Pottermore Publishing to Release the Harry Potter Audio Books in Arabic on Storytel

  • Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone audiobook to be available on Storytel platform in spring 2019
  • Top voice-over artist Samaan Ferizali picked as narrator of audio book

Dubai, UAE, January 23rd, 2019 –Storytel, the division of one of Europe’s leading platform for audio books, is set to debut the much-anticipated Harry Potter audiobooks in Arabic at Cairo International Book Fair today, a landmark move that will Storytel’s first ever participation in the largest and oldest book fair in the Arab World. The first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, will be available on the Storytel platform this spring, while the remaining books series will be gradually released throughout 2019. Fans of the Harry Potter book series in the Arab region are in for a major treat as the Arabic audio format is narrated by top voice-over artist Samaan Ferizali.

Pottermore, the global digital publisher of stories from the Wizarding World™, and Storytel have partnered to make the Arabic audio book version of the stories about The Boy Who Lived exclusively available on the latter’s platform. The collaboration is expected to expand Storytel’s audience and bring the Harry Potter series to listeners in the Arab world.

Ammar Mardawi, Country Manager of Storytel Arabia, said: “Harry Potter is a unique global phenomenon which helped many people around the world to become regular book consumers by captivating their imagination and emotions. The debut of the Arabic audio book version of Harry Potter is a major milestone for Storytel Arabia as it will introduce them to the audio book experience for the first time. We are announcing the Arabic audiobooks of Harry Potter at the Cairo book fair because of the outstanding Harry Potter fan base among Egyptian young people.” 

“We are very pleased with Ferizali’s work in this project. It took us several months of auditions and evaluations as well as series of surveys among Harry Potter fans before we arrived at our final decision. Ferizali is doing a fantastic job in bringing over 150 characters to life in the series,” Mardawi added.

About Storytel:

Storytel is the world’s first streaming service for unlimited listening/reading on the mobile phone. The service was launched in 2005 and Storytel has had more than 53 million consumed audio books and ebooks up to this date. Storytel works with all smartphones, and has an offline function which makes it possible to listen to audio books even when there’s no internet connection available. In the past four years, Storytel has had a compound annual growth rate (“CAGR”) of 62 percent and continues to grow year after year. The company is headquartered in Stockholm and operates in 15 markets: Sweden, Norway, Denmark, The Netherlands, Finland, Russia, Poland, Iceland, Turkey, Italy, Spain, India, United Arab Emirates, Mexico and Bulgaria.

Ministry of Health and Prevention Launches ‘Kids’ Community Program to Increase Children’s Knowledge on Diabetes

UAE, November 19th, 2018 – As part of its commitment to educate children about diabetes, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sanofi, hosted an awareness event at the Dubai Festival City Mall in line with its ‘Kids and Diabetes in Schools’ (Kids) program.

The program aims to promote better understanding of the impact of the disease on kids and highlight the role of families and the entire community members in the effective management of diabetes. This year, the reach of the initiative went beyond the confines of the schools to raise community awareness about key health issues. Continue reading “Ministry of Health and Prevention Launches ‘Kids’ Community Program to Increase Children’s Knowledge on Diabetes”

‘Hackathon’ Competition Winners

Mansoor Bin Mohammed Honors Outstanding Winners of ‘Hackathon’ Competition

‘Emirati Programmer’ gives young local talents an opportunity to join global programming competitions

  • 4 young Emirati talents win the title of ‘Innovative Emirati Programmer’
  • International jury evaluates creative applications in line with UAE’s national policies
  • Local contestants demonstrate high-level skills in programming, computer thinking systems, digital applications, & electronic games

UAE, November 12, 2017 – H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum honored the ‘Innovative Emirati Programmer’ winners of the ‘Hackathon’ competition organized by the Emirates Talent Association and Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU). The recognition marked the culmination of the successful first batch of the ‘Emirati Programmer,’ the first-of-its-kind national initiative in the UAE launched to enhance the skills of Emirati programmers in programming languages, computer thinking systems, the basics of digital application and electronic games development. Continue reading “‘Hackathon’ Competition Winners”

DEWA Organises 1st Summer Camp for Young Engineers

Dubai, UAE, August 4th, 2016 – Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has organised a summer camp for children under the theme ‘Engineers of the Future.’ The summer camp features specialised training programmes to develop children’s communication skills, helping them cope with pressure, face obstacles, and enhance teamwork. This promotes innovation among children, and creates a platform by which they can improve their skills, with a focus on electrical and mechanical engineering, science, and mathematics.

DEWA’s summer camp is open to all citizens and residents between the ages of 12-15, and will be held from 7-18 August 2016 at DEWA’s Reading Tent, which is located at Gate 2 of Zabeel Park. The camp features a host of activities and entertainment programmes, to prepare children for a promising future career, while developing their technical skills, and encouraging research by students, to harvest a new generation focused on science and technology. Continue reading “DEWA Organises 1st Summer Camp for Young Engineers”

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority opens 2nd Summer Innovation Camp

Initiative designed to cultivate the spirit of innovation and creativity among young Emiratis

UAE, July 17th, 2016 – The UAE Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) opened today (Sunday, July 17, 2016) the 2nd edition of its ‘Summer Innovation Camp,’ a month-long initiative that will run until August 18, 2016. The initiative has been designed to cultivate the spirit of innovation and creativity among the young Emiratis, while also teaching them more about the local telecommunications and information technology (IT) sectors, through different events and activities held throughout the country. Continue reading “Telecommunications Regulatory Authority opens 2nd Summer Innovation Camp”

Pearson launches School Improvement Service to align with UAE School Inspection Framework

Pearson aims to help schools meet new national standards and embed world-class systems and processes in UAE schools
Dubai, UAE, 14 May, 2016 – Pearson has announced a new School Improvement Service, designed to help UAE schools perform against the standards set out in the UAE’s new School Inspection Framework. The Framework is designed to help meet the country’s national agenda for education reform set about the UAE’s 2021 vision.

The UAE School Inspection Framework was rolled out in 2015, unifying the many inspection and school improvement models that had previously been in place throughout the country. The Framework is an evaluation system that measures the quality of a school’s performance, supporting school improvements through regular inspections. School inspections are structured around six performance standards including student achievement; personal and social development of students; teaching and assessment; curriculum; protection, care, guidance and support of students; and leadership and management.
The 2015-2016 Framework Guide, released by the UAE Ministry of Education, the Abu Dhabi Education Council, the Dubai Knowledge and Human Development Authority, and the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Training, states:
“To achieve the world-class education system to which it aspires, the UAE must apply a high quality evaluation system to measure reliably the quality of school performance and to support school improvements and students’ outcomes through rigorous and regular school inspection. The UAE School Inspection Framework is based on comprehensive performance standards that define the essential aspects of a quality education”.
International school improvement expert, Dr Brad Ermeling, Principal Research Scientist at Pearson, believes there are four key elements to achieving optimal school improvement outcomes. He says:
“Research conducted through the Pearson Research and Innovation Network has shown that the best results come from school improvement programmes when four considerations are taken into account. These are:
1.      Emphasis needs to be placed on doing the “ordinary”, day-to-day work well. It is often these seemingly insignificant tasks that have the greatest impact on how well a school performs overall;
2.      The detail is exceedingly important – it is one thing to come up with a great idea or vision, but often the most difficult aspects of reform is in figuring out the details that will actually make the plan work.
3.      Successful action (that is, getting things done) begets improved attitudes, beliefs and knowledge, and;
4.      Everyone needs to be involved and school leaders are instrumental in bringing the entire school community on board with necessary changes.
Therefore, a holistic approach to school improvement that looks beyond individual areas of school improvement is necessary”.
Amanda Collins, Pearson’s Regional Director for School Services, says that the new Pearson School Improvement Service maps this international research with the specific needs of institutions in the UAE. She says the Service is designed to meet the challenges faced by UAE schools in preparing for inspection and help them along the path of continuous improvement.
“Schools are consistently looking for ways to improve to give learners the best possible chance of meeting their potential, both academically and in other important areas of development. The new School Improvement Service helps schools to achieve that goal, whilst mapping against the specific criteria set out in the Inspection Framework. We work closely with schools to identify what areas require attention through a school-wide needs assessment. The team, which includes certified school inspectors, then sets about creating a tailored plan. This plan includes face to face and online professional development, policy support, in-class support and coaching that improves performance in identified areas, with on-going consultation and monitoring the cornerstone of the service”.
Ms Collins goes on to say that improving learner outcomes is the overarching aim of the School Improvement Service.
“There are many elements of a successful school improvement programme, professional development, staff appraisals and targeted teaching interventions to name just a few. However, improving learner outcomes is the ultimate goal of the whole process. We want to help create schools where learning thrives and where learners are excited about the future they can achieve”.

New York Times Best-Selling Author, Renowned Speaker and Thought Leader to Empower the Region’s Youth to be Leaders in the 21st Century

Global Education Practice Leader Sean Covey’s First Ever Middle East Tour to Focus on ‘The Leader in Me’ Program: Creating Leaders, One Child at a Time

UAE, March 1st, 2018 – Franklin Covey Middle East, a global company that specializes in performance improvement of organizations, has announced the first ever visit of world renowned author and motivational speaker Sean Covey to the Middle East.

During his pioneering tour, Sean will discuss how The Leader In Me whole-school transformation model – developed in partnership with educators – empowers students with the skills they need to thrive in the 21st Century. The Leader In Me, builds on the work of Dr Stephen R Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and redefines what school greatness means by focusing on culture, leadership and academics.

Sean Covey, who is also the Executive Vice President Global Solutions and Partnerships and Education Practice Leader of  Franklin Covey, will be visiting Riyadh on March 22nd & 23rd, 2015, Abu Dhabi on March 24th and Dubai on March 25th, 2015.

Today’s changing world has a whole new set of rules, to which our youth will need to adapt. Key skills businesses and educators identified as vital to the futures of today’s students are developed within The Leader in Me process. These skills include: Leadership, Accountability, Adaptability, Initiative and Self-Direction, Cross-Cultural skills, Responsibility, Problem Solving, Communication Skills, Creativity and Teamwork.

‘The Leader in Me’ is a school-wide process that develops staff and students as leaders and thereby transforms the culture and performance of the school. While raising pedagogical standards, The Leader in Me draws on the world-class content of Franklin Covey, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, which staff, students and parents adopt as a common language. The Leader in Me schools seamlessly integrate leadership development into their daily curriculum, activities and systems; it becomes the school’s operating system. A school culture is created where every student is encouraged to set and achieve meaningful goals, to be a positive influence on others and to use his or her individual gifts to better the world. ‘The Leader in Me’ process strives ‘to build leaders, one child at a time.’

Sean said, “The Middle East represents a diverse geographic spread and a fantastic opportunity to build on the engagement of students, staff and parents. The education sector in the Middle East is highly viable thanks to a population heavily skewed towards youth. The Leader in Me is producing transformational results in over 2,000 schools worldwide and we are excited to bring the process to the Middle East.

Our vision is that one day our entire community will be impacted with citizens who are lifelong leaders and learners.”

In Riyadh, Sean is set to meet with officials from Saudi Arabia’s Educational sector and large corporate organizations. In the UAE he will meet the principals, teachers and parents from various schools under the Abu Dhabi Education Council in the country’s capital and with deans and senior executives of colleges and universities to be hosted at the American University in Dubai (AUD) to highlight the ‘7 Habits for College Students,’ which will empower them with the tools for achieving success in the future.

Sean graduated from Brigham Young University (BYU) with a degree in English and later earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and is known for writing motivational books for children and teens like Fourth Down and Life to Go: How to Turn Life’s Setbacks into Triumphs as his 1st motivational work published in 1990, The 6 Most Important Decisions You’ll Ever Make: A Guide for Teens, The 7 Habits of Happy Kids, ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens’ which became a New York Times Best Seller.

Sean lives by the common saying, “You’re only young once, but you can be immature forever”, He acknowledges that we only get one chance to prepare our students for a future none of us can predict. But the question is what are we going to do with that one chance?

About Franklin Covey:

Franklin Covey is a global company specializing in performance improvement helping organizations achieve results that require a change in human behavior. Franklin Covey’s education division is one of the world’s most prominent and trusted providers of education-leadership programs and transformational processes to thousands of primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools and institutions around the world. Our mission is to enable greatness in educators and students everywhere

F1 in Schools: Students Take Learning Live

Abu Dhabi, UAE, November 11th, 2011 – As part of its commitment as the presenting partner of the UAE F1TM in School Challenge, Mubadala Development Company (Mubadala), is giving participating students of this year’s F1 in Schools programme tickets to the 2011 Formula 1™ Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The F1 in School Challenge is an educational programme designed to provide students with an in-depth experience of Formula One racing, in turn fostering a greater appreciation for engineering, science and technology, marketing and various other disciplines involved in the sport. Mubadala are giving the current F1 in Schools students.