Emirates NBD supports Fazza Championships for fifth consecutive year

Press release

Published January 2nd, 2013 - 10:23 GMT

Al Bawaba

Emirates NBD, a leading bank in the region, announced today that it would serve as sponsor of the upcoming Fazza Championships 2013, for the fifth consecutive year. The move is in line with Emirates NBD’s “passion for sport,” and underlines the bank’s continuing commitment towards local community initiatives and the promotion of sports and culture in the UAE.

Held annually, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, the Fazza Championships are among the most popular sporting events in the UAE, and were launched to preserve the cultural heritage of the UAE.

"These championships not only revive cherished memories of the traditional arts of the UAE, they also bring Emiratis together to celebrate the winter weather with a greater focus on outdoor activities,” said Saif Al Mansoori, Deputy Head – Group Marketing and Branding, Emirates NBD. “At Emirates NBD, we strongly believe in engaging our community with various activities, especially sports and culture and we wish all our participants the very best in this year’s competition.”

“These deeply traditional sporting events provide a unique platform for UAE nationals, especially from the younger generation, to experience and show appreciation for their ancestors’ rich cultural history,” said Abdullah Hamdan Bin Dalmook, Executive Manager of Fazza Championships, Office of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan. “We are pleased to welcome Emirates NBD once again as a sponsor, and look forward to working with the bank to further promote the sporting and cultural traditions of the UAE.”

Held from the beginning of January to April 2013, at various locations across Dubai, the Fazza Championships showcase traditional Emirati sports such as falconry, hunting and Al Yullah, a traditional dance in which a weapon is twirled and thrown into the air to demonstrate skill and agility. In line with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and the Patron of the Fazza Championships, three new tournaments have been added this year.

Background Information

Emirates NBD

Emirates NBD, the leading banking group in the region, was formed on 19 June 1963, when H.H. Late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum signed the Charter of Incorporation of the National Bank of Dubai (NBD) which became the first National Bank established in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With the blessings of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, NBD merged with Emirates Bank International (EBI) on 06 March 2007, to form Emirates NBD, the largest banking group in the region by assets. On 16 October 2007, the shares of Emirates NBD were officially listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM). The merger between EBI and NBD to create Emirates NBD, became a regional consolidation blueprint for the banking and finance sector as it combined the second and fourth largest banks in the UAE to form a banking champion capable of delivering enhanced value across corporate, retail, private, Islamic and investment banking throughout the region.