Saif Bin Zayed Launches The UAE Camel Racing Electronic Game

The game promotes national, traditional, educational and health awareness

Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior launched the electronic awareness game, UAE Camel Racing, on Apple Store and Google Play. This initiative is in pursuance of the integrated smart awareness program implemented by the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program, at the Office of HH Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

His Highness lauded the efforts of the groups operating the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program, which include about 50 ministries, as well as federal and local authorities. His Highness stressed the importance of these games as an attractive and influential means on the youth, and which include educational and national contents.

The game is a unique electronic educational app that aims to enhance national awareness by allowing players a cognitive linkage to heritage-related and historical vocabulary. Camel racing is the most important element of the game. It contributes to spread cultural, health, and food education, and to promote personal and interaction skills, as well as social behavior and communication.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Major General Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program. Also present were Brigadier Ali Khalfan Al Dhaheri, Director General of the Headquarters Affairs at Abu Dhabi Police; Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, Secretary General of the UAE Camel Racing Association; Colonel Saud Al Saadi, Director of the Secretariat of His Highness, the Minister; and Dr. expert Ibrahim Al Dabal, General Coordinator of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program; along with a number of employees working on the program.

Major General Nasser Al Nuaimi indicated that launching the Camel Racing game in the presence of H.H Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, reflects the attention dedicated by His Highness to these games, which have fulfilled the need for such local electronic games.

He indicated that the games were developed by a local team of game designers, based on high-end global game engines. “The main goal was to design awareness-raising games that are compatible with different operating systems (such as Apple’s iOS System and Google’s Android system) different smart devices (iPhone, iPad, Xoom, Galaxy SII), as well as the Internet, social networking sites (Facebook) and computers (Windows and Macintosh),” noted Major General Al Nuaimi. He added that the game references national characters and contributors, with the possibility to change the characters. “The game can be upgraded based on scenarios established in cooperation with the National Commission, which are aligned with the country’s objectives and the national program. It also offers the possibility to add new levels, and is available in Arabic and English.”

Major General Al Nuaimi noted: “This achievement reflects the need for student-oriented educational games. To this end, electronic games were designed as part of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program, to ensure students’ access to educational and ethical goals and values that promote patriotism, by acquainting students’ with the country’s history, institutions, achievements and potentials, and how to maintain these gains.” Moreover, he indicated that the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program’s concept was part of an initiative launched by the Office of HH Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, which stipulated that a national program should be prepared to raise awareness among students, covering all academic levels and addressing the most common problems that may be encountered by students. The program involves all state institutions, through coordination with existing awareness programs.

For his part, Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, Secretary General of the Camel Racing Association praised the unwavering support devoted to traditional sports in general, and camel racing in particular, under the guidance of the higher leadership.“This reflects the higher leadership’s commitment to maintain these values in our modern life,” he continued.

Al Muhairi also commended the patronage of his H.H General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of the Camel Race game: “Launching this game represents a quantum leap and a milestone, not only for our communities; as it is also designed to attract communities worldwide through a common language, the language of modern technology, bringing people together, regardless of their language or culture,” he said.

Dr expert Ibrahim Al Dabal, General Coordinator of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program, explained that the first set of games include the camel racing game. “It is a unique electronic game that seeks to achieve several goals. It is the result of the integrated program for electronic awareness. It teaches children about healthy and unhealthy foods, and aims mainly to enhance national awareness by allowing players a cognitive linkage to heritage-related and historical vocabulary,” said Al Dabal.

He added: “The game acquaints players with the traditional history of camel racing and the need to preserve it. It features awareness screenshots and graphics about patriotism, and promotes healthy eating habits. Furthermore, the game contributes to developing personal skills, knowledge, attention, focus, and self-esteem, whereas children practice their favorite activities, and develop social interaction and communication skills in the process.”

In conclusion, Al Dabal said: “These games include a number of educational content and behavioral skills such as the vision-movement balance, way finding, accuracy and speed, achievement motivation, self-affirmation and self-confidence, control and competence, and positive competition. They also enhance the sense of loyalty and belonging.”

The game hits 770,000 international and 92,000 local downloads
Al Badayer Racing Game Achieved an Amazing Number of Downloads

Major General Nasser Al Nuaimi stated that the Al Badayer Racing game, launched by Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior in March of last year, has achieved an incredibly high number of downloads that exceeded all expectations, internationally and locally. “The game topped 770,000 international and 92,000 local downloads. It ranked first in the number of downloads in less than 24 hours in the UAE,” indicated Major General Al Nuaimi.

He added: “The Al Badayer Racing game took the top spot in Saudi Arabia, with a total of 172,807 downloads, followed by Kuwait with 23,736 downloads. The game was also the 6th most downloaded game in Spain, 7th in Italy, 11th in Germany, and 18th in the United States.”

Major General Al Nuaimi also noted that the game topped the list of the “Best Free Educational Games” in 74 countries for iPad, and in 65 countries for the iPhone.

Emirate:  Abu Dhabi

Date: Mar 9, 2014

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