tonnes of cargo capacity in the belly hold. As with all Emirates flights, passengers travelling on the Yinchuan and Zhengzhou services will enjoy the Emirates baggage allowance of 30kg in economy class, 40 kg in business class and 50 kg in first class. 

“As China's regions continue to open up to the global economy, Emirates remains keen to support this with the further expansion of air services in mainland China. In particular we’re interested in exploring the opportunity of daily services to Hangzhou and Chongqing, and a second daily service to Guangzhou,” added HH Sheikh Ahmed.

Ties between Dubai and China continue to grow stronger. A growing number of Chinese banks and businesses are establishing branches within Dubai’s business and financial districts and the city is now home to over 3,000 Chinese companies and 200,000 Chinese residents. Growth in visitor numbers to Dubai from China grew by 25% in 2014.

*Flight times are as per summer schedule

China's Hajj pilgrims leave for KSA

The China Daily has reported that the Ningxia Hui autonomous region began sending Hajj pilgrims to KSA on 31 August.

A total of 14,500 Chinese Muslims will take 47 charter flights on Mecca pilgrimages in 2015, the China Daily said, quoting to the China Islamic Association.

China has more than 20 million Muslims, who mainly live in the western provinces and Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Yunnan and Ningxia regions. About half of Chinese Muslims are from the Hui ethnic group. Ningxia is home to the largest Hui population, numbering more than 2.36 million Hui, or about 35% of China's total Hui population.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cultural Centre officially open in Ningxia

The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cultural Centre and Mosque in Wuzhong city, Ningxia autonomous province, China, has been officially opened, WAM, the Emirates News Agency said.

At the ceremony Professor Zhou Yu Dong, Deputy Ruler of Ningxia, thanked the UAE, led by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for the donation to build the Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Cultural Centre and a mosque in province, pointing out that the project would contribute towards achieving stability and ensuring settlement of the region's displaced inhabitants, who are minority Muslims.

He also highlighted the level of the Chinese-UAE bilateral relations, extending an open invitation to the Emiratis to exchange visits and cooperate with Ningxia. He said that Ningxia, as per the strategy of the Chinese government, is deemed an important gateway for cooperation with Arab and Islamic countries.

In response, Omar Ahmed Adi Nasib Al Bitar, UAE Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, extended thanks to the Ningxia government for cooperation with the UAE citizens to contribute in providing for humanitarian projects in the province, stressing the UAE's keenness on enhancing cooperation in all domains with China in general and Ningxia in particular.

The mosque, which will provide services to Ningxia Muslims in particular and China in general, will accommodate more than 1,200 male and 300 female worshippers, school classrooms, housing apartments and other services. The construction of the mosque was completed in a record time of under nine months.

Dubai's Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai (IACAD) separately took delivery of the Ali bin Abi Talib Mosque at Safa (1) District, WAM added.

Mohammed Saeed Al Muhairi, Head of Mosque Affairs Committee, IACAD, said the mosque, built at the expense of Abdullah Rashid Al Suwaidi, will accommodate 630 including a prayer corner which can accommodate 97 ladies.