Chess masters
Board games are an integral part of Ramadan, but if you are not familiar with expressions like the ‘East Indian Defence’ or the ‘Torre Attack’ you might not do so well at the Jazeera Club’s 18th Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival. An open tournament, with junior competition also available, around 300 players from across the globe are expected – among them, grandmasters – all vying for a jackpot of Dhs200,000.
Visit www.abudhabichess.com for more information
Ramadan & Eid Festival ’09
Now a yearly event, this shopping extravaganza has been on the calendar for the past 16 years. Essentially a giant shopping fair, its stall holders comprise representatives of 22 different countries, with clothes, jewellery, gifts and interior items all on sale, plus entertainment for all the family.
Adnec, Sep 1-20. For more information call 02 631 6661
Islamic exhibition
Open to the public now and due to run until October 10, Islam: Faith and Worship is Emirates Palace’s big summer exhibition. Themed around artefacts venerated by Muslims across the Arab world, the exhibition includes 150 pieces loaned from several Turkish museums and national libraries, celebrating everything from calligraphy to drawings and manuscripts. Traditional Arabic dancing and workshops will also be held during the exhibition’s summer-long reign.
Emirates Palace, Gallery One, until Oct 10
