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Government praised for rapid DMC progress

Dr Hassah Abdullah Al Oteibiah, wife of the UAE Permanent Representative to the UN who headed the delegation, said that the tour was part of a week-long visit to the UAE following an invitation from Her Highness Shaikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Wife of the President and Chairperson of the UAE Women's Federation.

The group arrived in the country on March 4 and is scheduled to leave for the US tomorrow.

Hunaina Al Mughairy, wife of Oman's Permanent Representative to the UN, said: "Dubai Media City is very impressive with its state-of-the-art technology."

"The UAE is like my second home as it is right next door to Oman. I would like to thank Shaikha Fatima for her generosity for having given not only myself but the others to see this part of the region and see the progress that women have made. The visit is not only timely but also an eye-opener. They will come back and be our ambassadors to the world. They're coming from different parts of the world and very few of them have any knowledge about what the Arab woman, her culture and religion is all about," she told f+iKhaleej Timesf-i.

Lady Anne Greenstock, wife of the British Permanent Representative to the UN, reminised her earlier stay in Dubai where her husband was posted druing 1972-74.

"I must say that I had a happy two-year stay. I was completely amazed at Dubai's rapid development when we came back to Dubai in 1985 for a conference. Now I'm back in Dubai in the Dubai Media City which could be another planet. But certain things haven't changed - the welcome, the warmth and their old traditions," she said.

She lauded Shaikha Fatima's involvement in various programmes for women. "If not for her interest, a lot would not have occurred such as the literacy programmes, the Internet access provided by the Cultural Foundation and other programmes," she added.

Meanwhile, the delegation was received by American University in Sharjah (AUS) Chancellor Dr Winfred Thompson, Assistant to Chancellor for Public Affairs Salem Yousef Al Qaseer and Dr Moza Al Shehhi, Dean of Student Affairs, during their tour of the campus.

The team hailed the efforts of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah and President of AUS, for his efforts in promoting the educational process in the country.

The other members of the delegation include Chantal Belinga Eboutou from Cameroon, Diallo Zalikatou from New Guinea, Heeun Ryan from Ireland, Sabeeha Abu Al Hassan from Kuwait, Manipreet Konjul from Mauritius, Martha Ketchum Aguilar from Mexico, Anne Markey Mahbubani from Singapore, Nawal Wabeh Batinianeh from Syria and Safiya Buallay from Bahrain.

They also visited the Sharjah Women's Club in addition to a number of historical landmarks in Dubai. They are scheduled to visit Al Ain University and Jebel Hafit today.

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