The Kanoo Group Sponsors GCC Forum on Avoidable Blindness

Dubai, UAE: As strong supporter of sight-saving initiatives, ‘The Kanoo Group’  along with prominent organisations sponsored the GCC Forum on Avoidable Blindness, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and President of Sightsavers in the UAE, held at the Fairmont Hotel, Dubai on 30^th October 2013.

For the past decades, The Kanoo Group has always been actively involved in various charitable causes and continuously helps organisations to successfully carry out their valuable social missions and visions.

Honorable guests like HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Ahmad Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (Chair, The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness – EMRO), Lady Wilson (Vice President, Sightsavers) and HE Dr Abdulaziz Al Rajhi (Executive Co-Chair, International Agency for Prevention of Blindness – Eastern Mediterranean Region) graced the noteworthy event.

Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan delivered his welcoming speech and an introductory video about avoidable blindness marked the opening ceremony. 

Thereafter, various speakers discussed diverse topics on avoidable blindness in the developing world, the importance of early prevention, and promoting the role of the GCC in making eye care reachable to all segments of the society. This is through specialist treatment and support to those who have lost their vision by providing education, counseling and training.

The forum was organised by Sightsavers Middle East and Prevention of Blindness Union (PBU).

Sightsavers is an international development charity founded in 1950 working to prevent and cure blindness and support people who are irreversibly blind. 

Over the years, it has performed over 289.9M treatments, over 7.4263M operations to restore sight, training for over 611,650 primary eye care workers and over 23,430 rehabilitation workers. It has also build a rehabilitation training for over 115,228 people. 

Sightsavers is active in 35 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Sightsavers Middle East is being chaired by HH Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan.

Prevention of Blindness Union (PBU) is a regional umbrella organisation that coordinates, collaborates, and advocates activities in the field of comprehensive eye care with all stakeholders such as governments, non-governmental development organisations (NGDOs), international multilateral organisations, professionals, and institutions from the Africa and Eastern Mediterranean Region. 

PBU is being chaired by HRH Prince Abdulaziz Ahmad Al Saud with its head office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

According to Sightsavers, currently there are 39 million blind people in the world. Most of them live without sight just because they are poor. The real tragedy is that 80% of all cases could be prevented or cured with straight-forward and low-cost treatments.

It added, "No one should be needlessly blind. As member of the community, how do you get involved and help prevent avoidable blindness, and rehabilitate the blind in the developing world?"

About The Kanoo Group

‘The Kanoo Group’ is one of the largest, independent, family-owned groups of companies in the Gulf region established in 1890. It has diversified business industries in shipping, travel, machinery, engineering, logistics, property, oil & gas, power, industrial chemicals, training, joint ventures, retail and commercial activities, among others, and operates extensively throughout Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen and Qatar.

Our Vision 
The Leading Family Business in the Region and Beyond

Our Mission 
Delivering Sustainable Excellence

Our Values 
Customer Focused, Ethical, Innovative, Agile, Competent & Intelligent, Collaborative, Accountable 

P.O. Box 290, Dubai, UAE. Toll Free: 800 KANOO, Fax: 04-3933636, Websites: www.kanoo.com / www.kanoogroup.com 

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Michelle Laylo Verzola
PR Executive
The Kanoo Group