Al Serkal inaugurates SMCCU majalis; brings cultural awareness programmes to mall visitors

Dubai, 8 October 2006: An official ceremony was held today at Ibn Battuta Mall, the largest themed mall in the Middle East, to mark the opening of the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding's communication majalis in the China Court of the mall. The majalis, which will be hosted by the mall throughout Ramadan, was inaugurated by Abdallah bin Eisa Al Serkal, Director of Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) in the presence of Colin Fenton, Mall Manager, Ibn Battuta Mall.

Open daily from 10am-1pm and 8pm-12 midnight until the 23 October and recommencing after Eid Al Fitr until 7th November, Ibn Battuta Mall has partnered with SMCCU to host the Open Doors, Open Minds initiative as part of its programme of cultural activities to delight shoppers during the holy month of Ramadan and provide visitors the opportunity to experience authentic Arabian culture and hospitality.

Shoppers who visit the SMCCU communication majalis at Ibn Battuta Mall will have the chance to meet with UAE nationals and can sign up for special mosque tours which take place four days a week at 10am with extra tours planned in the evenings after prayer times.

Furthermore, as a special part of the programme, visitors will also have the opportunity to register for an exclusive invitation to authentic Iftar dinners to be hosted at the homes of UAE nationals.

Commenting on SMCCU's move to reach out to shoppers at the mall, Abdallah bin Eisa Al Serkal, Director of SMCCU said: "We are pleased that Ibn Battuta Mall is hosting our centre for Ramadan and providing the ideal location for us to reach expatriate residents and tourists alike. The multitude of cultures which the mall brings together with its various themes is perfectly in line with the centre's aim to contribute to the improvement of cross-cultural understanding, integration and communication worldwide."

Thanking Al Serkal for bringing the Open Doors, Open Minds initiative to Ibn Battuta Mall was Colin Fenton, Mall Manager, Ibn Battuta Mall who said: "It gives us great pleasure to be hosting this highly-successful initiative which has gained worldwide recognition for its cultural awareness programmes."

"In a cosmopolitan region like the Middle East, the need to be aware of the differences between the many cultures that prevail is especially important and we believe that providing the opportunity for shoppers to learn about culture, its traditions and customs is an integral characteristic of our mall."

SMCCU's majalis at Ibn Battuta Mall is staffed with a team of UAE national volunteers who regularly work with SMCCU to bridge the gap between UAE nationals and expatriates by enhancing cultural awareness through the centre's various programmes. Among the group of volunteers, shoppers can meet students from Zayed University, Emirates University, Higher Colleges of Technology and the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi, in addition to members of the working community from the UAE Air Force, UAE Army and Gulf Aircraft Maintenance Company (GAMCO) and other concerned UAE nationals.

One of the volunteers, Shamsa Dhaen, born in Trinidad and married to a UAE national said: "I take this as an honour to be able to give back some of what the Emirates has thought me through out the 17 years that I have lived here. Coming from a multi cultural background, I believe that I am able to enlighten others, not only from an Emirati point of view but from once an outsider and now a Muslim enabling me to transport my own experiences to others and give better insights to the culture, customs, religion and people of the UAE."

-Ends-

Editors Notes:
About Ibn Battuta Mall
Ibn Battuta Mall is located adjacent to Sheikh Zayed Road between Interchanges 5 and 6. The Mall combines retail, entertainment, restaurant and family activities all within a uniquely themed environment. The inspiration for the theme of Ibn Battuta Mall is the travels of the legendary Arab explorer Ibn Battuta. The unique design of the shopping mall and separately themed courts are based on his travels through Asia and the Middle East. Each of the six courts is themed on a country and a shopping zone to reflect Ibn Battuta's travels through Andalusia, Tunisia, Egypt, Persia, India and China. The spacious Mall, covering an area of 3.1 million square feet, offers a charming mix of shopping outlets, specialty shops, restaurants, a hypermarket and a cinema Megaplex featuring the UAE's first IMAX theatre. Parking space has been allocated for more than 5,000 cars, taking the total site space up to 5.4 million square feet.

About Istithmar
Established in 2003, Istithmar was created with the key mission of earning exceptional returns for its investors while maintaining due regard for risk. Established with an initial investment capital pool of $2 billion, Istithmar has, to date, invested in 30 companies deploying approximately USD 1.5 billion in equity capital. It currently focuses its activities in four industry verticals - Consumer, Financial Services, Industrial and Real Estate. Istithmar will enhance its own existing capital pool of $2 billion through partnerships with world-class corporations and other leading providers of capital, the creation of investment funds and leverage.

About the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding is a non-profit community service organisation, which aims to serve as a catalyst for communication and cultural exchange in order to create cohesiveness, alleviate misunderstanding and narrow the gaps between expatriates and UAE Nationals, through a professionally structured approach. Please visit the organisation's website at www.cultures.ae.

Press Contact:  
Camilla d'Abo - d'Events                                                                
Tel: +9714 331 1104           
Fax: +9714 331 6612          
Email: camilla@deventsme.com 

© Press Release 2006