Jeddah Literary & Cultural Club

Keep up with the club for updates on the up and coming “Jeddah Book Fair.”

Tele: 02 683 4663

Fax: 02 683 2512

 

Question of the Day – How Big is Jeddah?

 

 

Jeddah.Gov.sa - Jeddah: A Saudi city located in the middle of the Eastern coast of the Red Sea known as the ‘Bride of the Red Sea.’Jeddah is considered the economic and tourism capital of the country. Its population is estimated around 3.4 million and it is the second largest city after Riyadh.

 

The foundation of the city of Jeddah is dated back to around 3000 years when groups of fishermen used to settle in after their fishing trips. After that, the tribe of Quda’ahcame to Jeddah 2500 years ago, settled and was known by it.

 

The historical transformation of Jeddah was in the era of the third Muslim Caliph ‘Uthman Bin Affaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) in 647 AD when he ordered the city to be transformed into a port to welcome pilgrims coming by sea for Pilgrimage in Makkah. To this day, Jeddah is the main passage for both sea and air pilgrims as well as those traveling by road.

Jeddah has grown during the last two decades, which made the city a center for money and business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a major and important port for exporting non-oil related goods as well as importing domestic needs.

See Jeddah.gov.sa for photos, news, directories, etc.

 

New System to Replace Sponsorship

Arab News: New System to Replace Sponsorship

The Ministry of Labor has completed a five-year study of the current sponsorship system. The plan behind the study is to replace the sponsorship of individual workers with a new system of private recruitment companies which will take care of the affairs of individual expatriate workers.

 

KAU Makes “Education for All” a Reality for Expats

Saudi Gazette

Academicians and education experts have lauded the initiative of the Jeddah Community College (JCC) to offer expatriate students an opportunity to study in the Kingdom. Starting October 2009, they will be able to study for Associate Degrees from King Abdul Aziz University (KAU).

Read on…

 

Carcinogens Found in Some Abayas

I thought I’d share this with you since many of our garments come from companies in Dubai. Allaahu Aa’lam.

By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter

Dubai: Some abayas and shailahs on the market have been found to contain high-levels of cancer-causing properties, Gulf News has learnt. These items of clothing constitute traditional female dress. An ongoing study at the Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL) on abayas, the traditional black robe, and shailahs, the scarf that covers the head, as well as other apparel, found heavy metals and carcinogens in the dyes and chemicals used to help prints adhere to the material. Sofia Kazim, a lab technician at DCL, told Gulf News that the laboratory has been testing dozens of materials for carcinogenic elements in the dyes and chemicals. “We did the project on abayas and shailahs and some failed the test in February,” she said.   She said the laboratory tested 18 pieces of shailahs and a number of abayas. All pieces were selected randomly and are available on the market. The laboratory tested the materials by putting them through the same environmental conditions as they would be exposed to if worn by a person. They also tested how the chemicals would be absorbed by the body. “We found some have heavy metals that are over the limit, especially the type of shailahs worn by older women, which has a cottony feel to it,” Sofia said. She also said not all abayas and shailahs available in the market were carcinogenic, as the tests also found several that were safe and within the limits. Dr Sawsan Al Mahdi, President of the Friends of Cancer Patients Society, was intrigued by the findings. “It’s very interesting. We’ve always educated people on what to eat, to exercise, to stop smoking, but we’ve never considered what we wear,” she said. It is unclear what the authorities will do with the findings. Dr Fareed Khalifa, head of oncology at Dubai Hospital, told Gulf News the UAE did not have laws addressing hazardous chemicals used in textiles. Certain synthetic dyes pose cancer risk Some synthetic dyes have been linked to cancer, including testicular and bladder cancer, and leukaemia. The World Health Organisation has listed several dyes used in the textile industry as carcinogenic, including any dyes with a benzidine base, including Direct Blue 6, Direct Black 38 and Direct Brown 95, which have been banned in the US and the EU. More than 1,000 dyes are on the list, ranging from “definite” to “probable” to “unlikely carcinogen”. Is there a lack of public awareness on carcinogens present in items of everyday use? What precautions do you take to reduce the presence of carcinogenic materials around you?

Gulf News