Abu Dhabi Sports Council has announced the addition of another top athlete to the elite category to join the exceptional line-up of world-class athletes in the third edition of the Abu Dhabi Marathon.
With a personal best time of 2.02.57, Kenyan-born Titus Ekiru, is currently ranked as the world’s fifth best in the men’s marathon history. His career highlights include first place in the 2021 Milano Marathon, 2019 Honolulu Marathon, 2018 Mexico City Marathon and 2017 Seville Marathon.
The upcoming Bronze Label race will see eight additional elite athletes vying for the top spot at the ADNOC Abu Dhabi Marathon. The line-up includes some of the world’s top-ranking athletes such as Reuben Kiprop Kipyego, Abel Kirui, Barnabas Kiptum, Philemon Rono, Eunice Chumba, Betelhem Moges, Vivian Kiplagat and Alemu Megertu.
Leading up to the race, from November 22-25, a race village will be hosted at the ADNOC HQ Campus, welcoming participants and supporters with photo opportunities, family entertainment and a dedicated race pack collection area. The race is open from six to 70-year-olds and runners of all fitness levels.
World’s fastest man of 2021 set for Abu Dhabi Marathon
Are African teams ready for Qatar 2022 even as preparations near end?
Africa’s talents in football have been amazing in recent months and years. The likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, and even Andrew Ayew of Qatar’s side Al-Sadd have been playing fantastic football.
Africanews met with former coach Bora” Milutinović who is a Serbian retired professional football manager and former player who managed Nigeria’s Super Eagle in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
He attributed the African talents saying that Africa has had great players like the former Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o.
“If there is that one continent where we have immense talent, then Africa is the one. We have a lot of talents from Africa. The other day I just saw Eto’o here. He played well for Cameroon. We also have others who play in France like for instance Keita who is very extraordinary,” Bora said.
He added, “They just have to be patient, control their emotions and anything can be possible. There are many African players but they have to look into their future and plan well. They must also be very conscious. This begins with education right from their families, school and football clubs. So there are a lot of preparations at stake.”
The former Indomitable Lions striker Samuel Eto’o has expressed hope that the African team and players would win big at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup which is expected to take place in Qatar between November 21 and December 18, 2022.
In an exclusive interview with African news’ Michael Oduor, the Qatar Legacy ambassador said that a team like Cameroon, which will host the CAF 2022 games, stands a better chance of lifting Africa’s top prize.
“There isn’t a bad team. I hope that the Cameroonian team will win this Cup (CAF 2022) because we will play at home before our own fans and I hope that we will win this. I know it will not be easy but it is possible,” Eto’o said.
Is Qatar ready?
22nd November 2022 will be the due date for the Qatar FIFA World Cup, the first in the Middle East. Many are asking is: is Qatar ready?
The Qatari government has sped up the construction of various amenities including stadiums with six already completed.
As the FIFA 2022 World cup draws closer, preparations are also near complete in Qatar who are the host of the tournament.
A total of eight stadiums will be used for the competition come November 22, 2022.
The latest stadium to be inaugurated is the Al-Thumama, located 12 kilometers south of central Doha and inspired by an Islamic Gahfiya cap, will seat 40,000 fans in the Gulf nation.
Preparations are almost complete according to the Qatar Supreme Committee.
“I am happy to actually share that we are right on schedule. We have more than 98 percent completion of our stadium. Today we’ll be announcing the six-ready FIFA World Cup venue, which is a mammoth stadium that will be hosting the Arab cup by the end of this year. We will be having all of our stadium completed, which is actually the first time stadiums have been completed one year in advance,” said Fatma Al-Nuaimi, the Communications Executive Director at Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.
The Al-Thumama Stadium was inaugurated by Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani when it hosted Qatar’s Amir Cup final, the first official match on this FIFA World Cup stadium.
The 40,000-capacity stadium follows Khalifa International, Al Janoub, Education City, Ahmad Bin Ali, and Al Bayt in being declared ready to host the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world.
The Al-Thumama Stadium will also be a prominent host of the 2021 Arab Cup from November, and FIFA World Cup with up to six matches, including the semi-finals, to be played there at the end of 2022.
The stadium design is inspired by the ‘gahfiya’ the traditional Qatari head cap.
A total of 1.5 million football fans are expected to visit Qatar during the FIFA World Cup 2022
Upon completion of all stadiums and other amenities, Qatar is expected to use an accumulative US$6.5bn in hosting Asia’s first World Cup.
Qatar has proven enough that they are ready to host the next FIFA World Cup. It’s now a matter of time and also as a matter of passion before we have this tournament in Qatar.
(africanews)
Century-long endeavors open up the right path to the future
The 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) convened its sixth plenary session in Beijing from November 8th to 11th, 2021. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also the General Secretary of the Central Committee, attended the session and delivered an important speech. The plenum was convened in a year of significance, which marked the 100th Anniversary of the CPC’s founding and when China embarked on the journey toward realizing its second centenary goal. It was a milestone meeting to review experiences of the past and draw blueprints for the future, which attracted much attention worldwide.
At the session, the Central Committee fully affirmed the historic achievements scored since the Party’s 18th National Congress, and considered and adopted the Resolution on the Major Achievements and Historical Experience of the Party over the Past Century, which is the CPC’s third resolution in its century-long history. The epic journey of determined explorations and unremitting endeavors by the CPC over the past 100 years is well-captured by this landmark Resolution of more than 30,000 words. The Resolution is an epoch-making Marxist guideline document that takes stock of the major achievements and historical experiences in the century-long endeavors, and speaks volumes of the CPC’s strong sense of mission and self-confidence as the world’s largest governing party celebrating its centenary.
The CPC’s role is central to running China’s affairs well
In the past 100 years, the Party has led hundreds of millions of Chinese people into taking the road barely travelled and blazing a new trail where China has stood up, grown prosperous and is now becoming strong, and has transformed from once catching up with the times to now setting the pace on all fronts. Such irrefutable facts have made it clear that “ Only socialism can save China, and only by upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics can China’s national rejuvenation be realized”.
The Resolution recounts the Party’s lofty cause of pursuing happiness for the people, rejuvenation for the nation and common good of the world; explains with historical contexts, under theoretic frameworks and in practical terms the reasons behind the success of the CPC, Marxism and socialism with Chinese characteristics; and reveals the key to success of the CPC from Day One all the way to the future. It should be noted that the Resolution, with a particular focus on the historic achievements and shifts as well as relevant experiences in the new era, will have a powerful and far-reaching impact on the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and become a political declaration and guidance of action for CPC members in the new era.
The leadership core is vital to a country and a party
Since the year 2012, the CPC Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core has successfully led China and its people into scoring coordinated economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological progress; implementing the four-pronged comprehensive strategy in a balanced way to finish building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, deepen reform, advance law-based governance, and exercise full and strict governance over the Party. The CPC developed and then put into implementation the new development philosophy featuring innovative, coordinated, green and open development for the benefits of all, and has been fostering a new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other. The Party has promoted modernization of China’s system and capacity for governance, delivered a more fulfilling, happy and secure life for the people, and prompted historic achievements and shifts in the cause of the Party and the country, setting the Chinese nation on an unstoppable journey toward great rejuvenation.
It is General Secretary Xi Jinping that has presided over the governance of the Party, the country and the military with resolve and courage, laid out the overarching plan for reform, development and stability with perspective and vision, rightly pointed out the parallel imperative of development and security with the foresight of a strategic thinker, and delivered on the motto of putting people first with deep care. It is General Secretary Xi that has established the Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, led the Party members and Chinese people into opening up a new era for socialism with Chinese characteristics, and been wholeheartedly supported by the whole of Party, country and military and highly commended by the international community.
The Resolution explicitly reaffirms General Secretary Xi’s core position on the Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. This reflects the common will of the Party, the armed forces, and the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, and is of decisive significance for advancing the interests and cause of the Party and the country in the new era for lasting stability and prosperity.
The key to the Party’s success lies in ten aspects
A political party is empowered by truth only when it has a scientific theory. Over the past century, the CPC has led the people in great endeavors of making breakthroughs, rising up to challenges and going from victories to victories, and accumulated valuable historical experience along the way.
The Resolution draws lessons from history and points the way forward. The century-long experience boils down to ten points: upholding the Party’s leadership, putting people first, advancing theoretical innovation, staying independent, following the Chinese path, maintaining a global vision, breaking new ground, standing up for ourselves, promoting the united front, and remaining committed to self-reform. The ten points are closely connected and mutually reinforcing, which provide fundamental guarantee for the continued success in all undertakings of the Party and the people, pave the way for the Party to maintain its advanced nature and purity as a pioneering force in all times, and is set to serve as guidelines for the CPC in steering the future of China.
Whole-process people’s democracy is the advanced Chinese model of democracy
Democracy is a shared value of humanity. The CPC has always been committed to the development of socialist democracy. Countries vary in history, culture, social system and stage of development. China firmly opposes the use of a single yardstick by some countries to measure the world’s various political systems and democratic models, which deprives other countries of the right and freedom to explore their own democratic paths.
The vision of whole-process people’s democracy was put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping in the context of developing China’s democracy. It has been written into the Resolution, which will be fully reflected in the development of institutions, standards, and procedures of democracy on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics. It is evident that the whole-process people’s democracy, which fits into China’s national conditions and effectively addresses pressing issues, is an advanced model of democracy with full chain, comprehensive coverage and representation. It is results-oriented democracy that is most broad-based, genuine and effective. It is true people’s democracy in its form and substance, and is warmly received by the Chinese people.
History contains not only wisdom from the past, but also knowledge into the future. The century-long history of CPC is a history of unflagging endeavors, theoretic explorations and party-building. The great achievements are inspiring; the valuable experience should be cherished; and the historic mission is the source of motivation. From a new starting point, under the strong leadership of Central Committee with General Secretary Xi Jinping at its core, the CPC, in keeping with its founding aspirations and path, is striving to break new ground in the development of socialism with Chinese characteristics and lead the Chinese people into scaling new heights on the journey toward the great national rejuvenation.
China and Ethiopia are Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partners with extensive bilateral cooperation. China stands ready to keep deepening inter-party cooperation with Ethiopia and promote experience-sharing and mutual-learning on governance in a win-win spirit. China will continue to hold high the banner of peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefits, keep to the purpose of its foreign policy for maintaining world peace and promoting common development, and build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation. China will work together with Ethiopia and other developing countries to tackle risks and challenges and contribute to the noble cause of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Zhao Zhiyuan is Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China To the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
Conexao 2.0
The show Conexao 2.0, a Multidisciplinary Performative Installation was held at the Alliance Ethio-française (AEF) on Thursday November 18th.
The CONEXÃO project was born from the observation of the slow rhythm of nature, where urgency is the exception and slowness the norm, while the opposite is observed in the urban space.
The CONEXÃO project first presented its performance in markets and public spaces in Maputo, Mozambique, while recording the reactions of the public and the environment to the performance’s proposal, namely the reduction of rhythm and the female presence.
The goals were to bring the performance to a public that does not necessarily have access to Contemporary Dance and on the other hand to produce a piece of art based on the relationships and interactions that arise around the piece.
With the images, sounds and reflections captured throughout the PROJECTO CONEXÃO, the installation CONEXÃO 2.0 was created with 7 multidisciplinary stations that reflect the experiences and interactions lived in the greater Maputo. The installation adapts to the location where it is presented.
The public wanders in the installation, realizing through a poetic walk what happened in Maputo, and finally lives its own experience of the performance within the installatio
n CONEXÃO 2.0.
The show lasted about an hour, during which the audience was going from one station to another, watching the videos and pictures and reading the quotes, and ended with the performance of Rosa Mario, with a contemporary dance performance.
Conexao 2.0 will be performed in Maputo, Mozambique then in Luanda, Angola, in the next coming weeks. The tour is supported by several partners, including the Institut Français in Paris.
The AEF welcomes around 560 students until the Christmas holidays and offers a cultural program each week including exhibitions and cinema sessions.
