The Kanoo Group attends Sightsavers event as charity supporter

His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan delivers his
opening speech at the UAE Conference on Saving Sight 2014

Abu Dhabi, UAE: Representatives of ‘The Kanoo Group’ together with local and international charitable and humanitarian institutions attended the UAE Conference on Saving Sight as partners and supporters of Sightsavers, held on 30^th April 2014 at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Sightsavers International is a group of organisations working with partners to eliminate avoidable blindness and to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people in those living in poverty, in some of the world's poorest countries.

His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, President of Sightsavers UAE and Patron of ‘The UAE Conference on Saving Sight 2014’ delivered his opening speech. 

He paid tribute to Sightsavers International for helping cure millions of eye patients in the world, with the presence of HRH Princess Alexandra, President of Sightsavers and Sir John Major, former UK Prime Minister and Chairman of Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.

HRH Princess Alexandra and Sir John Major also addressed the conference.

The organisers of the event led by Mr. Abdulla Al Nuaimi, Director General of Sightsavers Middle East provided exhibition stands for sponsors and supporters as part of the networking opportunity.  

HRH Princess Alexandra addresses the crowd at the
 UAE Conference on Saving Sight 2014

The Kanoo Group's Marketing Department spearheaded by Ali Islim (Manager), together with Victor Maasilamani, Michelle Laylo and Sundar Liwang attended the conference on behalf of The Kanoo Group as one of the event supporters.

HRH Princess Alexandra, the Hon Lady Ogilvy KG GCVO visited the exhibitions stands including The Kanoo Group and personally thanked the company for its valuable contributions for Sightsavers charity. 

Dr. Ivo Kocur, an expert in the field of public eye health from World Health Organization, in addition to representatives of organisations and prominent guests also came to see The Kanoo Group stand for its company profile and for details about the philanthropic causes it supports.

With known matchless hospitality, HH Sheikh Nahyan invited all conference participants (more than 60 representatives) for a banquet meal personally hosted by His Highness after the networking event and opening ceremony.

Professor Bon Bundy from World Bank moderated the second part of the sessions with key speakers: Dr. Abdulredha Bahman (Kuwait Fund for Development) and Mr. Ibrahim Al Sugair (Saudi Fund for Development), “The role of international donors; achievements”.

From The Kanoo Group (left to right): Michelle Laylo, Ali Islim, Sundar Liwang, Victor Maasilamani

HRH Princess Alexandra visits The Kanoo Group stand

The conference resumed with various Sight-Saving agenda delivered by renowned speakers: Dr. Ivo Kocur, “Towards universal eye health – a new global effort of WHO member states”; Dr. Caroline Harper (Chief Executive of Sightsavers), “Major challenges in fighting avoidable blindness”; Mr. Simeon Bush (Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Sightsavers), “The blinding neglected by tropical diseases”; and Dr. Kamal Binnawi (Ministry of Health, Sudan), “Overview of eye care in Sudan”. The sessions were moderated by Mr. Abdulla Al-Nuaimi.

See also: The Kanoo Group Sponsors GCC Forum on Avoidable Blindness 

Dr. Harper delivered his closing remarks which concluded with a bright vision for Sightsavers and its sustained advocacy to support avoidable blindness programmes particularly those with trachoma, river blindness and cataract.

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 

To comment on the article, send an email to: 
Michelle Laylo Verzola
PR Executive
The Kanoo Group

The Kanoo Group supports Dubai Autism Center

The Kanoo Group adheres to its long dedication to philanthropy and continually supports various social organizations and charities aside from Dubai Autism Center

Mr. Bob Curtis [right] awards cheque donation to Dubai Autism Center charity through Mr. Farhan Shahid

Dubai, UAE: Mr. Bob Curtis, CEO of The Kanoo Group (UAE & Oman) today awarded a cheque donation to Mr. Farhan Shahid, Events and Project Manager of Dubai Autism Center, at The Kanoo Group headquarters in Bur Dubai. The amount will contribute to the new building fund of DAC. This expansion program will help accommodate 270 students on waiting list to join its existing 54 students.

The Kanoo Group, in collaboration with AXA Gulf, Johnson Arabia and its other joint ventures and affiliate companies contributed to the charity donation from below teams and individuals:

* Ms. Adele Jane Clarke | Mr. Bob Curtis

* Target Engineering | WolffKran Arabia LLC | Akzonobel | Turkish Airlines

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 

To comment on the article, send an email to: 

Michelle Laylo Verzola

PR Executive

The Kanoo Group

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 

To comment on the article, send an email to: 
Michelle Laylo Verzola
PR Executive
The Kanoo Group