The Year of Tolerance and Qasr Al Watan - Middle East Business News and Information
Former president of the United Arab Emirates, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, declared 2019 to be the Year of Tolerance in the UAE . The UAE government champions coexistence among different faiths and nations, and by declaring 2019 as the year of tolerance , the country highlighted its openness to other cultures.
In February of that year, His Holiness Pope Francis visited the country upon the invitation of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. This marked a significant milestone in the relationship between the Muslim and Catholic churches. A month later, in March, the Palace of the Nation, Qasr Al Watan, started welcoming visitors . Qasr Al Watan was completed and has commenced its official function as the presidential working palace in 2017, but it was closed to the public until the Year of Tolerance, 2019.
To further honor the UAE's declared commitment to maintaining harmonious interfaith relations, Qasr Al Watan created a special exhibit. Specifically, the House of Knowledge displayed these three holy books together : The Holy Quran
The Holy Bible
The Book of David's Psalms About Qasr Al Watan
Qasr Al Watan is a grandiose all-white palace set by the Arabian Gulf at the western edge of Abu Dhabi Island. It was constructed primarily to serve as the presidential complex, but it has since evolved into an awe-inspiring tribute to the UAE culture .
It's true that Qasr Al Watan is an architectural masterpiece. The pristine white façade that gleams in the sunlight, the domes shot with delicate gold patterns, the book-matched marble walls and floors, and the glimmering crystal chandeliers—they are all irresistibly lovely. However, Qasr Al Watan is, first and foremost, a center for learning. Notable Qasr Al Watan Zones
Qasr Al Watan's publicly accessible areas are divided into several zones. The zones include the following: 1. The Great Hall
The Great Hall is the heart of Qasr Al Watan. Spanning 100 square meters (1,076 square feet), it is the palace's largest and most elaborate hall , and its vastness and opulence are what will greet you when you first go through the palace's gigantic doors.
The Great Hall will immediately immerse you in its grandeur. Every piece of marble and gilding is flawless, and all surfaces, columns, arches, floors, and ceilings are adorned with intricate Arabic and Islamic patterns . They're extraordinary but never overwhelming, as they all seamlessly blend into a harmonious design.
Look for the mirrored cubes stationed in the four corners of the Hall. Go inside and look at the patterns on the walls, floors, and ceilings with fresh eyes. The cubes act as a filter and provide unique perspectives on the Hall's motifs.
While at the Great Hall, proceed to the center and look up. The central dome is a masterpiece. It has a diameter of 37 meters (121 feet) and soars 60 meters (197 feet) from the ground. 2. The Spirit of Collaboration
Step into the Spirit of Collaboration, where influential political and administrative leaders gather to dictate UAE and regional policy. This circular chamber serves as the official meeting place for the UAE's Federal Supreme Council, as well as summits of the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The hall's most striking feature is the domed ceiling , adorned with gold-leaf designs and a massive 350,000-crystal chandelier. 3. Qasr Al Watan Library
Qasr Al Watan Library is one of the most impressive public libraries in Abu Dhabi, so make sure to visit it during your tour of Qasr Al Watan. At the entryway, a pair of towering bookshelves will greet you. They extend multiple stories to frame the vast, 12-wing hall.
Qasr Al Watan Library has more than 50,000 Arabic and English books in print; it has more in digital editions. There is a dedicated room for the library's rare books; there are approximately 2,000 volumes in this collection.
The library is managed by the Department of Culture and Tourism . If you have a DCT Abu Dhabi library card, you can even borrow books to take home. 4. The House of Knowledge
The House of Knowledge houses permanent exhibits of artifacts that represent the Arab world's rich intellectual heritage. It holds a compendium of the Arabs' major contributions to global knowledge and scholarship. Displayed are works by renowned Arab scholars, ancient medical texts, astronomical instruments, and beautifully preserved Arabic calligraphy and cartography.
Note: By the way, outside the House of Knowledge is a golden, spherical Arabic calligraphy sculpture created by Mattar Bin Lahej. It's his artistic interpretation of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan's words, particularly the one about wealth not being money or oil but people. Journey Into the Palace
Qasr Al Watan is a palace complex that houses the offices of the UAE president. In 2019, it started welcoming visitors to coincide with the Year of Tolerance in the UAE.
It's a beautiful and majestic place, certainly, but its greatest value lies in the valuable insight it provides into Arab artistry, craftsmanship, and scholarship.
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Mid East Info
8 hours ago
- Mid East Info
The Year of Tolerance and Qasr Al Watan - Middle East Business News and Information
Former president of the United Arab Emirates, H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, declared 2019 to be the Year of Tolerance in the UAE . The UAE government champions coexistence among different faiths and nations, and by declaring 2019 as the year of tolerance , the country highlighted its openness to other cultures. In February of that year, His Holiness Pope Francis visited the country upon the invitation of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. This marked a significant milestone in the relationship between the Muslim and Catholic churches. A month later, in March, the Palace of the Nation, Qasr Al Watan, started welcoming visitors . Qasr Al Watan was completed and has commenced its official function as the presidential working palace in 2017, but it was closed to the public until the Year of Tolerance, 2019. To further honor the UAE's declared commitment to maintaining harmonious interfaith relations, Qasr Al Watan created a special exhibit. Specifically, the House of Knowledge displayed these three holy books together : The Holy Quran The Holy Bible The Book of David's Psalms About Qasr Al Watan Qasr Al Watan is a grandiose all-white palace set by the Arabian Gulf at the western edge of Abu Dhabi Island. It was constructed primarily to serve as the presidential complex, but it has since evolved into an awe-inspiring tribute to the UAE culture . It's true that Qasr Al Watan is an architectural masterpiece. The pristine white façade that gleams in the sunlight, the domes shot with delicate gold patterns, the book-matched marble walls and floors, and the glimmering crystal chandeliers—they are all irresistibly lovely. However, Qasr Al Watan is, first and foremost, a center for learning. Notable Qasr Al Watan Zones Qasr Al Watan's publicly accessible areas are divided into several zones. The zones include the following: 1. The Great Hall The Great Hall is the heart of Qasr Al Watan. Spanning 100 square meters (1,076 square feet), it is the palace's largest and most elaborate hall , and its vastness and opulence are what will greet you when you first go through the palace's gigantic doors. The Great Hall will immediately immerse you in its grandeur. Every piece of marble and gilding is flawless, and all surfaces, columns, arches, floors, and ceilings are adorned with intricate Arabic and Islamic patterns . They're extraordinary but never overwhelming, as they all seamlessly blend into a harmonious design. Look for the mirrored cubes stationed in the four corners of the Hall. Go inside and look at the patterns on the walls, floors, and ceilings with fresh eyes. The cubes act as a filter and provide unique perspectives on the Hall's motifs. While at the Great Hall, proceed to the center and look up. The central dome is a masterpiece. It has a diameter of 37 meters (121 feet) and soars 60 meters (197 feet) from the ground. 2. The Spirit of Collaboration Step into the Spirit of Collaboration, where influential political and administrative leaders gather to dictate UAE and regional policy. This circular chamber serves as the official meeting place for the UAE's Federal Supreme Council, as well as summits of the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The hall's most striking feature is the domed ceiling , adorned with gold-leaf designs and a massive 350,000-crystal chandelier. 3. Qasr Al Watan Library Qasr Al Watan Library is one of the most impressive public libraries in Abu Dhabi, so make sure to visit it during your tour of Qasr Al Watan. At the entryway, a pair of towering bookshelves will greet you. They extend multiple stories to frame the vast, 12-wing hall. Qasr Al Watan Library has more than 50,000 Arabic and English books in print; it has more in digital editions. There is a dedicated room for the library's rare books; there are approximately 2,000 volumes in this collection. The library is managed by the Department of Culture and Tourism . If you have a DCT Abu Dhabi library card, you can even borrow books to take home. 4. The House of Knowledge The House of Knowledge houses permanent exhibits of artifacts that represent the Arab world's rich intellectual heritage. It holds a compendium of the Arabs' major contributions to global knowledge and scholarship. Displayed are works by renowned Arab scholars, ancient medical texts, astronomical instruments, and beautifully preserved Arabic calligraphy and cartography. Note: By the way, outside the House of Knowledge is a golden, spherical Arabic calligraphy sculpture created by Mattar Bin Lahej. It's his artistic interpretation of Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan's words, particularly the one about wealth not being money or oil but people. Journey Into the Palace Qasr Al Watan is a palace complex that houses the offices of the UAE president. In 2019, it started welcoming visitors to coincide with the Year of Tolerance in the UAE. It's a beautiful and majestic place, certainly, but its greatest value lies in the valuable insight it provides into Arab artistry, craftsmanship, and scholarship.
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12 hours ago
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House approves tax exemptions for UAE sovereign fund
To pave the way for more Emirati investments and secure the capital return on those already made in Egypt, the House of Representatives approved on Sunday a supplementary protocol to the Egyptian-United Arab Emirates tax agreement, granting the Emirati sovereign wealth fund a tax exemption in Egypt. The annex, issued by presidential decree earlier this year, recognizes Egypt's Sovereign Fund and UAE's Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company (ADQ) as 'government institutions' and consequently allows both funds to benefit 'from the tax exemptions stipulated in the agreement.' Upon their approved recognition in the agreement as government bodies, both funds are subject to Article 24, which grants tax exemptions on income generated by the government as well as its affiliated bodies, according to a joint report issued by the House planning and budgeting and Arab affairs committees and reviewed by Mada Masr. The agreement with the UAE, aimed at enhancing investment and trade relations between both countries, was initially approved by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in November 2019, under the Presidential Decree 558 of 2020. Emirati investments are crucial for Egypt at a time when the country's economy is deeply affected by Israel's aggression on Gaza and more recent attacks on Iran. Last year alone, ADQ, the Gulf country's largest sovereign fund, invested US$35 billion through the Ras al-Hikma development project in the North Coast. Half of the mega deal's proceeds were allocated at the time to easing the country's growing public debt. ADQ also acquired stakes in three state-owned petroleum companies for $800 million in November last year. Under Article 24's second section, the term 'government' includes 'the government, its agencies and institutions […] as well as any other institution or body mutually agreed upon from time to time by the governments of the two contracting states.' In the past, Egypt signed 60 similar agreements with other countries, some dating as far back as the 1970s, a Finance Ministry official told Mada Masr on condition of anonymity. These agreements are periodically reviewed and re-negotiated by both parties, the official said. When amendments are limited to one or two provisions, they said, they are issued in the form of a protocol and appended to the original agreement. In this case, the protocol was necessary because the original tax agreement was finalized in 2017, before either the Egyptian or Emirati sovereign wealth funds were established. Agreements to avoid double taxation typically require that the benefitting entities be explicitly named. According to the official, the supplementary protocol was added after it became clear during ADQ's financial dealings that the fund was not listed among the beneficiaries of the agreement, as it had not been named or specified in the original text. The exemptions outlined in Article 24 include taxes on three types of income: dividends, capital gain, and interest, a source in the House Planning and Budgeting Committee told Mada Masr. The interest exemption applies to all forms of government lending instruments, such as bonds, sukuks and deposits, among others. Upon the maturity of the financial instrument, the lender or investor receives the principal amount along with interest — or what is considered profit — from which the Finance Ministry deducts a 20 percent tax, as stipulated in the Income Tax Law, which applies to both Egyptians and non-Egyptians. While the government continues to offer incentives, including tax exemptions, to encourage Emirati investment in the domestic economy, it has been less forthcoming with other international entities. In November 2023, Euroclear, a platform for settling securities transactions that Egypt had hoped to join, requested a tax exemption on treasury bills and bonds as a condition for granting access to the government's debt market. The Egyptian government has yet to respond to the request.
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16 hours ago
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House of Representatives' Housing Committee approves new 'old rent' law
The House of Representatives' Housing Committee approved in principle on Tuesday the newest draft for the old rent law submitted by the government. At the beginning of the House's plenary session, House Speaker Hanafi al-Gebaly referred a draft law submitted by the government on certain provisions related to rental laws and the reorganization of the relationship between landlords and tenants. This law replaces the previous draft law submitted by the government to the House of Representatives on April 28 regarding certain provisions related to rental laws. The referral was made to a joint committee of the Housing, Public Utilities, and Construction Committee and the offices of the Local Administration and Constitutional and Legislative Affairs committees to discuss the articles of the draft law and report upon it. It relied on the latest version submitted by the government to the House of Representatives on June 16, which included the major features and new legislative proposals to regulate the relationship between landlords and tenants. New draft law The draft law stipulates an appropriate transitional period before terminating old lease contracts. This period is seven years for premises rented for residential purposes, and five years for premises rented to natural persons for non-residential purposes. Tenants are required to vacate the leased premises and return them to the landlord once the transitional period is done. The law explicitly stipulates the abolition of all old lease laws after the end of this transitional period. The law stipulates that after the end of the transitional period, old lease contracts shall be terminated and the rental relationship shall be freed up, such that all lease contracts shall become subject to the provisions of the Civil Code, subject to the mutual consent of both parties. The draft law also stipulates increasing the legal rental value of places rented for residential purposes in distinguished areas by twenty times the current legal rental value, with a minimum amount of LE 1,000, and by ten times the current rental value of units located in medium and economic areas, with a minimum amount of LE 400 in medium areas, and LE 250 for units located in economic areas. It also stipulates increasing the legal rental value of places rented to naturalized persons for purposes other than residential purposes by five times the current rental value, and increasing the rental value of places rented for residential and non-residential purposes during the transitional period periodically annually by 15 percent. According to the law, inventory committees will be formed within the scope of each governorate, specializing in dividing the areas containing premises rented for residential purposes subject to the provisions of this law into distinguished, medium, and economic areas, and determining the rental value due based on this classification, provided that these committees complete their work within three months from the date of the law's entry into force. Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
