Drawing contest for special needs kids

Rashid Pediatric Centre is to hold a drawing competition for children with special needs from March 7 to 27, with ten winners receiving a PC each offered by Intel.

'Creativeness' will be held as part of the Dubai Shopping Festival. It will be held under the patronage of Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The announcement of the competition was made during a press conference yesterday at the Dubai Officers' Club. It was attended by Mona Al Marri, Vice President of the Dubai Ladies' Club on behalf of Sheikha Manal. Brig. Mohammed bin Hussien Al Ali, Head of the DSF's Sport Committee, and a representative of the Rashid Pediatric Centre and Intel were also present.

The event is sponsored by Dubai Police, the DSF and Intel. All children with special needs, of any nationality, below the age of 18 can take part. Application forms will be distributed to all special needs centres in the country.

Children who do not belong to any centre can apply directly to Rashid Pediatric Centre. Applications will be available from March 7 to 20. The winning paintings will be chosen by a panel of judges consisting of artists from the UAE.

The panel will also choose the best 90 paintings which will be displayed alongside the other ten at a public exhibition. The two-day exhibition will be opened by Sheikha Manal.

In addition, the centre will hold a two-day painting show where children will paint 'live' before the public. Mariam Othman, Director of Rashid Pediatric Centre, said they are planning to extend the competition to entrants from Gulf and Arab countries.