H.E. Mohammad Ahmad Al Bowardi’s Visit Celebrates Successful Photography Tour
Abu Dhabi, 5 July 2009 – His Excellency Mohammad Ahmad Al Bowardi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council, joined the Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi this week to celebrate the successful completion of the ‘Abu Dhabi Though Your Eyes’ touring exhibition, and to mark the half way stage of the prestigious photography competition. The ‘Abu Dhabi Through Your Eyes’ photography competition is under the patronage of His Highness General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces. It invites citizens and residents of the UAE to capture the sprit and essence of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on camera.
His Excellency toured the final venue of the exhibition in the Souk at Qaryat El Beri. As a keen photographer himself, he praised the images displayed and is looking forward to seeing the 2009 winning images. This year’s competition closes on 31 October and everyone is encouraged to participate.
During his visit, Mr Al Bowardi thanked the volunteers who have supported the tour by explaining the exhibition’s images to visitors and capturing their feedback, and by raising awareness of the mandate of the Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi.
Mr. Al Bowardi also recognized the support of the participating venues for hosting the touring exhibition in the Emirate which included Abu Dhabi Mall, AlWahda Mall, Al Jimi Mall, Al Ain Mall and the Souk at Qaryat El Beri.
From her side, Her Excellency Reem Al Shemari, General Manager of the Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi, said: “The great attendance at all the exhibition venues and the positive response we received from the public is a milestone proving the successful completion of the tour. The objective of the competition is to connect people with the Abu Dhabi Brand and we encourage everyone to enter the competition and show us Abu Dhabi through their eyes.”
Her Excellency added: “The volunteers’ participation, support and contribution to the success of this exhibition by their effective engagement with the public is highly appreciated by us. We are confident that the skills they have developed through their useful participation in the exhibition will be reflected in their future careers”.
This sentiment was reaffirmed by Amer Khazi Al Mahri, a 23 year old volunteer: “I have significantly improved my presentation and communications skills from this experience. Through my engagement in conversations with the visitors, I got to see Abu Dhabi through the eyes of its people. This makes me feel very proud to have participated in a project that supports Abu Dhabi”.
The Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi is staging Abu Dhabi’s premier photography competition for its second year, inviting citizens and residents of Abu Dhabi, amateurs and professionals alike to submit unpublished photographs that capture the spirit of the Emirate. Competition forms can be obtained online at www.brand.abudhabi.ae.
Ten finalists will be selected by a judging panel which will choose the winning images based on subject relevance, technique, quality and composition.
With four more months to go before the closing deadline of the ‘Abu Dhabi Through Your Eyes 2009’ competition, visitors to the OBAD website can still see the 2008 winning images for inspiration. Last year, the competition attracted over 2,000 entries from 55 nationalities. With an ongoing marketing campaign during the summer the Office of the Brand hope to attract a larger number of entries in this year’s competition.
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About The Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi (OBAD)
OBAD is a government entity, established by the Executive Council resolution number 48 in 2007. OBAD is responsible for delivering a compelling and consistent brand for Abu Dhabi which embraces the Emirate’s vision for the future and respects the culture, heritage and traditions of its past. OBAD acts as the guardian and patron of the brand, providing guidance to the public and private sectors on its application in all activities that may have an impact on the reputation of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi - from tourism, to inward investment to the service industry.
For more information visit our website www.brand.abudhabi.ae.
For editorial enquiries please contact:
Khalid J Al Falasi
Communications Manager
The Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi
Dir: +971 2 616 1469
khalid.alfalasi@eaa.gov.ae
Hessa Al Hameli
Communications Officer
The Office of the Brand of Abu Dhabi
Dir: +971 2 616 0215
Hessa.alhameli@eaa.gov.ae