Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) announced the launch of its humanitarian initiative ‘Ramadan Heroes’ for the fourth consecutive year in collaboration with talabat UAE, long-term partner and initiative cofounder, and Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy (MBRGCEC), which falls under the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF), to consolidate the values of solidarity and giving in the community.

The fourth edition of Ramadan Heroes, under the slogan ‘Spread the Loaf,’ will facilitate donations to support the ‘Bread for All’ campaign that utilises smart machines to prepare and provide free fresh bread to the underprivileged, and is accessible 24/7. Additionally, the entities aim to collaborate to increase the number of machines and expand their presence across Dubai and the UAE, allowing the public to contribute in an innovative way to the initiative that adopts a sustainable giving back principle of ‘short-term community financing.’

Shaima Rashed Al Suwaidi, Director of the Marketing & Corporate Communication Department at Dubai Culture, affirmed that the initiativereflects the noble human values inherent in the hearts of the people of Dubai and the UAE, and seeks to enhance interdependence and communication between members of the local community, saying: “The UAE has become a global role model in charitable work, and at Dubai Culture, we are committed to support the efforts of our wise leadership in extending a helping hand to those in need.”

Al Suwaidi added: “Through Ramadan Heroes, we aim to empower all community members through our humanitarian mission and efforts to cement public tolerance and motivate continued giving. We are proud to launch the initiative for the fourth consecutive year during the Year of Sustainability with the aim of achieving the United Nation’s sustainable development goals, and shedding light on the country’s efforts for food security.”

Tatiana Rahal, Managing Director at talabat UAE added: “Giving back remains an integral part of our values and we’re humbled to launch the fourth Edition of the ‘Ramadan Heroes’ campaign this year. This is reflective of our long-standing partnership with Dubai Culture and our continued collaboration with our trusted charity partners. By harnessing our tech for good, we are enabling the community to donate to charitable causes easily and safely through the app all year round.”

She added: “Food security is a focus area for talabat in the UAE and at region-wide level, as well as for our mother company, Delivery Hero on a global level, it is also in line with the UAE’s efforts as the country hosts COP28 this year. We are proud to collaborate with MBRGCEC to give back in an innovative and sustainable way, by allowing the public to support the “Bread for All” campaign.”

Zainab Juma Al Tamimi, Director of MBRGCEC, said:“The initiative aims to support the families and the labour employees by providing free bread in several approved outlets through pre-programmed smart machines.”

She added: “The initiative employs technology to produce bread and provide it to those who needs food, through smart machines that provide bread on demand, so that the individual can get it directly from the machines.We thank Dubai Culture for the Ramadan Heroes initiative, which promotes the principle of social solidarity in society and contributes to supporting humanitarian work. We also thank talabat UAE for their support by providing the donation feature in the talabat app, which will contribute to the involvement of community members by donating to the project with ease and simple steps.”

“Bread for All” collaborated with Aswaaq to deploy the machines at their supermarkets stores and is currently available in 10 locations across Dubai.

The ‘Ramadan Heroes’ campaign has been able, over the past years, to achieve remarkable success with its ability to reach the largest possible number of underprivileged community members, thus drawing a spirit of human cohesion in the UAE. This initiative also supports the endeavours of Dubai Culture to achieve and enhance sustainability in all sectors, as the Authority works to develop various creative, cultural and heritage projects and initiatives promoting the concept of giving as a culture and way of life in society.