Zain participates in UN Day ceremony
KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications company in Kuwait, participated in a special ceremony that was held on the occasion of the United Nations Day, which coincides with the 24th of October of every year. The event, held under the patronage of First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Hamad AlSabah, came as part of Zain’s strategic partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The ceremony, held at the UN House (Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Humanitarian Leader Building) in Mubarak Al Abdullah Area, witnessed the attendance of the representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Assistant Foreign Minister for International Organizations Ambassador Nasser Al-Hain, as well as Chairman of the Board - Director General of the General Authority for the Environment - Rapporteur of the Supreme Council for Environment Sheikh Abdullah Ahmad Al-Homoud Al-Sabah, as well as a number of the UN’s partners from the civil community, private sector, international organizations, as well as a number of public figures.
Zain’s participation came as an extension of the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the company and the UNHCR during April of 2016. The agreement considered the best ways in which to contribute to the improvement of the living and social conditions of refugees and any other individuals who the UNHCR provides assistance to, and is considered an embodiment of the spirit of cooperation between private and global humanitarian sectors. Through its dedicated booth, Zain showcased its most prominent contributions in humanitarian fields during the past two years, including its #ZainWithRefugees campaign, field trips to refugee camps, online donation campaigns, strategic partnerships with local and global humanitarian entities, and more.
The event mainly aimed at highlighting the State of Kuwait’s contributions and efforts into achieving the 2030 sustainable goals, including Kuwait’s leading role in humanitarian aid, crisis and emergency aid, global developmental efforts, and more. The event witnessed a discussion panel as well an exhibition featuring the UN’s biggest partners, including Zain.
Earlier this year, Zain launched its humanitarian campaign #ZainWithRefugees in collaboration with the UNHCR. The campaign aimed at improving the living conditions of thousands of refugees in the region who suffer from the lack of essential supplies during the harsh winter season. Donations were utilized to provide families with financial support, winter clothing, thermal blankets, heaters, and more. Zain prides itself in its long list of joint collaborations with the UNHCR, including the extension of mobile telecommunications coverage to reconnect displaced families in the Middle East, offering telecom services in deprived areas, as well as awareness campaigns through SMS services and social media channels.
The agreement between Zain and the UNHCR also focuses on the importance of raising awareness of the plight of refugees, and shedding light on the humanitarian initiatives in place to alleviate the suffering of this community of people around the world, as well as highlight the efforts of the State of Kuwait in creating a hub for humanitarian work.
In relevance to the international refugee situation, Zain partnered with Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) to organize a humanitarian trip that saw 12 of its volunteered employees visiting and supporting Syrian refugees in Lebanon to distribute food, clothes, blankets and cater to a number of KRCS-supported projects. Zain also continued its annual Clothes Donation Campaign and extended it this year to Kuwait University, were over 10.5 tons of clothes were donated and sent by Kuwait Society for Relief to displaced Syrian families.