ADIB announce 2013 Middle East Philanthropy Awards winners

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank (ADIB), a top-tier Islamic financial services institution, in association with Campden Wealth awarded the region’s top philathropists at the Middle East Philanthropy Awards 2013, which were presented on December 10, at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Abu Dhabi. 

The awards recognise and reward both individuals and institutions who have made significant philanthropic contributions in the Middle East and North Africa in four categories. 

Taking the lead as Philathropist of the Year was Badr Jafar, recognised for his outstanding philanthropic commitment. Jafar is the founder of Pearl Initiative – a non-profit organisation that champions culture of best business practices in UAE and the Arab region. He raised over 3 million dollars to fund a programme that  provides arts programs to over 16,000 children in UAE, Palestine and Jordan. 

Meanwhile, the award for Young Philathropist of the Year went to Nader Abdulrahman Almulla, the Executive Director for Local Programs & Deputy Director General of Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation. Al Mulla is active in supporting natural disaster victims and actively works with the international community and NGOs to deliver emergency aid to impacted areas including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia, Yemen, Indonesia, Philippines and  Somalia. 

Looking at institutions, the The King Hussein Cancer Foundation was named Regional Foundation of the Year for their work in helping thousands of cancer patients in the Middle East through its dedicated cancer care center. In addition to its outstanding medical care, the foundation has launched prevention and awareness campaigns across the region. In the UAE, the award for Local Foundation of the Year went to two organisations: Make a Wish Foundatrion – a non-profit organisation dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions – and Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahayan Charitable & Humanitarian Foundation, which has helped change the lives of individiuals around the world through humanitarian schemes. 

The final category is the Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognises an individual or initiative that has shown an outstanding philanthropic commitment in the Middle East. This was awarded to the Khalifa school in Beit Lahiya in Gaza – an initiative by Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation that has adopted a school in the Gaza Strip in Palestine. The school operates two shifts; morning and evening, with approximately three thousand students enrolled. 

Commenting on the awards, ADIB CEO Tirad Al-Mahmoud said: “We are now truly beginning to see the Middle East develop into a philanthropic hub – as evidenced by the astounding indivuduals and foundations who were regonised at this year’s Middle East Philantrhopy Awards. Philanthropy and community engagement are core values at ADIB and they are an integral part of our promise to bring ‘banking as it should be’ to the UAE community.” 

The  awards saw great interest from the region with more than 50 applications received for the four categories. Applications were processed and reviewed via an expert panel of judges, appointed to oversee the nomination process and select the  winners.