Dubai art auction funds new school in Pakistan
dubai — Over 400 business and community leaders gathered in an art auction in Dubai on Tuesday, raising funds for the construction of a new primary school unit in Pakistan. Organised by Dubai Cares, part of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, the charity event was also able to generate enough funds to cover the school’s operations for three years.
The charity auction, held in partnership with The Citizens Foundation (TCF), saw leading members of Pakistan’s diaspora in the country and other influential people bidding generously to acquire art pieces. Acclaimed artists from South Asia, Middle East, and Europe presented more than 80 works of art, ranging from paintings and sculptures to collector’s items. Among the items was a bat that belonged to former Pakistan cricket team captain Younis Khan, the first Pakistani batsman to complete 10,000 runs in test cricket.
Located in a densely populated area surrounded by several villages, the existing TCF School - Dubai Cares Campus in Larkana, Pakistan, currently has six classrooms and 193 enrolled students. With the classrooms reaching maximum capacity, the new unit will allow the school to accommodate an additional 180 boys and girls.
Pakistan is the world’s sixth most populous country with the highest number of out-of-schoolchildren in South Asia, and the second highest in the world. According to Unicef studies, out-ofschool-children in Pakistan often face deep-rooted structural inequalities and disparities that are most often linked to gender biases, income poverty, child labour, inadequacies in the supply of schools and teachers, particularly in rural and remote areas, lack of infrastructure and school facilities for girls, and inadequate budget allocations and resource distribution.
“We are thankful for the overwhelming support from prominent local and international artists, partners and art buyers who made the auction a success. Art is a universal language that brings people together and through this charity art auction, Dubai Cares hopes to help draw attention to the plight of disadvantaged children in Pakistan and around the world, who are denied access to education,” said Tariq Al Gurg, CEO, Dubai Cares.
“TCF believes that education is the real solution to our many socioeconomic problems. By enabling education for the less-privileged children, you are giving them a chance to a better life allowing them to create a lasting positive impact for themselves, their families and their community,” said Nilofer Saeed, director, TCF.
Through this auction, Dubai Cares hopes to draw attention to the plight of disadvantaged children in Pakistan and around the world.” Tariq Al Gurg, CEO, Dubai Cares
Education is the real solution to our many socio-economic problems. It is a real equaliser and a gamechanger for any society. Nilofer Saeed, director, The Citizens Foundation