ERC launches annual winter campaign

The ERC also announced that it will allocate additional aid to refugees and displaced people in several countries.

The announcement came at a press conference held at ERC's headquarters today, which was attended by Hamoud Abdullah Al Junaibi, ERC Secretary-General, a number of officials, and partners.

Fahad Abdulrahman bin Sultan, ERC Deputy Secretary-General for Development and International Cooperation, said that the ERC organises the campaign on an annual basis to help vulnerable people during winter.

This year’s campaign will be very important given the current global situation and the many humanitarian crises affecting the world, he added, noting that the ERC aims to increase the number of beneficiaries.

“This year's aid will include basic essentials, such as winter clothes, blankets, heating fuel, food and medical supplies. The aid programme will be carried out in coordination with our humanitarian partners and the country's embassies in respective countries,” he further added.

The beneficiary countries include Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Greece, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia, Pakistan, Norway, Montenegro, Romania, Sweden, San Marino, Bangladesh, Albania, Kazakhstan, Bosnia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Dagestan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Lithuania, Estonia, Turkmenistan, Latvia, Moldova and Macedonia, Fahad bin Sultan said.

The ERC Deputy Secretary-General called on donors and philanthropists to support the campaign, which aims to ease the suffering of those affected by winter conditions in many countries, noting that donations can be made through the ERC’s platforms, centres and online.

The ERC also has representatives in 175 locations nationwide, most notably in shopping malls, markets and various institutions, he added.

Fahad bin Sultan thanked the campaign's sponsors, which are the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), the Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, the Dubai Islamic Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Aldar Real Estate, the Abu Dhabi Cooperative Society, Etisalat and Du.

In his speech, Ahmed Salem Al Rashdi, Regional Head of Real Estate Finance Abu Dhabi and Al Ain at Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, stressed that sponsoring the winter campaign is a distinguished opportunity for the bank to play a key role in supporting the process of giving in the country, in line with the UAE Leadership’s directives to promote the culture of giving, as well as support local projects.

The bank supports a wide range of humanitarian and social campaigns, in line with its social responsibility efforts, he added, highlighting its major role in achieving overall community development and its efforts to support various social responsibility programmes, including year-round social and religious charity campaigns.