Meraas today announced the launch of a month-long ‘Gift a Smile’ initiative designed to engage and encourage the public to spread happiness and hope by donating books, toys and clothes during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Endorsed by the National Program for Happiness and Positivity, the campaign will support the work of humanitarian charity Beit Al Khair.

Contributions will be received on behalf of Beit Al Khair at City Walk, The Beach, Boxpark, Last Exit Al Khawaneej, The Outlet Village, Al Seef and La Mer. The charity will also be collecting monetary donations, with proceeds being used to provide Iftar packages to those in need. Meraas will also be giving away iftar boxes to visitors at City Walk and Al Seef during the first two weeks of the Holy Month.

Sally Yacoub, Chief Malls Officer at Meraas, said: “The Holy Month of Ramadan is a time to give, get together with family and friends and spread happiness. Through the ‘Gift a Smile’ initiative and in collaboration with our partners, we aim to bring the community together at our destinations and allow everyone to contribute to the wellbeing of the less fortunate. The campaign aligns as well with the Year of Zayed, which honours the legacy of the founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who is recognised as a global humanitarian and was well known for his generosity. At Meraas, we are confident that our efforts will make a difference in people’s lives and reinforce our commitment to promoting positivity, diversity and participation across the city.”

In addition to the donations, the ‘Gift A Smile’ campaign will also bring communities closer together through a series of activations such as pop-up libraries and ‘Smile’ photo booths located at select Meraas destinations.

Visitors will be able to read and gift a book at the pop-up libraries that will be set up at City Walk, Boxpark and Al Seef. These will also serve as vibrant venues for the cultural Hakawati storytelling sessions every evening between 9pm and 10pm. In addition, the ‘Smile’ photo booths, planned for The Beach, Last Exit Al Khawaneej, The Outlet Village and La Mer, will capture heartfelt and happy messages from those who wish to inspire and motivate others during Ramadan.

The campaign builds on efforts to enrich life in Dubai, cementing the emirate’s and the nation’s position as one of the happiest places in the world and ensuring that Meraas actively contributes towards that objective. According to The World Happiness Report 2018, the UAE ranked 20th among the 156 countries measured and as the happiest country in the Arab World for the fourth consecutive year.

Othman Al Madani, Director of Happiness, National Program for Happiness and Positivity, said: “The Holy Month of Ramadan is about embracing the true spirit of giving, compassion, and lighting thousands of smiles. And what better way to spread happiness than through continuing the legacy of giving established by our founding father late Sheikh Zayed, and reconnecting with each other, promoting empathy and making a positive difference in the lives of others.

“We have a unique opportunity to build a society of happy and healthy people in the UAE, and we are fortunate to have the support of the nation in our quest. Focusing on happiness and well-being is something that has been prioritised since the foundation of our country.”

He added: “The National Program for Happiness and Positivity is pleased to partner up with Meraas in the ‘Gift A Smile’ initiative, which promotes the notion of giving in our community and generates donations for Beit Al Khair projects. We are positive that the initiative will create an inclusive experience and influence social behaviour positively in our society.”

During the Holy Month of Ramadan, Beit Al Khair aims to help over 25,000 families. The society’s collaboration with Meraas is in line with its key objective of promoting the value of social responsibility through working closely with private and public entities.

Saeed Mubarak Al Muzruei, Deputy General Manager at Beit Al Khair said: “We are proud to work with Meraas and engage with the visitors of their remarkable destinations. Our collaboration, during Ramadan, aims at promoting charitable and humanitarian works that support citizens whose conditions and circumstances call for assistance.  We are positive that the donations we receive from the community will make a significant difference in the lives of the families, students, people of determination and the emergency cases we respond to. We encourage everyone to participate and spread happiness and joy during the Holy Month.”

For more information please visit: www.meraas.com/giftasmile