Dubai: Twitter Festival raised more than Dh100,000 for the Dubai Autism Centre on Thursday and Tweeps said social media was now the way to raise awareness about social issues.
The money was donated by du, sponsors of the Dubai Twestival, and many other companies donated gadgets and a night's stay at top hotels and resorts for an auction. An i-Pad, a hot auction item, was picked up a Tweep for Dh 4000. The proceeds of the auction went to the Centre, which is struggling to build its new premises and house the growing number of autistic children in the UAE.
Hundreds of Tweeps gathered at the Leisure Deck of the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City. The event was telecast live to 150 other cities across the world where similar events were taking place.
P.K. Gulati, the organiser of the Dubai Twestival, said last year in the global charity event held here, Dubai topped the countries which raised money for a charitable cause. Dubai had raised more than Dh 146,000. Sara Mengesha and Cynthia Villanueua said they are new on Twitter and still trying to get the ‘hang of it'.