Dubai Shopping Festival launch party cancelled

RETAIL CANCELLATION: The launch ceremony for DSF 2009, in which The Dubai Mall will be participating, has been cancelled. (Getty Images)

The launch ceremony planned for the Dubai Shopping Festival 2009 has been cancelled as a mark of solidarity to the people of Gaza.

The announcement was made on Monday by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of the Dubai Shopping Festival Office (DSFO) Supreme Committee.

It follows the directive by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who cancelled all New Year's Eve outdoor celebrations in the emirate.

However Sheikh Ahmed added that all other DSF 2009 activities would go on as planned from Jan. 15 to Feb. 15.

“DSF 2009 coincides with a turbulent period of political turmoil in the Middle East and as per the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, the festivities marking the beginning of DSF stand cancelled as an act of solidarity towards the people and our brothers in Gaza,” he said.

He added: “DSF has witnessed a series of successes in the past 13 years that has effectively made it a distinguished regional phenomenon...DSF 2009 will be another milestone in the festival’s illustrious history."

The 32-day event promises some of the best shopping discounts in a DSF edition yet and prizes worth millions of dirhams will be given to shoppers every day.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Regardless
Posted by Arnel M., dubai, U.A.E on Sunday 18 January 2009 at 15:27 UAE time


Stop insinuating that the government is fooling us, instead ask yourself as an individual if throwing any sort of party is appropriate while our neighbors are dying. If you carry on complaining, it could mean that you really really want to party no matter what, even if the death toll now reaches 1,200 and there are thousands who are wounded. That is total indifference that deserves nothing but a condemnation.

Judgement
Posted by Shakizada, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Wednesday 14 January 2009 at 11:13 UAE time


No one has the right to make the judgements upon the taken action regarding cancelling the festival opening event. UAE is continousely supporting the distressed people in Gasa morally, economically and financially, and all of you aware that UAE is the forefront country to send aids to Gaza. What is going on in Gaza is painful for us. This is the ringht directive taken to cancel the festival opening event, as the 32 days is aimed to promote the trade only, internationally.

UAE Donation to Gaza
Posted by dude2000, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 14 January 2009 at 03:03 UAE time

No one can claim that UAE didn't support people of Gaza with donations... please read news paper about the results of the donation campaign held across all UAE TV stations last Friday.

International Media
Posted by Fais, Dubai on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 23:52 UAE time

The reason partying is being canceled is so that the international media is not given an easy opportunity to diverge from the present subject by accusing people in the region of partying while there are other suffering. We would be equally judgmental had we heard of partying in Miami right after 9/11. I'm sure there was, but it wasn't publicly flaunted.

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