The 2009 programme is inspired by The Enlightenment, an unprecedented era of cultural advancement in the 18^th century which witnessed an outpouring of intellectual and scientific accomplishments. Gulf-based holidaymakers are expected to visit this unique festival in great numbers this summer, their traditional time for travelling to the United Kingdom.

“Gulf-based expats and Arabs alike feel a strong connection to Scotland, its people, and its culture.  Thus, the annual Edinburgh Festival welcomes them home in style and entertains them richly for days. It has become, for many, the ultimate alternative UK holiday,” says Carol Maddison, VisitBritain Marketing Manager, UAE.

The Edinburgh International Festival is regarded as the premier festival destination in the world. The rich variety of the Edinburgh International Festival programme encompasses the vibrancy of Edinburgh’s festivals which place Scotland at the forefront of cultural creativity and innovation.

This international festival has something to please everyone, from artists to philosophers, scientists and academics.

Some of the highlights of the 63^rd Edinburgh International Festival are listed below:

• -       The Enlightenment, A Festival of ideas. A series of talks and discussions with artist, philosophers, academics in partnership with the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Nature – the international weekly journal of science and the Wellcome Trust.
• -       The biennial visual arts programme under curator Juliana Engberg sees nine international artists respond to ideas behind the Festival programme in The Enlightenments, including seven new commissions.
• -       The British Council’s biennial Edinburgh Showcase with more than 30  productions ranging from young unknowns to established artists from the UK, and encompassing new writing, physical and visual theatre, live art and mixed-media installations
• -       World premiere of Scottish playwright Rona Munro’s The Last Witch, a Festival Commission co-produced with Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre and directed by Dominic Hill.
• -       World premiere of Italian composer Giorgio Battistelli’s Fair is foul, foul is fair, commissioned by the Festival for the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and made possible by Donald and Louise McDonald.

“The Edinburgh International Festival is indeed ideal for Cultural Exchange. For 12 years on from its inception, the British Council’s biennial Edinburgh Showcase has also been a great venue for intercultural dialogue. This year, the Showcase will stage more than 30 productions, and up to 250 international programmers, venue and festival directors from more than 50 countries, including the United Arab Emirates, will attend the Showcase in the middle of the world’s biggest Festival of performing arts,” commented Michel Bechara, Director of Projects, British Council, UAE.

“The Festival and the Showcase provide the best opportunity for Gulf-based Theatre and Culture promoters as well as for all travellers, to explore the rich diversity of the Scottish culture and heritage,” added Bechara.

Visitors can also make the most of all the cultural events taking place this year in Scotland. In celebration of Homecoming Scotland 2009, the country will thrive with cultural celebrations that focus on the 250^th anniversary of Robert Burns, Scotland’s national poet and an international cultural icon.

The closing celebrations will take place over St Andrew’s Day weekend in November and promise to be every bit as special as the launch.

What looks like a fairytale house from distance is far more than a feast for the eyes and senses. At the Choco Villa, you can also try Nestlé chocolate, and get some insight into the world of chocolate making.

Once in, you will be ushered into a chocolate decorated library, where you can watch a short documentary about the art of making chocolate among artistic pieces of books, and a table made out of NESTLÉ GOLD. There you can also check out historical photographs of NESTLÉ factories throughout the years.

After your visit to the library, you will be directed to the kitchen, where Chef Charbel Akiki will be demonstrating ways you can use NESTLÉ Sweetened Condensed Milk with NESTLÉ GOLD chocolate in delicious recipes you can try and brag about!

Afterwards you will be invited to a fun break in the living room which is accessorized with mouthwatering KIT KAT lamps and cushions, SMARTIES paintings and vases, among other delights.

Chocolate in bed? How about a whole bed designed with NESQUIK cereals, a dresser decorated with colorful SMARTIES and sculpted chocolate jewellery boxes? A painter also demonstrates a live show on how to create beautiful paintings on canvas using MILO liquid chocolate.

After the magical experience in Choco Villa, you get a final treat at the backyard by tasting melted NESTLÉ GOLD chocolate from fountains where you can dip marshmallows and share mini treats from nearby trees of MACKINTOSH’S QUALITY STREET with your family and friends, with a sip of MILO chocolate drink… all under lights of GOLD.

The Choco Villa is receiving chocolate lovers at Dubai Festival City until August 14^th. Treat yourself to Nestlé’s chocolate goodies while they last!

Wafi is working on to support this charity campaign for a whole year and all donations received will go towards local orphans.

FREEJ was originally launched in September 2006 on national television and the brainchild of Mohammed Saeed Hareb; it is the tale of four national women living in modern day Dubai. The main characters are Um Saeed, Um Saloom, Um Allawi and Um Khammas and have a very amusing way of dealing with life’s challenges.

FREEJ will come to life through a life- size board game in the main atrium, photo opportunities, an educational display and the opportunity to listen and watch the FREEJ stories; plus an exclusive meet and greet with all the characters every weekend in Khan Murjan.

The aim is to raise as much money as possible for the Red Crescent; even Mohammed Saeed Hareb is assisting by donating limited edition FREEJ prints for a silent auction. FREEJ will also be selling a range of merchandise during Ramadan, with a percentage of the total sales to be donated to the Red Crescent

“Wafi has plenty to offer its customers during Ramadan with all the different activities for children and adults,” said Shajahan Unneen, General Manager, Wafi Property.  “The main aim is to raise as much money as possible for the good causes of the UAE based charity organisation, the Red Crescent, to sustain their local projects throughout the coming year.  I believe that the different activities will attract more customers and encourage them to make donations.  We are honoured to have Mohammed Saeed Hareb support Wafi, especially now that FREEJ is internationally renowned and loved by all adults and children.”

The Ramadan activities will start from 20^th August and finish on the last day of Eid

Al Youm (Arabic for “Today”) is Alhurra’s ground-breaking live television magazine show originating simultaneously from five countries in three continents including Cairo, Beirut, Dubai, Jerusalem and from Alhurra’s headquarters in Springfield, Va. Al Youm provides viewers the latest information on topics such as health, entertainment news, sports, technology, social and cultural issues as well as the headlines from the Middle East and around the world.  Al Youm will present viewers with a new opportunity to learn about events from around the world and information related to tackling challenges of everyday life.  Ms. Anwar will co-host with Ahmed El Naggar in Dubai. They are joined by Mona Wehbi in Beirut, Amr Khalil in Cairo and Eman Haddad in Jerusalem.

“We are very fortunate to have Engy joining Al Youm. She has the enthusiasm and level of professionalism that complements the stellar team we have in place,” stated Ms. Mires. “She is skilled at telling a story and connecting with the audience. Engy has a beauty and charm that comes from her love of what she does for a living; and that is what makes her so good.”

“I have been a fan of Al Youm since it first launched and would not miss an opportunity to be a part of this great team,” Ms. Anwar said. “One of the things that I most look forward to is the ability to connect with people throughout the region. Al Youm is the only program in the Middle East that broadcasts simultaneously from the Gulf, North Africa and the Levant, so viewers get insight into how events not only impact them, but also those across the Arab world.”

Ms. Anwar started her career at the Arabic Radio and Television (ART) to work in their offices in Cairo and Rome as a presenter.  By 1998, she moved to Egyptian Television where she presented the popular Good Morning Egypt and Good Evening Egypt among other programs, including Da’awa that focused on  eliminating illiteracy in Egyptian society, the movie review program Aflmna El Helwa and the weekly program Akher Kalam which covered the latest social, economic, political and artistic events.  Ms. Anwar also presented Egyptian Television’s signature program, El Had El Fasel on which she hosted Egyptian politicians and celebrities.

She is a graduate of Cairo University and has presented political, social, economic and cultural programs and reported on events from all over the world, including Italy, Egypt, Greece, China, Switzerland and the United States.

Recent surveys of the Middle East by research companies such as ACNielsen show that Alhurra has a weekly reach of an estimated 27 million adults. Alhurra is broadcast on the Nilesat and Arabsat satellites in the Middle East and the Hotbird satellite system in Europe.  Alhurra is operated by the non-profit corporation “The Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc.” (MBN). MBN is financed by the U.S. Government through a grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), an independent federal agency.  The BBG serves oversight and as a firewall to protect the professional independence and integrity of the broadcasters. For more information on Alhurra go to www.alhurra.com