DUBAI: The second edition of Maker Faire Dubai opened with a huge success with the attendance of hundreds of makers, school children, government officials, and representatives from the private sector who filled Za’abeel Halls 2 & 3 of the Dubai World Trade Centre. Maker Faire Dubai, which will run until February 28, is an initiative of the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, and the Chairman of the Hamdan Foundation.
Prior to the formal opening of the three-day event, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum toured Za’abeel Halls 2 & 3 and engaged makers in discussions on their innovative ideas and creations. Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance has been instrumental in ensuring the creation of a culture of creativity and innovation in Dubai in light with the Emirate’s efforts to hone young talents and for them to actively participate in the development of an innovative society toward sustainable development.
Formally opening the event was Dr. Jamal Mohammed Al Mehairi, Secretary General of the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance. In his speech, Dr. Al Mehairi said, “We are delighted to formally open the second edition of Maker Faire Dubai under the theme ‘Unleash Your Creativity’. This theme upholds the very same objective that the Government of UAE and its various institutions have adopted when it made innovation and creativity its passion by providing all the necessary tools to establish a strong culture of community wherein different members of UAE society share the diversity of their nationalities and languages. Consider this a source of inspiration, and the most effective element in the process of development and prosperity toward sustainable development.”
Dr. Al Mehairi also added that the 2nd edition of Maker Faire Dubai is being staged in the UAE Year of Tolerance, thus making the event more meaningful as Maker Faire Dubai also unites differences in nationalities and languages in a single platform that focuses on creativity and innovation.
One major highlight of the opening ceremony was the presence of Dale Dougherty, co-founder and CEO, Maker Media. As the man behind Maker Faire global event, he inspired that makers by sharing that a maker’s culture is to be a part of something larger than himself. He also encouraged makers in his speech, saying, “We see ourselves in what we make. We have to see ourselves as a maker, not only as a consumer.”
Special speaker, Fatima Al Kaabi, Youngest Emirati Inventor awardee, discussed the impact of young investors to the community. She also shared her own journey as an inventor and encouraged children to follow their passion to create. Marcio Barradas, CEO and founder of Moodbytes & Foodlinks (Spain) led the interesting discussion on Technologies to Reduce Food Waste. Eng. Abduallah bin Saleh Al Mazroa, Acting Director General of GCC Patent Office, Gulf Cooperation Council, discussed the Protection of the Intellectual Right of Innovators in the GCC states. This was followed by presentation made by Yoshisuke Kuramoto, maker of Fab Scooter and Izumi Aizu, Professor at Tama University in Japan.
Each speaker was presented with an award for their contribution to the creation of a culture of innovation by Ibrahim AlJasmi of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance.
The first day of Maker Faire Dubai 2019 concluded with the awarding ceremony for innovators competition. This year’s first category winners are Maryam Yousif Al-Marzouqi (the Faucet of Rationalization Project); Maryam Abdullah Saeed (Smart Shirt Project for the Deaf); Anshika Sreenivasan (Time Bot Project). Second category winners are Noura Mohammed Al Shehhi (Smart Bus Project); Basma Sami (Smart Project); Amna Ahmed Al Marzouqi (Smart Vehicle Project).
Also given awards were innovators of featured ideas lead by Richa Kumar (Vending Machine Project), Khulood Ahmed Abdullah (Smart Shopping Cart Project); Maryam Ali Saeed A-Ghafri (Measuring Pen Project), Majed Abdullah Al Muhairi (Transient Project), Aisha Yousef Al Mazmi (Happy Swing Project), Hind Khalil Al-Hammadi (Energy Collector Cap Project), Al-Harith Azouni (Smart Slide and Shoe Project), Hussam Salem Mohammed Al-Obaidah (Project Life in Ease), Zayed Abdullah Al Marzouqi (Power Wheel Project), Malek Saleh (Smart Rose Project), Sara Saif Al Shehhi (Smart Glasses Project, Ali Massaad (Remember Not Forget Project), Latifa Hassan Abdullah (a project on wrapping, clearing, and cleaning equipment for fire engines), Khawla Abdulaziz Hassan Al Balushi (Project Fingerprint), and Akshara Rajendran (Project Smart Rash).
Awardees were given recognition and gifts by the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance.
Families and children are encouraged to visit Maker Faire Dubai 2019 for free to witness display of innovative ideas and to meet young innovators onsite. BIZ TODAY REPORT
