Al Jalila Foundation’s first NFT collection to raise funds for medical research
Created by an Emirati artist, each NFT is illustrated as a letter representing a cause
Dubai: Al Jalila Foundation, a non-profit healthcare organisation dedicated to transforming lives through medical innovation, and a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, announced today that it has launched the first-ever collection of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) by a charity in the UAE.
The collection, titled ‘A Fingerprint on Humanity,’ is the brainchild of visionary Emirati artist Maisoon Al Saleh and aims to raise awareness and generate funds for patients impacted by life-threatening diseases in the UAE.
Dr. Amer Al Zarooni, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation, said, “In accordance with the Dubai Metaverse Strategy to become a worldwide hub for the metaverse community, we are proud to be the first healthcare charity in the UAE to accept donations in cryptocurrencies, bridging the gap between physical and digital currency. Our inaugural NFT collection, ‘A Fingerprint of Humanity,’ encourages our donor community to make a positive impact on patients. This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to promote innovation within our fund-raising channels and provide donors worldwide with the convenience of supporting our healthcare programmes.”
The collection comprises five one-of-a-kind NFTs, with each NFT illustrated as a letter that contains the most precious content: ‘hope.’ Each letter represents a particular cause, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental health, and obesity. Drawing inspiration from Al Jalila Foundation’s ground-breaking donor recognition wall, ‘Bassmat Rashid Bin Saeed,’ Maisoon has incorporated a fingerprint on each wax seal that adorns the letters. The fingerprint symbolises the enduring impact that every individual can make on society.
Colour-coded
Every NFT in the collection is colour-coded to signify a specific cause, and 100% of the proceeds from the sale of each NFT will go toward supporting Al Jalila Foundation. By possessing one of these exclusive NFTs, collectors can establish a legacy and contribute positively to society, one NFT at a time.
Maisoon said: “I urge artists to use their creative talents to support a charitable cause. My association with Al Jalila Foundation dates back to 2014 when I curated an art exhibition that led to the creation of this series of NFTs.”
The NFT collection was unveiled at Arts DAO Fest, a pioneering cultural festival that celebrates digital art and internet culture, bringing together worldwide industry experts and leaders. The festival was organised by the Dubai-based Arts DAO, which represents the Middle East’s most extensive web3 community.
Anas Bhurtun, Co-founder and CEO of Arts DAO, said: “We are delighted to have Al Jalila Foundation as a charity partner for Arts DAO Fest. Innovation is the driving force behind Arts DAO, and when we learned that Al Jalila Foundation would become the first charitable organisation to release NFTs to raise funds for patient treatment and medical research, we knew we had to introduce them to the web3 community we’ve established here in the Middle East.”
Up for sale
The NFT collection is currently up for sale on OpenSea in Ethereum and the ftNFT Marketplace in the UAE Dirham.
Vigen Badalyan, Co-Founder of ftNFT, commented: “We are honoured to have been chosen as the preferred platform by Al Jalila Foundation to unveil the UAE’s first charitable NFT. Our distinctive platform enables our clients to purchase NFTs in the UAE Dirham, which sets us apart from others. We are delighted to be part of such initiatives that make a significant contribution to the community.”
NFTs are digital assets that represent ownership or proof of authenticity of a unique item or piece of content such as art, music, videos, or even tweets. They are based on blockchain technology and can be bought and sold like traditional assets, but they are distinguishable from one another and cannot be exchanged for one another, hence the name “non-fungible.” NFTs have gained popularity in recent years as a way for artists and creators to monetise their digital creations and for collectors to own one-of-a-kind digital assets.