By Alice Johnson Deputy, UAE Editor www.gulfnews.com
Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has set up a special Facebook group for the launch of the Dubai Metro.
“My Metro Experience” invites Facebook users to “be part of this monumental achievement that will play a significant role in all our day-to-day lives”.
The group has been designed for commuters to share thoughts, engage in discussions and upload both videos and photos. So far, more than 1,000 Facebook users have joined the group.
Shaikh Mohammad is spreading the word about the group and about his “tweeting” on Twitter, via his Facebook page.
“Proud of what we have achieved and of the way it’s been achieved” and “tonight we’re going to be celebrating the opening of the first line of the Dubai Metro,” Shaikh Mohammad tweeted. He will be following members’ tweets about the Metro tagged #MyMetroExp.
Shaikh Mohammad was tweeting about his journey to open the Dubai Metro: “Soon to arrive at the Mall of the Emirates to inaugurate the Dubai Metro,” he tweeted at 6pm yesterday. The Dubai Metro was the most popular topic on 09.09.09, measuring the most tweets on Twitter.
Shaikh Mohammad also congratulated those who have worked on the Dubai Metro: “Today we will be celebrating the opening of the first line of the Dubai Metro – we sh…ould be proud of what we have achieved & I would like to congratulate all of you who have worked on the Dubai Metro project & express my appreciation all your efforts.”
Twitter is a micro-blogging and social networking site, which allows users to send micro-blogs or ‘tweets’ of up to 140 characters. Tweeters (or subscribers to Twitter) can send and read messages, and follow others’ tweets.
Shaikh Mohammad has recently increased his use of social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.
Previously, he had a personal Facebook page, but was so inundated with friend requests that he migrated to a public page (and so increased the capacity for “fans”).
As a user-generated content site, Facebook users are able to comment on his status updates and make virtual friends with him on his unrestricted profile, which allows the general public to view his photo albums, videos, personal information and “poke” Shaikh Mohammad (to get his virtual attention).
Shaikh Mohammad is also using his public Facebook page to inform social networkers of his various online activities.
He is “looking forward to hear the experience of the 800 competition winners who will be the first members of the public to ride the Metro on 09.09.09”.
Join the Facebook Group “My Metro Experience” http://bit.ly/yNO7g to be part of this monumental achievement.
“On Twitter tweet about your Metro experience and I’ll be following all tweets tagged #MyMetroExp,” his Facebook status update reads. On Tuesday, Shaikh Mohammad tweeted: “Congratulations all those who won the ‘Golden Ticket’ to be one of the first to ride the Dubai Metro on 09.09.09”.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) held the “Golden Ticket” competition, asking members of the public to answer a simple Metro question to be entered into the draw.
