####Newly Opened Dubai Canal Connects Dubai Creek with Arabian Gulf

On Nov. 9, the Dubai Canal was inaugurated by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the UAE. A dream of his father Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed, the canal will connect the Dubai Creek to the Arabian Gulf at a second point further south than the mouth of the creek, and is planned to be both a tourist attraction and a commercial landmark. “The canal will have several positive environmental effects in improving the quality of water of the entire waterway by 33 percent," said Mattar Al Tayer, director general of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority. The canal is expected to have 30 million visitors annually.

####Program Encourages Artists to Commemorate National Heroes

On Nov. 9, the Abu Dhabi government unveiled Proud Expressions, a national commemoration art program. Initiated by the Martyrs’ Families Affairs Office, the program aims to encourage pride in the nation’s strength and resilience ahead of UAE Commemoration Day on Nov. 30 by celebrating work by both Emirati and expatriate artists. “This is a symbolic and fitting tribute to the heroes of the UAE and their families and a part of the UAE Remembers campaign,” said Sheikh Khalifa bin Tahnoon, director of the office. Select pieces will be displayed in public venues in 2017.

####Prince Charles Visits the UAE

On a state visit to the UAE, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla strengthened ties between the UAE and the U.K. The U.K.-UAE Year of Cultural Collaboration, a program promoting a cultural alliance between the two countries, was launched in Al Ain under the patronage of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Prince of Wales. Further events included visits to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the Falcon Hospital and Dubai International Humanitarian City. Prince Charles also spoke to students at the Masdar Institute about sustainability. The British heir and his charity, the Prince’s Trust, have advocated for youth empowerment for 40 years. “We are reliant on young people to help develop [sustainable] technologies, so they are hugely important. We need to learn how to live in harmony with nature, rather than remove nature from the equation altogether,” he said at Masdar on Nov. 7. They concluded the trip with a visit to the Expo 2020 headquarters, and a talk with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president of the UAE.