Tag: Arab Philanthropy

U.A.E: EMIRATI Philanthropist Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi and Ahmed Al Falasi gets Mother Teresa International Award 2023 forCulture Category and Social work

Two more UAE residents, Emirati Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi and British painter Sacha Jafri, receive awards in the culture category.

The Mother Teresa International Awards 2023 celebrated the accomplishments of 18 outstanding individuals, with Emirati philanthropist Ahmed Al Falasi at the forefront for his contributions to social work. Al Falasi, recognised as the Arab Hope Maker in 2020, garnered this honour for his humanitarian efforts in establishing advanced kidney dialysis centres and incubators in Kenya’s Mombasa.

Joining the ranks of awardees were two esteemed UAE residents, Emirati Sheikh Ahmed Bin Faisal Al Qassimi and British painter Sacha Jafri. Both were lauded in the culture category. The accolades were presented during a ceremony held at Dubai’s Conrad Hotel on August 26, which was the 113th birth anniversary of Mother Teresa, a global icon known for her selfless devotion.

These awards were organised by the All-India Minority and Weaker Sections Council, a non-political organisation founded by Late Prafulla Chandra Sen, a former chief minister of West Bengal, and Mr. Anthony Arun Biswas, alongside other dignitaries.

Mother Teresa, beatified by Pope John Paul II as Saint Teresa, was born on August 26, 1910. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, a humanitarian organisation that grew to include over 4,500 nuns serving in 133 countries. Her life’s work revolved around assisting the most impoverished individuals, receiving honours such as the Ramon Magsaysay Peace Prize and the Nobel Peace Prize.

Notably, this marked the first instance of the award ceremony being hosted outside of India. After Saint Teresa’s passing in 1997, the council established the Mother Teresa International and Millennium Award Committee. This committee was entrusted with the task of annually recognising exceptional individuals who have excelled in the fields of education, science, culture, sports, social work, medicine, industry, and politics in India.

Prior to this event, the Harmony Organisation, which also presents awards in Mother Teresa’s name, expressed concerns regarding the August 26 event in Dubai. They asserted that it lacked the endorsement or recognition of the Missionaries of Charity, the Catholic religious institute established by Mother Teresa herself in 1950. This institute, now under the Catholic Church’s recognition as Saint Teresa of Calcutta, exclusively supports Harmony Organisation’s awards, they said, emphasising that any other award ceremony could tarnish the legacy of the revered Saint.

However, the organisers of the Mother Teresa International Awards unequivocally refuted these claims. Dr. T.H. Ireland, Principal of St. James’ School in Kolkata and chairman of the awards committee told Khaleej Times: “Nobody can lay sole claim to Mother Teresa. She was a universal icon. Our award ceremony has a 22-year history of recognising luminaries such as Dr Manmohan Singh, the former Prime Minister of India, and Ms. Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.”

During a press conference earlier, Indian playback singer Usha Uthup shared her profound connection with Mother Teresa, spanning four decades. She recalled visiting Mother Teresa at the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata during both her trying and triumphant times. Usha Uthup said she had the privilege of being present during her passing and her canonisation.

Dubai businessman and cricket enthusiast Shyam Bhatia fondly remembered his visits to Mother Teresa and her simple yet powerful message: “We don’t want your money; we want your time.”

Sacha Jafri, the Dubai-based world-renowned artist, who intends to place the first official artwork on the moon, expressed his delight at receiving this prestigious award.

The ceremony’s highlights included dance performances by the mother-daughter actor-artiste duo Indrani Dutta and Rajnandini Paul, as well as Bollywood actor Kalpana Iyer and Usha Uthup, creating a memorable blend of song and dance.

source/content: khaleejtimes.com (headline edited)

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (U.A.E)

SAUDI ARABIA provided $95 billion in Humanitarian Aid to 160 countries, Eng. Waleed Al-Khereiji, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed Al-Khereiji emphasized that the Kingdom has never hesitated to harness all its capabilities to serve humanitarian causes. “The humanitarian aid provided by the Kingdom over the past 70 years has exceeded $95 billion and that benefited 160 countries around the world, making it at the forefront of donor countries for humanitarian and development aid,” he said.

Al-Khereiji made the remarks while attending, on behalf of Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the meeting of the 160th regular session of the Council of the Arab League at the ministerial level, at the league headquarters in Cairo.

He reiterated the Kingdom’s emphasis on the importance of peace in the Middle East, as it is the strategic choice for the Arab countries, and the importance of encouraging accelerated negotiations to reach a just and comprehensive solution that meets the aspirations of the Palestinian people in accordance with international resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. He expressed the Kingdom’s condemnation of the attacks, unilateral actions and repeated provocations by the Israeli occupation forces, which undermine the peace process.

Al-Khereiji expressed the Kingdom’s backing on Syria’s return to the Arab fold, stressing that this will contribute positively to efforts to resolve the crisis there and restore stability to Syria and the region. He reiterated the Kingdom’s support for all efforts made to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis in a way that preserves Syria’s unity, security, stability and Arab identity. He repeated the Kingdom’s demand for the withdrawal of foreign forces and armed militias from Syria.

Regarding Sudan, Al-Khereiji said the Kingdom voices its deep concern over the cessation of talks that are aimed at ending the conflict and reaching a permanent ceasefire agreement.

Al-Khereiji also led the Saudi delegation, on behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan to the third session of the ministerial meeting for the Arab-Japanese political dialogue. The meeting of the foreign ministers from the Arab and Japanese sides was held at the headquarters of the Arab League. The Arab side was headed by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, while the Japanese side was headed by its Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.

In his speech, Al-Khereiji expressed the Kingdom’s aspiration to advance Arab-Japanese cooperation to better levels in various fields. He stressed the importance of making the Middle East a safe, stable, and prosperous region that gives hope for a better future for all. “There is broad agreement with Japan regarding the importance of establishing peace, encouraging negotiated solutions, and strengthening security, stability, and development,” he said.

source/content: cdn.saudigazette.com.sa (headline edited)

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Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed Al-Khereiji addressing the ministerial meeting for the Arab-Japanese political dialogue in Cairo.

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SAUDI ARABIA