Sharjah: Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has paid £100,000 (Dh440,000) for the personal overcoat of Shaikha Jawaher Bint Mohammad Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
Shaikha Jawaher is the chairperson of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment (NAMA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children.
The purchase follows Shaikha Jawaher’s donation of the coat to the ‘Jeans for Refugees’ (JFR) charity initiative dedicated to refugees worldwide. The garment was sold at an auction that followed the JFR exhibition, which took place at Saatchi Gallery in London from October 24—30.
JFR was launched by Johnny Dar, an internationally acclaimed fashion designer and artist, as a global artistic collaboration dedicated to helping refugees around the world. The essence of the initiative was to empower people to collaborate for a common goal and to create a brighter world through the involvement of popular celebrities from the worlds of cinema, art, fashion and music. The activity received an impressive response from officials, celebrities and media across the world.
Shaikha Jawaher thanked SCCI for its humanitarian gesture of donating money by purchasing her coat in aid of refugees, as well as its major contribution in making the auction a success. She said the proceeds from the auction will help support the International Rescue Committee’s endeavours to improve lives and preserve the dignity of thousands of young girls and women living in refugee camps.
Abdullah Sultan Al Owais, deputy chairman of the Federation of UAE Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of SCCI, said: “Our participation in this auction stemmed from our belief in the just cause of refugees worldwide. It was in line with our desire to alleviate the suffering of displaced people and improving their living conditions in the host country refugee camps until the issue is resolved.”
Al Owais praised the immense efforts undertaken by Shaikha Jawaher to advocate and mobilise international support for refugees, as well as the launch of many initiatives and programmes through the Sharjah-based The Big Heart Foundation, of which she is the chairperson and which has succeeded in making a significant difference to the lives of millions of refugees around the world.
During his speech at the JFR exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery, Dar said: “This humanitarian initiative would not have achieved its success without the great support of Shaikha Jawaher Al Qasimi and NAMA. Refugees are in need of people who share with Shaikha Jawaher the same humanitarian vision and noble values she has always espoused and which she has always been committed to.”
Dar praised the immense efforts made by the late Ameera Bin Karam, who supported the JFR initiative since its launch, noting that she was eager to assist in realising its goals. A short documentary on Bin Karam was shown during the exhibition in memory of her incredible contribution to women’s empowerment and supporting humanitarian issues.
