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Conference Location: Abu Dhabi, The United Arab Emirates
Welcome to Abu Dhabi and the 2009 INQAAHE Conference.
Abu Dhabi is home to a diverse population of over a million residents and provides a unique combination of vibrant city life and traditional culture.
Explore the emirates's old souqs, sip a fragrant Arabic coffee,
ride the dunes on a desert safari, or dive into dazzling marine life - there is something for everyone in Abu Dhabi.
Some Background Facts
- Abu Dhabi, means "Father of the Gazelle" and it is believed the name originated from the large number of gazelles
and oryx that inhabited the Emirate's arid deserts.
- Abu Dhabi is famous for its year-round sunshine, pristine beaches, spectacular sand dunes and pulsating cosmopolitan lifestyle.
- Abu Dhabi is known around the world for its massive oil reserves and majestic mosques with towering minarets.
These, combined with the distinct Arabic hospitality and mystique - and world-class infrastructure -
make Abu Dhabi an excellent destination both for the experienced and novice traveler.
- Abu Dhabi city is a showcase for business and leisure facilities ranging from state-of-the-art convention centers, luxurious hotels,
spas, designer golf courses, theatres and very soon, some of the world's famous museums, particularly the Guggenheim and Louvre.
The palatial shopping malls and indigenous souqs in Abu Dhabi make for a great shopping experience, offering the best handicrafts
from local Bedouins to the latest designer fashions from Paris or Milan. Visit Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi Mall, Khalidiya Mall, Al Wahda Maill as well as
the Madinat Zayed Gold Souq. Souvenirs and traditional artifacts can be found at the Irani Souq at Al Meena Road.
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Abu Dhabi's restaurants and cafes reflect every taste and culture under the sun, with a veritable feast of cuisines from around the world.
From fine dining to fast food, Asian to Italian, sushi to biryani, and every nationality and culture in between, visitors to the emirate will find
dining experiences and culinary adventures to satisfy every taste. To get a real taste of the authentic Emirati cuisine and the famous
Lebanese mezzah and grills, we recommend you to visit one of the following restaurants - Shamyat, Al Mawal, Al Safina Dhow Restaurant
(anchored along the Breakwater).
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Abu Dhabi is rightly called the "Island City" of the United Arab Emirates and enjoys an extensive coastline. Many hotels have their own beach
clubs and can arrange snorkeling and scuba diving trips along the Gulf Coast. A new public beach on the Corniche, just minutes from the city
center, provides excellent opportunities for swimming, and - just a short boat trip from the Abu Dhabi Heritage Center - is Lulu Island with its
miles of safe, clean beaches and crystal clear waters.
Why UAE and Abu Dhabi
The United Arab Emirates is a rapidly diversifying society that has successfully integrated its core Islamic values into its ambitions economic agenda. The economic
prosperity, coupled with a liberal business and social environment, provides exciting job opportunities to people from around the globe.
Located at the heart of the Middle East, the UAE, comprising seven emirates, is known for its booming trade and tourism industry and has one of the
fastest growing economies in the world.
The country's total land area is about 83,600 square kilometers, of which
over 80% is occupied by the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The Emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai comprise over two-thirds (67%) of the
country's total population. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, is the seat of federal government, and base for some of the world's
biggest oil-producing companies. Neighboring Dubai, is considered the country's commercial capital, hosting numerous
blue-chip companies that have set up their regional headquarters there over the years. Sharjah is acknowledged as the country's
cultural capital with its numerous museums and heritage sites. Ajman, which lies next to Sharjah, is the smallest emirate in terms
of geographical territory, while Umm Al Quwain is situated between Sharjah to the southeast and Ras Al Khaimah to the northeast, along
the coast of the Arabian Gulf. Unlike the other emirates, Fujairah is nestled within rough mountains (Hajar) and a 90 kilometer coastline on the
Gulf of Oman.
The Story of Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is a fine example of how well an indigenous community which survived an adverse environment for thousands of years
by observing a strict tribal code, could absorb tremendous change of lifestyle and produce the best of two worlds within decades.
Today, the indigenous values, heritage and culture which were redefined by the adoption of Islam over the past millennium or so,
continue to thrive within the more liberal and cosmopolitan lifestyle that characterizes modern Abu Dhabi.
Despite the limitations of a mainly desert environment and a semi-nomadic lifestyle that prevailed up to the 20th Century,
Abu Dhabi has a rich past evidenced by scores of restored mud fortresses across the Emirate and remains of an
underground irrigation system in the garden city and oasis of Al Ain, which has been continuously inhabited for more than 4,000 years.
Abu Dhabi's cultural life is rooted in a long tradition of literary work, horseback riding, falconry, traditional artwork and the
cultural exchange brought about by trade routes. Abu Dhabi museums provide visitors with a glimpse of the emirate�s cultural life,
history and heritage. Today, culture and arts are witnessing a revival in the Emirate with many clubs and funds dedicated to their advancement.
Recent History
The various coastal towns, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, enjoyed a flourishing economy throughout the nineteenth century
and in the first decade of the 20th century, primarily due to a lucrative pearling industry in the region. The boom in the pearling industry,
however, was cut short when World War I broke out, and was further severely impaired by the economic depression that
followed in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The invention of cultured pearls by the Japanese proved to be the final straw that led to the
collapse of the industry, leaving the coastal towns of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah reeling from such loss.
The modern development of Abu Dhabi is largely due to Sheikh Zayed, the fourth son of the ruler of Abu Dhabi who
as the ruler�s representative in Al Ain set about turning the city into a model community in terms of agriculture, water supply and education.
Rudimentary oil exploration had been taking place in Abu Dhabi dating back to the 1930s.
At the time a consortium of Western oil companies operating in Iraq (under the name Iraq Petroleum Company) sought to explore
the lower gulf for oil and found a potential oilfield in Abu Dhabi. Concession agreements between the company and Abu Dhabi's
ruler were signed over a period of several years which culminated to the establishment of the first oil company in Abu Dhabi, called
�Petroleum Development�, in 1951. Eleven years later, the first export of crude oil from Abu Dhabi was underway.
In 1968, the British announced their planned withdrawal in three year�s time.
As soon as the prospect of being independent became apparent, Sheikh Zayed, who had succeeded his brother as ruler of Abu Dhabi in
1966, lost no time rallying rulers of the other emirates to form a strong federation and on December 2, 1971,
the United Arab Emirates was born.
Sheikh Zayed, who was subsequently elected as UAE president by his fellow rulers, utilized the state�s enormous oil-based income
to promote the welfare of his people through education and infrastructure development, and his 33 year-rule saw the state develop
at an unprecedented pace. From an ancestry of semi-nomadic people who depended on seafaring and pearling in the summer,
and date palm gardening during the winter, Abu Dhabi is now one of the world�s most thriving and sophisticated business
and holiday centers. And all this has been achieved in less than three quarters of a century.
Click here for more information on the UAE.
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