PHOTOGRAPHY HIPA Launches the ‘For You’ Initiative to Bring Happiness to Children Around the World

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council, the Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA) has launched a humanitarian initiative under the title ‘For You’. The initiative will be launched in partnership with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the Emirates Red Crescent, Emirates Post Group and Dubai Media Incorporated.

A press conference launching the initiative took place on Monday the 8th of January 2018 at the HIPA Headquarters in Downtown Dubai. In attendance at the announcement were representatives from all partner organisations including; Fatma Al Marri, the Chief Executive Officer at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Abdullah Mohammed Al Ashram, Acting-CEO of Emirates Post Group as well as Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, the Deputy Secretary General of Local Affairs at the Emirates Red Crescent.

The initiative will initially see thousands of small boxes distributed to UAE school children who will fill them up with stationery and other school supplies of their choice which will then be delivered to school children in different parts of the world. These boxes will serve as letters of care and love between school children in the United Arab Emirates and their counterparts in different countries around the world.

A press conference launching the initiative / Courtesy of HIPA

HIPA Launches the ‘For You’ Initiative / Courtesy of HIPA

The Secretary General of HIPA, His Excellency Ali bin Thalith said, “As per the directives of His Highness the Crown Prince of Dubai and Patron of HIPA, we have worked tirelessly over the past few months to prepare for this initiative to be HIPA’s participation in the ‘Year of Zayed’. It was certainly a challenge to come up with an innovative concept which can teach school children in the UAE the value of giving and helping out those less fortunate. By giving the children the chance to pick their own gifts to send to children in other countries, HIPA has become a bridge of love and charity between the UAE and the rest of the world.”

Bin Thalith continued, “We are also proud to work on this initiative with other organisations that have been pioneers in philanthropy in the past, such as the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the Emirates Red Crescent, Emirates Post Group and Dubai Media Incorporated. We have no doubt that the initiative will be a great success with the help of these organisations and that it will have a positive impact on society in the UAE and abroad. Thankfully, we have already completed the first step in this initiative at the end of last year during a visit to the UAE-Jordanian refugee camp in Jordan and we will announce more developments in the near future.”

Bin Thalith concluded, “I invite all interested schools in the UAE to register for the ‘For You’ initiative through the official website http://www.lakum.ae. All schools will be given a period of time to fill up empty boxes before they are picked up by Emirates Post Group who will then deliver them to the Emirates Red Crescent to dispatch around the world. We would also like to stress the important role that Dubai Media Incorporated will play in promoting this initiative to the general public in the United Arab Emirates and abroad.”

HIPA at the UAE Jordanian refugee camp, © LAKUM, For You / Courtesy of HIPA

UAE Jordanian refugee camp, © LAKUM, For You / Courtesy of HIPA

UAE Jordanian refugee camp, © LAKUM, For You / Courtesy of HIPA

His Excellency Rashid Mubarak Al Mansouri, the Deputy Secretary General for Local Affairs at the Emirates Red Crescent said, “The culture of charity and giving is deeply rooted in the UAE’s society, which will fittingly play a crucial role in the ‘For You’ initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council and Patron of HIPA. The initiative will no doubt bring happiness and hope to many children around the world through the massive efforts put by communities in the United Arab Emirates.”

Al Mansouri added, “As shown by our illustrious history in the field of charity, the Emirates Red Crescent is proud to be part of any unique initiative that offers hope to those less fortunate. We will do our utmost to help achieve this initiative’s key goals through delivering the boxes to those in need of them around the world. During the first stage of the initiative, we successfully delivered a number of boxes to children at the UAE-Jordanian refugee camp and have future plans to improve and widen our efforts and make this a successful initiative for all those involved.”

UAE Jordanian refugee camp, © LAKUM, For You / Courtesy of HIPA

UAE Jordanian refugee camp, © LAKUM, For You / Courtesy of HIPA

Fatima Al Marri, the Chief Executive Officer at KHDA said, “By giving a unique opportunity for young people to unite their efforts towards a good cause, the ‘For You’ initiative inspires students to give back to the community through charity. It also presents an opportunity for them to improve their communication skills by connecting them with children in different parts of the world and immersing them in the everyday struggles that their counterparts may encounter. At KHDA, we are very proud to be a part of this initiative and we will encourage all schools and students to participate in the collection drive and be a part of this very noble cause.“

UAE Jordanian refugee camp, © LAKUM, For You / Courtesy of HIPA

UAE Jordanian refugee camp, © LAKUM, For You / Courtesy of HIPA

The Acting-CEO of Emirates Post Group, His Excellency Abdullah Mohammed Al Ashram, said, “To be part of the ‘For You’ initiative is a perfect translation of the vision and generosity of the UAE and its founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. We recognize the great humanitarian and charitable projects launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council and HIPA in the past, and feel that the ‘For You’ initiative is yet another milestone of innovation for the patron of the organisation. The Emirates Post Group’s participation in this initiative is a national duty shared by all those involved, and that is to foster a culture of volunteer work and charity in the younger generations coming up in this great nation. At Emirates Post Group, we will give our absolute support to this initiative through all logistical and strategic means and look forward to working with all our partners to achieve the desired goals.”