The Department of Economic Development (DED) announced today that it would have a comprehensive presence at the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) this year and will be present throughout the 72 days of the DSS from June 22 to September 2, 2005. The announcement was made at the DSS press conference, held this morning at the Grand Hyatt hotel. This will be a departure from previous years when the DED was handling the ‘Back to School’ surprises.
The DED will be responsible for organizing the major events that will be held during the DSS including ‘The Puppet Theatre,’ ‘The Disney Magic,’ The Kids Fashion Week,’ ‘The Collectors Exhibition’ and ‘Men Beladi.’
““As a department responsible for driving the economic development in Dubai, the Department of Economic Development (DED) will have a more significant presence at this year’s Dubai Summer Surprises and will be present throughout the period of the summer surprises,” said Mohammed Hilal Al Mouroushedi, Head of DSS committee at DED. “The DED will be fully involved during the entire period of the festival to ensure that all the major events are well-organised,” he added.
“The DED has always contributed extensively to the DSS and this year we hope to enhance our participation by organizing some of the main events,” said Fareed Al Abdulla, Member, DSS committee at DED. “Our focus is on providing a wide range of entertainment activities that will also enable children to learn while they enjoy,” he added.
‘The Wonder of Puppets’ to be held at the Reef Mall from June 29 to July 13 will include fun-filled puppet shows in English and Arabic, a puppet making workshop, classes that teach how to use different puppets and a puppet history exhibition.
Disney Magic to be held at the Mercato Shopping Centre from July 14 – 28 will create a complete Disney experience for the mall visitors through a special journey filled with cartoon characters from the world of Disney.
The last week of July from July 20 to 26 will also see the Kids Fashion week being held at Deira City Centre. A kids fashion destination will be created at the mall where visitors can know more about fashion for little ones in terms of outfits, branded wear, accessories and hairstyles. This will also include a catwalk corner for fashion shows and several workshops for children, teenagers and their mothers on the various aspects of fashion.
A hobbies exhibition entitled “The Collectors” will be held from July 27 to August 5 at the Burjuman Centre. The exhibition will provide a unique platform from people to display their personal hobby collections. This edutainment activity will enable children to learn while they also have an enjoyable experience absorbing the interesting hobbies on display.
The UAE culture will be the subject of ‘Men Beldai’ to be held at Bin Sougat Centre from August 13 to 22. The event will offer visitors an indepth insight into the tradition and history of the UAE and will provide nationals with a platform to present their talents in the age-old arts of the country.
The Department also plans to set up four manned kiosks in various shopping malls including Deira City Centre, Al Reef mall, Burjiman Centre and Mercato mall. The kiosks will distribute extensive information, leaflets and brochures about the various programmes and services being offered by the DED. These include the services for the Small and Medium Enterprises sector, Intelaq, the franchise management service, the Dubai Economic Research Award, the various consumer protection services and the booklets for traders on registering and protecting trademarks on offer at the Department. In addition, all raffle draws being held by the Dubai Shopping Malls group during this period will be supervised by the DED.
About Department of Economic Development (DED):
The Department of Economic Development (DED) was established in March 1992, with the objective to organise, regulate and boost trade and industry within the Emirate of Dubai. The DED has moulded its mission of building a futuristic establishment, in accordance with the vision of the Government of Dubai and in the light of globalisation and the requirements of a digital economy. One of its key functions is to encourage local and foreign investments in commercial and industrial projects, and create the appropriate environment for investors.
The DED’s other functions comprise a wide range of regulatory activities including the preparation and maintenance of a commercial register and the supervision of all organisations. The DED is responsible for regulating the affairs of commercial agents and brokers and commercial advertising offices, in addition to overseeing and controlling the insurance industry in the Emirate. Examining the participation of the government in the private sector and representing the government in companies where it has a stake, also comes under the purview of the DED.
