Kalimat Foundation for Children’s Empowerment (KF), a Sharjah-based non-profit organisation working to fulfil the basic right of every child to read, has offered 600 Arabic books to six humanitarian organisations in Greece, coinciding with the UAE embassy’s ‘Week of Tolerance’ celebrations in the country.

The book donation is part of KF’s ‘Pledge a Library’ initiative, which aims to offer young Arab refugee children access to books and learning, helping them form a bond with their mother tongue and literary culture despite being away from their homelands.

Beneficiary organisations are ‘We Need Books’ and the ‘Home Project’, which provide books and basic amenities to refugee children in Greece; the ‘Levadia Central Public Library’; ‘Project Elea’, run by a volunteers group who have been helping those residing in Eleonas Refugee Camp in Athens; ‘The Network for Children’s Rights’ — an NGO specialised in developing educational and social programmes; and ‘Starfish Foundation’, a non-profit organisation working to help migrants and refugees in Lesvos.

HE Mohammed Mir Abdullah Al Raisi, UAE Ambassador to Greece, said: “Forging strong relations with countries, based on tolerance, goodness, love and peace, is integral to the UAE’s foreign policy. We follow the same principle at home, and we are proud to be home to people representing over 200 nationalities. Efforts like ‘Week of Tolerance’ and KF’s book donation initiative are key to realising our national vision of promoting knowledge and culture as tools of exchange with peoples and civilisations worldwide”.

“It is indeed a matter of pride that the Kalimat Foundation has introduced its ‘Pledge a Library’ initiative to an environment, which will benefit immensely from books and knowledge. This humanitarian initiative highlights the role of promoting learning and literary appreciation as facilitators of understanding and peace. We are happy that so many young readers in Greece now have an opportunity to engage with their native language and culture through reading.”

Amna Al Mazmi, Manager of KF, added: “Our vision is based on the fact that children around the world, especially those deprived of a school education, are entitled to learn. It is a basic right. Books offer intellectual nourishment, just as food nurtures the body. The importance of knowledge and life skills must be considered as important as shelter, clothing, medical aid, if we are to raise generations who will successfully counter the challenges.”

“The Foundation’s vision is inspired by the humanitarian values ​​of the UAE society. Through these partnerships, we also want to highlight the importance of collaboration with civil society organisations to alleviate the sufferings of victims conflict.”

On the side lines of the event, KF delegates participated in a special visit organised by the UAE Embassy in Greece to ‘We Need Books’ and ‘The Network for Children’s Rights’, to gain detailed insights on their work mechanisms, the needs of refugee children, and the best ways to organise and offer humanitarian aid.

KF launched the ‘Pledge a Library’ initiative during its participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) 2017 to provide mini libraries to children in disadvantaged areas and regions affected by disasters and conflicts across the world and provide them with Arabic books that keep them connected with their culture, language.