Abu Dhabi: US First Lady Laura Bush seized the opportunity yesterday to defend her country's image before a group of Emirati students.
"You probably had wrong ideas about America," she told the students during discussions on various issues.
Responding to queries from students, who said their trip to the US was enriching and that they learnt many new things, the First Lady said: "We all have similar ambitions, hopes, expectations and concerns, though there are different cultures and languages."
Bush asked them not to believe everything they watch on TV or hear about the US. She also called for joint programmes to build important bridges of communication among nations.
Laura Bush is on a four-day Middle East tour to support campaigns to combat and control breast cancer.
She witnessed the signing of a partnership between the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi and the Susan G. Komen Foundation to fight breast cancer. The signing ceremony was held at Shaikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC). The US-Middle East Breast Cancer Awareness and Research project was organised by the US Department of State.
The First Lady's mother and grandmother had a history of breast cancer. She later left for Saudi Arabia.
The first national anti-breast cancer campaign was launched yesterday under the patronage of Her Highness Shaikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the UAE General Women's Union.The campaign is organised jointly by the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and the Ministry of Health.
Ahmad Mubarak Al Mazroui, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Health Authority authority, said the programme will help save 300 mothers, wives and daughters in the next five years.
He said Dh80 million would be spent during the next two years to provide medical facilities with the latest medical equipment and services and train more employees and raise awareness among people about the importance of fighting this disease.
The main message conveyed from Abu Dhabi is that early detection of breast cancer saves lives. Women must also self examine on a regular basis and encourage each other to be aware of the disease.
