Hope Probe: UAE visitors to receive ‘Martian Ink’ passport stamp upon arrival
February 9, 2021, 10:54 am

Hope Probe: UAE visitors to receive ‘Martian Ink’ passport stamp upon arrival

The UAE's passport stamp commemorating the Hope Probe's arrival in Mars. (Supplied)

United Arab Emirates visitors will receive a “Martian Ink” passport stamp upon their arrival in the country’s airports on February 9, in honor of the Hope Probe’s expected arrival at Mars, according to a statement.The stamp, which reads, “You’ve arrived in the Emirates. The Emirates is arriving at Mars on 09.02.2021,” was produced by the UAE’s Government Media Office in collaboration with Dubai Airports.

UAE's limited edition Hope Probe passport stamp. (Supplied)

“To commemorate this historic occasion and celebrate the mission’s incredible victory with the rest of the world, we have created a special stamp printed with ‘Martian Ink’… This will be embossed on the passports of all the visitors to the UAE arriving at this time for a limited period,” said Khaled al-Shehhi, Executive Director of the Production and Digital Communication Sector of the country’s government office.

The stamp was made using the world’s first ‘Martian Ink,’ that was reportedly extracted from “volcanic basalt rocks that give Mars its distinct rusty color,” according to al-Shehhi.

The UAE's new Hope Probe stamp is made using “Martian Ink” extracted from “volcanic basalt rocks.” (Supplied)

Experts and gemologists collected the rocks during a special mission to the UAE’s eastern al-Hajar mountains and Sharjah’s Mleiha, the statement added. The process of creating the stamp required crushing the rocks into a fine paste, drying it in the sun, then mixing it with adhesives “to create three separate colors that represent the Red Planet.”The probe is expected to arrive on Mars on February 9 at 7:42 p.m. local UAE time, according to Emirates News Agency (WAM).

source: Joanne Serrieh

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”