Haider sets off journey through emirates on solar powered wheelchair

Haidar Taleb receives the Guinness World Record certificate

Guinness World Record holder Haidar Taleb will set off tomorrow (Nov., 22, 2010) on a journey that will take him across all seven emirates in a solar-powered wheel chair. Haidar, a 47-year-old-Emirati, who built and designed the wheelchair himself, will travel more than 350km to promote innovation and renewable energy across the UAE in the run up to the National Day.

Starting in Fujairah, his 11-day journey will take him to schools, universities, police stations, and social centers for people with disabilities, before he finishes in Abu Dhabi’s Corniche on Dec. 2. Haider’s journey is sponsored by Masdar, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy initiative.

Haidar rose to national fame after setting a Guinness World Record for the longest distance travelled in a motorised solar-powered wheelchair, when he travelled 14 hours non-stop from Masdar City to Sharjah on Nov 11.

“With this journey I hope to raise awareness of disability and sustainability, as well as what we can achieve as individuals if we have the courage and determination to try.  When we have this determination, there are no limits to our creativity. That is the message I want to spread,” said Haidar. “I set off in the hope of inspiring people across the UAE, but it is the overwhelming support I have already received that will be my inspiration until I reach Abu Dhabi.”

Haidar has already travelled part of the UAE with his first prototype of the solar-powered wheelchair, which he presented to the Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL), a Masdar Institute initiative - part of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in 2010. Haidar will also participate as a speaker in next year’s YFEL in January 2011.

“With my upgraded solar-powered wheelchair, developed with Masdar’s support, I want to visit the seven emirates to demonstrate the value of renewable energy and sustainability,” Haidar said. “Investing time and effort to develop green technologies is very rewarding on different fronts. I believe there is a lot of talent in the UAE and one of the best ways to celebrate the National Day is by demonstrating what we are capable of achieving.”