Dubai Culture launches second edition of Ramadan Heroes

With the advent of the holy month of Ramadan, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), in consolidation of its humanitarian community initiatives, is promoting the spirit and values of giving among society members. Following 2020’s ‘Ramadan Heroes’ campaign that honored labourers in Dubai, the Authority is launching the second, expanded version of this campaign, which will also include support for needy families across the emirate, in cooperation with its partners talabat, Emirates Red Crescent Authority (ERC) and UAE Food Bank.

This initiative invites community members to contribute by purchasing Iftar meals or providing Ramadan boxes of food supplies through talabat, which will be safely delivered in cooperation with ERC and UAE Food Bank to beneficiaries’ houses across Dubai as free Ramadan tents will not be made available to align with national preventive measures to preserve the health and safety of community members and limit the spread of COVID-19. Community members can participate in the campaign by downloading the talabat app, selecting ‘Ramadan Heroes,’ and following the steps presented.

Hala Badri, Director-General of Dubai Culture, stressed that last year's edition of ‘Ramadan Heroes’ contributed to enhancing the values of community cohesion and human communication among individuals of different nationalities and cultures. The campaign was also a gesture of gratitude to labourers for the services they provide and their contributions to Dubai’s construction and development process.

Badri said: “The success of last year's edition of the ‘Ramadan Heroes’ campaign is an indication of the solidarity between Emirati community members that was set in place in our society since the union. Through the second edition of the initiative, we are continuing our mission and efforts to consolidate the values of tolerance, solidarity and human cohesion among our community members, especially as we expanded the campaign’s scope to provide food support to those in need throughout the emirate during Ramadan.”

Badri affirmed Dubai Culture’s role as a cultural authority and highlighted the coexistence among different culture in the emirate. She also emphasised how the Authority seeks to inspire pioneering charitable, humanitarian and social work as well as Dubai Culture’s commitment to supporting society members in their time of need through cooperation with its partners in the public and private sectors. Badri also confirmed that the ‘Ramadan Heroes’ initiative is part of the Authority's efforts to support the UAE's agenda of achieving the global sustainable development goals, especially the second goal — ending hunger — as well as ensuring food security, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture.

HE Hamoud Abdullah Al-Junaibi, Deputy Secretary-General for Marketing and Resource Development at the ERC, said: “The ‘Ramadan Heroes’ initiative aims to consolidate the process of giving that is based on the approach of the founders of the UAE and on our sense of social responsibility by providing tens of thousands of meals to workers and needy families in the holy month through talabat.”

Al Junaibi affirmed ERC’s continued cooperation in such initiatives, especially as this campaign allows for further collaboration two sides and strengthens the partnership in one of the most important areas of humanitarian and development work to mobilise support for ERC’s developmental initiatives.

Al Junaibi also expressed his aspiration to achieve more gains for the vulnerable segments through this initiative, praising the company's initiative to enhance ERC's social and humanitarian programmes through the latest platforms to deliver meals.

Jérémy Doutté, Vice-President UAE at talabat  said: “We are proud to announce the launch of the ‘Ramadan Heroes’ campaign for the second year and our collaboration with our trusted partners, Dubai Culture, ERC, and UAE Food Bank, in supporting the UAE community. talabat is a purpose-driven company that strongly believes in the importance of giving back to the communities we operate in, complementing the UAE’s deeply rooted spirit of philanthropy.”

Doutté added: “By utilising our platform for good, we are providing the public with the opportunity to contribute safely during the holy month by donating talabat Mart food baskets, or iftar meal vouchers, recognising every individual's role in making a difference. The initiative harnesses the power of unity and technology towards a noble cause.”

Dubai Culture, in cooperation with talabat, Dar al Ber Society, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Industrial City, and Art Group for Good, launched the first edition of ‘Ramadan Heroes’ in April 2020.  The initiative came as part of the Authority’s humanitarian community initiatives targeting labourers in Dubai to make them happy, honour them, and convey gratitude to them for the services they provide as well as to create a state of cohesion between them and society members in light of the difficult conditions imposed by COVID-19.

During the holy month, the campaign succeeded in providing about 51,000 meals to basic services workers at labour camps in TECOM and other housing centres for workers and employees through Dar al Ber Society.