Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, stressed that the Emirate of Sharjah will continue its support to refugees and needy in any place around the world, whether directly or through its international partners.
His words came during a virtual event held to honour the winner of the fourth annual edition of the Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support, SIARA 2020.
Tumaini Letu, a non-profit organisation based at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, Africa, and founded by refugee poet and artist Trésor Nzengu Mpauni was announced as the winner of the AED 500,000 award at the 4th edition of SIARA. The organisation’s flagship programme, the annual Tumaini Festival, is an art and culture event that has attracted 99,000 attendees and united 304 groups of artists from 18 different countries over the past six years while also generating around US$150,000 per year.
At the virtual address broadcast live on The Big Heart Foundation’s social media platforms, Sheikh Sultan said, “Even as wars and violence continue to displace more people every day, our duty is to decrease the impact of wars through actions that benefit innocent victims.”
The Ruler said initiatives such as SIARA help in “minimising the effects of wars, especially feelings of injustice, persecution and hatred.”
Pledging his commitment to continue to support and assist refugees, Sheikh Sultan Al Qasimi thanked TBHF for improving the lives of millions of displaced persons worldwide. The Sharjah Ruler also commended the noble efforts of his wife, Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of TBHF and UNHCR Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children, “for leaving a sustainable impact wherever she visited, and planting the seeds of hope, awareness and love.”
In his message, Dr Sheikh Sultan described Sharjah as the emirate that “chose to stand by the victims of conflicts, wars, disasters, poverty, and the weak whose rights are violated.”
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