Dubai: More than 150 Pakistani expatriates attended an ‘iftar for a cause’ in support of the Pakistan Medical Centre, organised by Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) on Saturday.
The iftar was held to raise support for the ‘own a brick’ campaign to build the Pakistan Medical Centre, the first not-for-profit multi-specialty community health care facility in Dubai. The facility will be open to all nationalities.
The ‘own a brick’ campaign was championed by a six-year-old, volunteering for the first time. To motivate the audience to own bricks for the cause and help the less fortunate, she walked across the hall with a bowl collecting pledge cards.
Dr Faisal Ikram, President of PAD, told the audience: “The institution has always worked relentlessly in order to engage, unite and encourage the community to join hands for a cause that will make everyone proud.”
“The ‘own a brick’ campaign and the not-for-profit Pakistan Medical Centre is a novel project in the region and we are proud to be the front-runners,” he said.
“As a volunteer organisation, we wish to inculcate the spirit of volunteering and giving in our younger generation. We want to be in line with the Community Development Authority’s vision of engaging the youth to help build a better society.”
During the event, seasoned and upcoming artists from Pakistan and the Middle East showcased their artworks at a calligraphic art exhibition held in support of the cause.
“It was a heart-warming experience to see the community being so enthusiastic in appreciating art whilst contributing through it for a larger cause,” Ayesha Imtiaz of Poetic Strokes, organiser of the exhibition, said.
