Saif bin Zayed honours winners of Minister of Interior?s Scientific Research Award

ABU DHABI, 13th May, 2015 (WAM) -- H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, has honoured the winners of the second edition of the Minister of Interior?s Scientific Research Award, during a ceremony held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, ADNEC.

A total of 149 participants competed for the award with 108 individual, two-man, three-man, and collective research projects, as a part of the police-related cultural events hosted by the Ministry of Interior, on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.

The ceremony commenced with the national anthem, followed by a recitation from the Holy Quran. After that, along with the audience, Sheikh Saif watched a documentary detailing the various achievements realised by the award in its second edition, and announcing the nine projects that are eligible for winning the Minister of Interior?s Scientific Research Award.

Sheikh Saif also honoured the top three achievers as follows: Lieutenant Maryam Mohammed Al Hammadi, from the Customer Service Department, the General Secretariat of the Office of H.H. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, who ranked first with a research entitled "Smart services in the UAE".

Captain Khalifa Saeed Al Fleiti from the Weapons and Explosives Department at Abu Dhabi Police came in second place, with a research entitled "National efforts to prevent terrorist attacks on soft targets", and Captain Nasser Mohammed Al Saadi from the Abu Dhabi Police ranked third with a paper on "Management and collection of security information from social media".

Sheikh Saif also honoured representatives of 25 universities, academic entities and arbitral institutions, in recognition of the efforts they contributed to judge the different research competing for the award, with the aim of exchanging expertise and availing of their experiences.

Members of the Award?s Board of Trustees, chaired by Major General Dr. Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Office of H.H. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, shook hands with His Highness Sheikh Saif.

The Board includes Dr. Matar Hamed Al Neyadi, Under-Secretary for the Ministry of Energy, Dr. Husam Mohammad Sultan Al Ulama, Director of the National Authority for Scientific Research, Prof. Dr. Jassim Ali Salem Al Shamsi, former Dean of the Faculty of Law at the UAE University and Colonel Dr. Salah Obeid Al Ghoul, Director of Law Respect Culture Bureau and Head of the Executive Committee of the Minister of Interior?s Scientific Research Award.

The ceremony was attended by Lt. General Saif Abdullah Al Sha?far, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Interior, Major General Dr. Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Office of H.H. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, a number of assistant under-secretaries at the Ministry of Interior, Mohamed Fadel Al Hameli, Secretary-General of the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs, in addition to police commanders in the UAE and a number of senior officers at the MoI, commanders-in-chief of the police in the UAE, director generals, heads of departments and a number of senior officers at the Ministry of Interior and Abu Dhabi Police.

The Minister of Interior?s Scientific Research Award has made an outstanding record of achievements since it was launched, including organising 11 educational and introductory seminars in the different sectors, to acquaint the Ministry of Interior?s staff members with the award and its objectives, as well as its terms and conditions. Two more conferences were later organised for applicants, to acquaint them with the guidelines for scientific research. The link to the award?s website was also launched on the MoI and the Abu Dhabi Police websites.

The award is a specialised cultural initiative by His Highness, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and serves the police and security work. It also provides the opportunity for all staff members to contribute to the development process witnessed by the police and security sector. The award covers different security aspects and included 32 research papers in social sciences and humanities, (sociology, psychology, security media and mass communication), and 27 in Management Sciences (police administration, strategy, human resources development, crisis management, and organizational excellence).

The award also included 22 research papers in Science and Police Operations (criminal investigation, police operations, ports security, operation rooms, and traffic safety), another 14 research papers in Legal Sciences (common law, private law, and international law) and 13 papers in the field of Applied Sciences (computer science, engineering sciences, medical sciences, biological and forensic sciences).

Sheikh Saif was warmly greeted as he toured the different wings of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, where he was briefed on the wide range of literary, cultural and creative works. At the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?s pavilion, Sheikh Saif expressed admiration for the paintings that depict the Haram al-Sharif and other exhibits. He also visited the Emirates writers? Union pavilion, and had an interesting conversation with the Poet Habib Al Sayegh, Chairman of the Union, Emirati writer Ali Abu Al Rish, Ibrahim Al Hashemi, and a number of Emirati intellectuals who expressed their admiration and appreciation for the attention dedicated by His Highness to cultural activities, and his commitment to support young talented Emirati writers, as they contribute to advancing the ongoing cultural renaissance and progress witnessed by the UAE.

Sheikh Saif gave his directives to acquire the latest publications issued by the Emirates Writers? Union, for the benefit of the Police and Punitive and Correctional Establishments? libraries. He also called for reinforcing cooperation between the cultural elite in the country and the young generation, with the aim of achieving knowledge transfer and literary exchange, encouraging UAE people to read more and to delve into the various fields of human knowledge and instilling a love of reading as indispensable civilised behaviour.

During his tour, Sheikh Saif met with children and visitors to the fair, who crowded around to take commemorative photos with him. His Highness also visited the Umm Al Qura and Uyun al-Jiwa University pavilions, and the Poetry Academy. He also stopped at different national institutions and guest exhibitors? pavilions, and chatted with both exhibitors and visitors to the fair.

Sheikh Saif also attended a book signing event by his son, H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of the booklet entitled "The ABCs of Child Legal Education" as part of the cultural activities of the Ministry of Interior at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. The booklet is the first publication of its kind and depicts the law concept using a cartoon figure.

He also attended a book signing event by H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the latter?s booklet, "African Journey", a book signing event by H.H. Sheikh Zayed bin Ahmad bin Zayed Al Nahyan of his booklet, "Civil Defence Friend" and a book signing event by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, representing H.H. Sheikha Moza bint Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of her booklet, "Generosity Palm."Colonel Dr. Salah Obeid Al Ghoul, Director of Law Respect Culture Bureau, said, "?The ABCs of Child Legal Education? booklet is the first publication of its kind and is designed to get the legal message through to children in simple language that suits the 6-12 age groups. It teaches children the real meaning of the basic legal vocabulary they may overhear and teaches them how to apply them in their daily life."Major Dr. Mohammed Khalifa Al Ali, Director of the Ministry of Interior?s Child Protection Centre, pointed out the importance of educating children about law principles and the law?s role in protecting them, which would significantly contribute to the psychological maturity of children. He also noted that civil society institutions work closely to implement rules and regulations that were originally formulated to achieve full protection of all society individuals since early on in life.

Milan Sharif, Legal Researcher at the Law Respect Culture Bureau, explained that the book The ABCs of Child Legal Education focused on presenting the law concept as a child-appealing cartoon figure, which uses a simple child-appropriate language to communicate with children. Children can randomly select a letter from A to Z and learn a legal or ethical value. Each letter includes a short story through which the cartoon figure speaks to the child and engages his subconscious, which is still undergoing its development, in order to instill a noble concept or value that helps build the child?s personality positively; which is the ultimate goal of societies. She added that this approach would teach children that the law in general, and especially law enforcement officers, have a duty to ensure the best quality of life for society by protecting individuals and their public and personal interests.

Sheikh Saif bin Zayed attended the signing of 4 MoUs to activate the National Charter for Students? Awareness of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Programme.

Sheikh Saif attended the signing of 4 MoUs between the Diwan of His Highness and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR), the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) in Dubai, Abu Dhabi Media and the Federal Community Police Department. The MoUs aim to activate the National Charter for Students? Awareness of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Programme, "Aqdar," which is under the supervision of the Diwan of His Highness and includes 50 ministries, federal and local authorities.

Major General Dr. Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Office of H.H. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Child Protection at the Ministry of Interior, said that signing such MoUs mark a significant stride towards achieving the coveted objectives of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Programme, notably promoting the concepts of mutual institutional work between all ministries, local and federal entities, private institutions and civil society institutions, as well as all other parties involved with students, with the aim of protecting the youth and developing their capabilities to enable them to deal with changes and developments taking place around them.

Lt. General H.H. Sheikh Saif offered 100 copies of the police encyclopedia written in Braille, which is designed primarily for use by blind readers, to the Zayed Higher Organisation for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs. The encyclopedia, which is prepared by the Security Media Department at the Abu Dhabi Police, will be distributed to students with special needs as a part of the Ministry of Interior?s cultural event held on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, in a bid to spread the legal and police culture in society.

During his tour of the Festivals and Cultural Programmes and Heritage Committee pavilion, H.H. Sheikh Saif was given an overview of the latest publications by the Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and the Poetry Academy by Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Secretary-General of Sheikh Zayed Book Award, Sultan Al Amimi, Director of the Poetry Academy and Dr. Ghassan Al Hassan, consultant at the Academy. Sheikh Saif also browsed through the "Emirati Al Taghrooda" Book published by the Poetry Academy. The book includes a compilation of traditional Bedouin chanted poetry composed and recited by men travelling on camelback through desert areas of the United Arab Emirates across three centuries, explained and documented by Dr. Ghassan Al Hassan according to the scientific research methodology, with the aim of preserving this creative form of literature.

Sheikh Saif called for the launching of a talent discovery initiative to promote writing and reading skills, to compete in the fields of literature and creative writing related to heritage and national identity. The initiative is aimed at achieving national goals, encouraging research, innovation and creativity in this area, and preserving and documenting these works. It also helps in bringing innovators and professionals under the spotlight to share and spread this heritage to future generations, in addition to enhancing skills and adopting new talents.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2015.