The UAE, through its humanitarian initiatives, is committed to offering relief and support to those in need, especially after the outbreak of COVID-19 exacerbated hunger and malnutrition among poor populations.
Dubai: A Dubai charity auction of artworks by leading artists and celebrities, and from the personal collections of world leaders, has raised Dh36,673,000 for the UAE’s ‘100 Million Meals’ Ramadan campaign to feed disadvantaged individuals and families in 30 countries.
The live in-person event on Saturday night featured a piece of the Kiswa, the cover of the Kaaba structure in Mecca’s grand mosque, from the personal collection of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The Kiswa piece was sold for $2.7 million.
Other items included works by the late South African President Nelson Mandela, artists Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Henri Matisse and Joan Miro, and British artist Sacha Jafri, who recently created the world’s largest painting on canvas in Dubai. A part of Jafri’s ‘The Road to Journey of Humanity’ painting sold for $4.2 million, the highest amount at the auction.
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A total of nearly $10 million was pledged to the UAE’s 100 Million Meals campaign at a charity art auction in Dubai on Saturday.
Organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives in collaboration with Maupy Auction, the live auction, which took place at the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, included rare artworks by Pablo Picasso, Nelson Mandela, Salvador Dali and David Hockney in its listings, as well as a signed painting by Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson for Dubai Culture, titled
The Road to the Journey of Humanity.
The charity initiative is one of the region’s biggest food drives, intent on giving 100 million meals to disadvantaged families during Ramadan. The amount of Dh36,673,000 ($9,985,840) raised will be used to help provide that same number of meals to beneficiaries in 30 countries throughout the holy month.
10:30 EDT, 25 April 2021
A timeline of Azaylia s six-month leukaemia battle
October 2020: Ashley emotionally revealed his daughter had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia, which he described as an uphill battle .
Heartbreaking: Ashley emotionally revealed his daughter had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukaemia in October
Azaylia was turned away by doctors three times and prescribed laxatives and a nasal spray when her breathing was impeded, shortly before her diagnosis.
By the end of the month, the brave child faced her second surgery and 16th chemotherapy-related treatment in less than two weeks.
November 2020: Azaylia s hair started to fall out just weeks after she was diagnosed.
Tom Parker has spoken of his sadness at learning of the death of Ashley Cain s eight-month-old daughter Azaylia, following her courageous battle with leukaemia.
TV personality Ashley, 30, took to Instagram on Sunday afternoon to share the tragic news that he had lost his daughter the day before after a long social media silence.
And The Wanted star Tom, 32 – who is bravely battling a terminal brain tumour – took to Instagram to admit that he was certain little Azaylia would have pulled through .
Devastated: Tom Parker has spoken of his sadness at learning of the death of Ashley Cain s eight-month-old daughter Azaylia, following her courageous battle with leukaemia