BELGIUM: BELGIAN COMPANY INVENT ALARM CLOCK SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR MOSLEM TRAVELLERS

Record ID: 231209

  • Title: BELGIUM: BELGIAN COMPANY INVENT ALARM CLOCK SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR MOSLEM TRAVELLERS
  • Date: 5th November 1997
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (NOVEMBER 5, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. VARIOUS EXTERIOR SHOTS OF BRUSSELS MOSQUE/ WOMEN AND CHILDREN WALKING INTO ISLAMIC CENTRE NEXT TO MOSQUE/ MEN INSIDE PRAYING (7 SHOTS) 0.47 GOSSELIES, BELGIUM (NOVEMBER 5, 1997) 2. SLV DOMINIQUE COLARD, MIKAT'S INVENTOR, SHOWING HOW IT WORKS 0.52 3. CLOSE-UP OF ALARM CLOCK AS VOICE OF MUEZZIN CALLS PEOPLE TO PRAY 1.01 4. SV COLARD EXPLAINING THAT THE ALARM CLOCK IS DESIGNED NOT JUST FOR TRAVELLERS BUT ALSO FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN TOWNS LIKE BRUSSELS OR PARIS WHERE THE MOSQUES DO NOT CALL THE FAITHFUL TO PRAYER (FRENCH) 1.37 5. CU/SCU MORE VIEWS OF ALARM CLOCK (2 SHOTS) 1.56 6. SV COLARD SAYING THAT THE IDEA CAME BY ACCIDENT WHEN HE WAS TALKING WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS, ONE OF WHOM IS ALGERIAN, AND THE IDEA DEVELOPED FROM THERE. 2.34 BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (NOVEMBER 5, 1997) 7. SV/SCU INTERIOR OF MOSQUE, MAN READING KORAN (2 SHOTS) 2.48 Initials S3,P3 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 20th November 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GOSSEILIES AND BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVAF0GIECYIJCRNV7UCU51UH01V0
  • Story Text: INTRO: A Belgian company has recently launched a travel alarm clock specifically for devout Moslem travellers which replicates the muezzin's traditional call to prayer at the right times of day anywhere in the world.

    The Mikat alarm clock is the first fully portable, fully programmable device of its kind in the world, according to its creator Dominique Colard.

    All the traveller needs do is programme in a location from a list of major cities already in the system and the Mikat takes care of the rest - calculating the times for prayer as prescribed in the Koran.

    The Mikat also caters for those travelling to more remote ares as it can be programmed with longitude and latitude degrees.

    Colard says that several devices already exist that imitate a muezzin's call but most are for desk or tabletop use and none are programmable.

    Colard says the idea came to him by accident when he was talking with a group of friends, including an Algerian friend living in Paris who was complaining about missing prayers. They developed the idea from there, says Colard.

    The Mikat, which is manufactured in China, sells for about 40 US dollars and Colard says that it has been well received by consumers.

    Additional features of the Mikat include a jack for loudspeakers and the rather mundane touch of a traditional alarm clock.


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