New gaming app to combat crime in UAE

A new gaming app has been launched in Abu Dhabi as part of an awareness campaign by police officials to promote national awareness and fight crime. Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, launched the ‘Smart Aqdar City' game that is also aimed at creating health awareness, in addition to highlighting the dangers of drug abuse and fireworks. Chairing the meeting of the Supreme Committee for the Khalifa Student Empowerment Programme ‘Aqdar', which was recently held at the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, Lt General Sheikh Saif launched the game as part of the third community awareness project that is now available on the Apple Store and Google Play. The meeting was attended by Major-General Khamis Mattar Al Mazina, Commander-In-Chief of Dubai Police and Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Khalifa Student Empowerment Programme, among other VIPs and dignitaries. Al Mazina said: "The main goal was to design awareness-raising games that are compatible with different operating systems, different smart devices, as well as the internet, social networking sites and computers. "The game can be upgraded based on scenarios established in cooperation with the National Commission, which are aligned with the country's objectives and the national programme. It also offers the possibility to add new levels, and is available in Arabic.” He noted that this achievement reflects the actual need for student-oriented educational games, which include good educational content. Explaining the game further, Colonel Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Al Dabal, General Coordinator of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Programme, said: "The game teaches children about healthy and unhealthy food and aims to enhance national awareness by allowing players a cognitive link to heritage-related and historical vocabulary.” Smart Aqdar City creates a virtual metropolis with geographical features where players can interact with others in a knowledge competition of 45 levels that include 10 questions each. Explaining further, he said the game enhances national awareness on the need to combat crimes, especially cybercrimes. "This would pave the way to the smart learning concept that we aspire to establish in school curriculum,” he said. Source: Emirates 24?7