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Syria
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Muslims in the west need legal protection The cartoons circulated in several papers in different European countries prompted
Muslims to contemplate their future when residing outside the Arab and Muslim
world. A long time ago, Muslims came to Europe as scholars, tourists and patients
and stayed for varying lengths of time.
Nowadays, Muslims are settling in the west for good and doing their best to understand
the host culture and to integrate. However, from time to time, they face provocations in
the name of western values and different scenarios of a clash of civilizations are imagined.
Muslims in the west and in their original countries have always reacted to these
provocations on a one by one basis. This has landed them in more trouble and caused
greater problems than the original provocation, thus achieving nothing.
I think the best course of action is to try to solicit legislations in western countries so
as to guarantee their rights and to defend them and their religion. They also need to
fight on the intellectual front to develop concepts and ideas that will find for them a
special, if not a normal place, in the countries they reside in.(2)
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BITE
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In this Issue
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Arab Numerals and Tourism My questions and interest in figures have been crystallized
day after day since the beginning of the eighties, following my
publication of two reviews, “Al-Hidhaa” (the Shoe) and
“Arridaa" (the Garment) issued in Arabic and English. Both
publications were concerned with scientific, economic and
professional questions and needed tables and figures.
During the preparation of each issue of these reviews, I felt
certain pain and stress, because I did not see any reason to
use two types of figures, which were, incidentally, both
Arabic. The Eastern figures are more difficult to read and
write and errors are more likely. I believe that use of the two
types of figures was a waste of time and effort, as well as an
obstacle which hindered the artistic and scientific creativity of
page-setting and production. The international Arab numerals
were definitely more suitable then Eastern figures.
As time passed, I used the international Arab numerals more
often. They are commonly used in the Occident and in most
countries instead of the Eastern figures,(6)
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Cham Hotel
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of Muslim Cultures Inspiring Muslims and non-Muslim to leave the station of stereotypes and go a journey of discovery through the
diverse Islamic world is the aim of the Festival of Muslim Cultures which will host over 200 events - art, music,
literature, poetry, drama, film, fashion, food etc - throughout Britain during the next 18 months.
The festival was launched on January 24th
with an informal visit to one of the first events
Palace and Mosque in Sheffield by the
overall patron HRH The Prince of Wales and
the Overseas Patron HRH Princess Haya
Bint Al-Hussein. The historical exhibition is
drawn from the rich Middle Eastern
collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum
(14 January to 17 April).(8)
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One of the Most Beautiful Cultivated Landscapes in Germany In 2002, the valley between the towns of Bingen and Koblenz, through which the Rhine River meanders, was named a
World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The criterion for being included in this illustrious list is a unique environment, the loss of
which would be irreplaceable for all mankind. Being one of Germany’s outstanding cultural landscapes, it is one of the
favorite destinations for tourists. No where are so many medieval castles and fortresses found close together.
Forty fortresses and castles crown the peaks
of the hills that surround the Rhine Valley and
make such a lasting impression through their
medieval architecture. When one reaches
the hill tops, the view and the splendid peace(10-14)
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Rural Canada At Its Best Name: Cowley. Population: less than 300.
Location 133 miles south of Calgary,
ensconced between the Rocky Mountains
and the Alberta foothills. No shops, no
school, one restaurant open on Thursday,
Friday and Saturday night only. Small yes,
boring definitely not.
The only place for tourists to stay is St
Jospeh’s Inn, once a Catholic Church which
was saved from demolition by a Calgary
doctor and turned into a holiday home,
lovingly cared for by Wendy Murfin, who has
lived in the village all her life.
Like all the small towns in the area, Cowley(16-18)
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The Guest Country at ITB 2006 Greece, the guest country at the Beijing Travel and Tourism Fair had the biggest stand. It was also the sponsor of
the Meridian Club at the WTM in London and the guest country this year at the ITB Berlin.
Greece always has a major presence in
international tourism fairs, seen by the number
of exhibitors and the unique decorations of
the stands. It is a first class tourist country and
always a leader in the industry.
Dr Martin Buck, Director of Travel and
Logistics at Messe Berlin said he was very
happy that Greece is "our partner and
guest". He added that Greece welcomes
millions of tourists every year, more than
two million of them from Germany.
Mr. Panagiotis Skordas, Director of the
Greek National Tourism Organization said
that ITB is a very important event for
Greece because it is the biggest fair in the(20)
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The Rose of Historic Spain Toledo, the central point on the Iberian Peninsula, was the home of the Gothes and the center of their kingdom.
Historians disagree on the date of its foundation and the people who built it and resided there. Toledo means "the
joy of its inhabitants". It has been strengthened, since it was built at the top of a mountain and is surrounded by the
deep Taj River on three sides, except the north. In 92 A.H/ 711 A.D Toledo was conquered by Tarek Ibn Zaid and
entrusted to Yemeni tribes, becoming the first seat of the Islamic military headquarters in this area.
Located 75 km from Madrid, Toledo is
served by two roads and a railway line.
Tourist activity is increasing in the city
noted for the coexistence of three
religious communities, Muslims,
Christians and Jews, who left their
imprints on the city: the visitor can see
mosques, churches and synagogues, old
districts, walls, bridges, palaces etc.
One enters Toledo through the old Arab,
Andalusian gate, Bab Al-Sahl, also known
as Puerte de Bisagra. It is the main gate
at the crossroads which lead to the city. In
1550, the architect Covarrubias added a
large frontage in homage to King Carlos I.
During the time of King Philippe(22-24)
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The Place For The Rich And Famous BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -The British imported African slaves to this tiny island in the 17th Century to cut sugar
cane. In the process, they lent the slaves their accents and introduced them to staid old English traditions like polo,
cricket afternoon tea…that sort of thing.
It would take more than 300 years before
black leadership emerged and the island
gained its independence. And now, the
governing Bajans "import" tourists to fill the
beaches---with the vast majority of those
sunseekers coming from merry old England.(26-30)
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The Capital Of Islamic Culture The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) chose
the Syrian city of Aleppo as the capital of Islamic
culture for the year 1427 H/2006, because of its
traditional architecture and cultural, scientific, artistic
and economic activities.
Aleppo is a model of Islamic cities as regards religious
tolerance and peaceful coexistence between communities
of varying traditions and doctrines. It has assimilated past
civilizations within the framework of flexible Moslem culture
appealing to dialogue, wisdom and enlightened religious
guidance.
Aleppo is also a model of Islamic cities with its ancestral
Islamic architecture dating back to the year 16 Hegira (637
approximately). It passed through the Ummayad and
Abbassid era (the reigns of the Hamdanides, Seljukides,
Zenkides and Ayyoubides) and the Mamlouk and
Ottomans eras. Their architecture had multiple functional
components, such as fortresses, gates, covered souks,
khans, mosques, churches,(31)
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Spain: Europe’s Number One Destination Great tourism diversity is offered by the nineteen regions of Spain. Andalusia is perhaps the most significant of
these areas. It includes great tourist zones, such as Grenade, Cordoba, Malaga, and Seville. Spain receives more
than 50 million tourists annually and the industry is well supported by the government. This support was crowned
this year by the visit of the king and the queen of Spain to FITUR exhibition, exploring the various stands of the
participating countries, in addition to those of the Spanish regions.
The participation of Islamic Tourism magazine
in this exhibition, which was held during the
last week of January, was particularly
significant this year. Its stand had posters of
the magazines’ issues and its electronic
website. The magazine was also featured in
the exhibition’s catalogue.(32)
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A Jewel Of Culture, Heritage And Nature What use is a luminous jewel if dust and darkness cover and hide it? Cambodia has answered this question and
would like to share its experiences with the rest of the world. In 1998, the world saw a people who had rolled up
their sleeves to clean up the 35-year-old dust of war, putting, an end to the dark era and enabling visitors to reexamine
the glare of the tourist jewel.
The State of the Khmers
The kingdom of Cambodia, which recently
joined ASEAN, is located at the extreme of
south-east Asia. Its neighbours are Vietnam
in the east and south-east, Laos in the north
and Thailand in the north and the west. In
the south-west, the country has a coast on
the Gulf of
Thailand.
Cambodia
has a
surface area
of 131,035
km and a
population of
12 million of
which 90% are
from the
Khmer(34)
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The Music Never Sleeps The penguins Joe and his friend Sally, symbols of Austrian tourism, were right. After having visited the seas,
oceans, mountains, plains, cities and villages of the world, they arrived in Austria, met its distinguished people and
said: "We arrived at our terminus". They decided to marry and settle in Austria and had many children.
I visited Austria 30 years ago, aged 20, with
some friends. We bought a car from France
and returned to Jordan, crossing several
European countries. I never forgot Austria and
waited for the opportunity to revisit it. My dream
came true this year when I was able to
participate in the exhibitions of Vienna. What
makes this country more lovable was the
kindness of its highly civilised people, in
particular Miss Brigitte Pasler, general director
of the travel agency Servus Amigo.(36-38)
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Attract Muslim Countries Arab and Muslim countries were eager to participate in London's two major international travel shows: the
Adventure Travel & Sports Show (13th-15th January) and Destinations (2nd – 5th February). Countries featured at
both events included the UAE, Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Iran and Iraq.
At both shows one of the most popular
destinations for tour operators was Central Asia
where the Silk Road stole the show.
Sundowners offered various combinations of
the Silk Road and Mongolia which it described
as ‘an adventure you will never forget rather
than a holiday’. Dostuck Trekking, set up 14(40-42)
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of China Beijing is not only the capital of one of the great powers of our time: it is a city which confirmed its greatness for
thousands of years. Its historic sites require a whole book. It is with emotion that one could talk about the Forbidden
City, the palaces of kings and emperors, such as the famous Summer Palace, the old historical temples, such as
the Temple of Paradise, the old city, or the museums and shopping centers. A minimum of five days is required to
see these sites but due to my participation in the Beijing International Tourism Exhibition, I could visit only the
Great Wall of China and certain shopping centers.(44-46)
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Oman’s Historic Incense Capital Flying south from Muscat truly confirms that Oman is a desert kingdom. Sand and rock dominate the landscape for
one thousand kilometres, until you glimpse Salalah. In the fabled Governate of Dhofar close to the border with
Yemen, the monsoon – that rare and beautiful seasonal visitor to this small area of an ever-thirsty Arabian Peninsula
– has given Salalah a moderating countenance of green with splashes of vivid colour from flowering shrubs and
trees, and thousands of birds that migrate through this seaside oasis.
Salalah is surrounded on land by a half-circle
of mountains and behind that by the classic
sand desert of the vast Empty Quarter. It has
served as a natural fortress for thousands of
years. Along with favourable harbours, it is
the Khareef, the cooling, renewing annual
monsoon that has drawn rulers and
merchants, to visit or settle the shores of
Frankincense Land. Even the Queen of
Sheba fell under the spell of the area’s
treasure far greater than gold and sent gifts
of frankincense to impress Solomon!(48)
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An Approach To The World Of The Future Food is an essential component of the tourist industry.
The Food Technology Research Institute & the High
Institute for Tourism & Hotels have co-operated closely
to organize the 1st International Conference & Exhibition
on Food & Tourism: "An Approach to the World of
Tomorrow". The conference will take place at the Cairo
International Conference Center (1-3 March, 2006).
The event is intended to tackle the latest theoretical and practical
developments in the food and tourist industries, review related
activities and
contribute
effectively
towards the
development
of tourism.
Participants
in this global
event will
include
scientists and
researchers(50)
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Keeps The Aura Of Ancient Arabia Alive For years, Dubai's Creek, a meandering 14 km (8.7 m) waterway, which divides the city into Bur Dubai, the old
section, and Deira, the so-called new district (today, there are many newer districts) was the city's most famous
landmark. Lately, the lure of the Creek has been greatly enhanced by the renovated ‘Heritage District’, located in
the Shindagha area of Bur Dubai at the mouth of the Creek. Much of Dubai’s history is preserved in its collection of
forts, mosques, palaces and other historic monuments - on the itineraries of the organized city tours.
The Diving and Heritage Villages are the heart
of this re-born district. Much has been done to
restore the area to its former glory, but work is
ongoing. Thirty-two traditional homes are being
rebuilt and plans are well underway,(52-56)
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of Beirut The world of Arab-Islamic architecture is indeed rich in styles, forms and technology. The various regional traditional
architecture and construction materials have been adjusted to the different natural environments and biospheres as
well as to local cultures and lifestyles.
xamples of this gorgeous mixture are the
“sky scrapers” of Shibam in Yemen, the(58-62)
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A star above Taiz If one wants to organise a tour of Taiz, Al-Qahira Fortress is a must. Without seeing the fortress the history of Taiz
cannot be understood. This dream city was built around the remarkable fortress.
When one looks at this fortress from far away
it is easy to understand why it was built on
this particular mountain in the old Yemeni
architectural style: it dominates the famous
commercial routes passing Al-Jund to
Assawa on its way to the Red Sea - one of
the well known trade routes in the old days.
Today the fortress is one of the most
important sites of Taiz. Its new found fame is
largely due to an instruction from the
president to the leaders of the district, to
make the fortress a tourist site. They did their
district proud and the fortress is visited by
thousands of tourists annually. The tourist
project, currently under construction,
consists of a small park, an open air theatre,
a swimming pool and a showroom.(64)
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The Other Side Of Egypt Sand and sarcophagi go hand in hand west of Cairo, with a string of oases that provide insights into Egypt’s golden
past being found amid the world’s greatest expanse of desert.Amr Elezabi, the Canadian director of the
Egyptian Tourist Authority, says the outposts of
greenery found amid Saharan sand enable
tourists to see another side of Egypt that is
overshadowed by such famed ancient
landmarks as the Sphinx and the Pyramids.
Among those oases is Bahareya, found four
hours from the Egyptian capital, and home to
the Valley of the Golden Mummies, so called
because an Egyptian archeologist four years
ago uncovered decorated sarcophagi dating
back to the Greco-Roman period - a find that
drew international attention to the site.(66)
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Annual Season Of Sadness Kerbala, located 102 km to the south of the capital Baghdad, where Imam Hussein is buried with his brother, Al-
Abbass, and 72 members of his family and close followers, is a town of sadness. Every year the Shias commemorate
the martyrdom of Al-Hussein and his relations. The ceremonies are steeped in tradition and have a long history.
Historical Background
The first mourning ceremony related to Al-
Hussein's martyrdom was organized in
Kerbala, 40 days after his death, (20th of Safar
of the year 61 of Hegira) at the time his family(68-74)
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