Dubai: The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) has been a drawing board for events and extravaganzas that have brought worlds together and allowed for a greater understanding of the world around us, by its unique theme of bringing the world to one stage.
And as an integral part of the festival since inception, the Global Village too has been representative of the Dubai Shopping Festival's standing as the one and only festival that brings the world together.
The cultures of the world set apart the Global Village, for here you get insights into the ways of life, cuisine, traditions and the cultures of people from countries far and wide. And at DSF 2006, 39 pavilions of different nation are all set to bring forth an array of attractions like never before.
Afghanistan, Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hung-ary, India, Iraq, Iran, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Yemen and the UAE are the 39 countries with stalls that showcase unique aspects of their national heritage and values like no other.
Add to that what the Global Village conjures up visions of world cultures coming together, of a singular setting where manmade barriers disappear, where visitors get a rare and radiant glance at traditions and arts of countries far and wide away, insights into the cultures of varied continents and the pictures intensifies.
Going to Global Village has been so rightfully described as a journey around the world. For from ancient Syrian architecture to Kenyan masks, Indian folk forms to Iranian coloured glass, it's all there, at the Global Village, as the 39 national pavilions showcase the arts, culture and cuisines of the world, with artistes and craftsmen getting a chance to exhibit their talents.
In many ways, the concept of the DSF as an event that goes beyond a shopping extravaganza and into the realms of an experience par none is epitomised in the Global Village.
For the kiosks of varied nations apart, the Global Village is also an entertainment bonanza, with a plethora of entertainment arcades, concerts by globally renowned artistes and a 4,000 square metre man-made lake with musical fountains and laser shows. The Global Village also hosts its own fireworks from time to time.
Over 75 kiosks bring alive the unique skills of artistes from around the world, offering visitors an immeasurable choice of cultural artifacts. And over 50 diverse restaurants cater to aficionados of fine exotic cuisine, while the 'Fun Area', with its giant wheels, thrill rides and instant prizes, will ensure a true adrenalin rush.
These attractions apart, visitors to the Global Village during DSF 2006 will get to take part in a unique 'Visit-And-Win' competition and, if luck favours, could walk away with instant prizes totalling Dh5 million from this scratch and win promotion.
Visitors get to win Dh10,000 to Dh25,000 cash prizes everyday as well as cars, plasma TVs, mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, sound systems etc.
Above all, the Global Village is host to all the major DSF raffles as the Lexus Mega Raffle stage, where daily draws for the top prizes of the Lexus Mega Raffle offering two luxury cars and Dh100,000 in cash totalling Dh510,000, the daily Nissan draw offering a car daily out of the eight models on display and the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group daily and weekly draws of gold and solitaire diamond is held at 10pm in front of the general public and is also aired live on Sama Dubai TV.
The Global Village, which opened to the world last October 26, will run until March 3.
