Dubai Ruler to auction off personal items in support of Reading Nation campaign

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, is donating some of his personal belongings to a charity auction will be held to support the Reading Nation Ramadan campaign. Wam

DUBAI // Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, is donating personal items to a charity auction which will be held in support of the Reading Nation Ramadan campaign.

A 106-year-old piece of the Holy Kaaba cover (Kiswa) embroidered with gold and silver threads belonging to Sheikh Mohammed will be auctioned on June 21 at Madinat Jumeirah.

The Dubai Ruler is also donating a collection of art pieces from his office.

“The support of Sheikh Mohammed in spreading the reading habit and knowledge-sharing is truly limitless,” said Mohammed Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of Mohammed bin Rashid Global Initiatives and Chairman of the Executive Office.

“This support is not exclusive to the Ramadan campaign or to this charity auction, but has included establishing knowledge-advancing institutions that have benefited millions of students, such as Dubai Cares and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation.

“He has also launched large-scale initiatives and contests, such as the Arab Reading Challenge in which over 3.5 million students participated. Under his directive, the UAE has also presented Arabic Language awards and launched the largest library in the Arab world,” Mr Al Gergawi said.

The Reading Nation Ramadan campaign was launched by Sheikh Mohammed on the first day of Ramadan and aims to provide five million books to underprivileged children in refugee camps and around the world in addition to establishing 2,000 libraries in schools globally.

National media organisations, such as Abu Dhabi Media which publishes The National, Dubai Media Incorporated, Arab Media Group, and national Arabic and English newspapers and publications have joined the campaign through covering events and activities held by participating entities.

More information about the Reading Nation Ramadan campaign are available at readingnation.ae.

On Tuesday, the National Media Council hosted a Ramadan gathering for a number of senior officials from Dubai government departments to highlight the importance of reading.

At the gathering, Obaid Al Leem, director of the Media Content Department at the NMC, spoke about the council’s roles and responsibilities as well as its efforts to highlight national unity as a source of stability for citizens, and projecting a positive image of the UAE.

He said the NMC has been given additional responsibilities including the coordination of the UAE’s media policy and promoting the unity of the country’s federation, among others.

Mr Al Leem noted that President Sheikh Khalifa has declared 2016 the Year of Reading in the UAE.