Deutsche Bank through its Middle East Foundation hosted yesterday an opening reception, in partnership with the Intellectual Education Institute for Girls in East Riyadh for its art exhibition titled "Hidden Voices: Art Through the Eyes of Challenged Youth" in Riyadh.
The event was held in the Lobby of Al Faisaliah Tower and was attended by more than 70 guests including the Institute's faculty, students and their families as well as Deutsche Bank's clients, regional and local management and staff based in Saudi Arabia.
The art presented in the exhibition was created by students of the Institute and is influenced by the artists Picasso, van Gogh, Kandinsky and Klimt. All of the 29 pieces on display are part of a silent auction, the proceeds of which will go towards purchasing communication devices for the Institute, to help the students develop, learn and become more self-sufficient.
In addition, Deutsche Bank's Middle East Foundation funded the purchase of a Tobii C12 device for the Institute which was handed over during the event. This life-changing device enables individuals who are unable to speak or have difficulties speaking, such as those suffering from cerebral palsy, to communicate digitally by touch or eye control.
Dina Fatani, an art teacher at the Institute, said: "We are grateful for the generous support of Deutsche Bank's Middle East Foundation in providing these girls with the opportunity to display their artistic abilities in their own style. In addition, having the Tobii C12 device will improve the lives of these girls by enhancing their communication abilities and allowing them to be further acknowledged by the community."
Commenting on the event, Philippe Vollot, Chairman of Deutsche Bank's Middle East Foundation, said: "It gives us great pleasure to be part of this wonderful cooperation. With the growing importance of Saudi Arabia for our business in the MENA region, it was one of the Foundation's core desires to give back to the Saudi Arabian community."
Jamal Alkishi, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, added: "The enthusiasm of the school's representatives as well as their ambition to make the voices of their students' heard has been a great inspiration to all of us. At Deutsche Bank we strongly believe that creativity needs to be stimulated in order to be successful. We would like to thank both Al Khozama Management Company (AKMC) for hosting the exhibition and Al-Faisaliah Hotel for their support and contributions in making this exhibition possible."
The exhibition along with bidding will be open from Saturday 10th November 2012 until Friday 23rd November 2012 in the lobby of Al Faisaliah Tower in Riyadh. At the end of the bidding period, representatives from Deutsche Bank and the Institute will review the biddings to determine the highest bid for each painting and winners will be announced accordingly.
Website: https://www.db.com/mena/en/content/Deutsche_Bank_Middle_East_Foundation.htm
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About the Intellectual Education Institute for Girls in East Riyadh
The Intellectual Education Institute for Girls in East Riyadh was founded in 1971, and caters to students between the ages of 6 and 21 with physical and mental challenges such as autism, Down's syndrome and cerebral palsy. The Institute provides specialized education and physical and mental health services, and helps individuals overcome behavioral disorders and communication difficulties, as well as giving them the tools they need to become more self-reliant and gain confidence.
About Deutsche Bank's Middle East Foundation
Established in 2008, Deutsche Bank's Middle East Foundation is one of the Bank's many foundations around the globe across Asia, Africa and the Americas. In addition, Deutsche Bank has active Corporate Social Responsibility programs across Europe and the UK. Deutsche Bank's Middle East Foundation focuses on funding investments in arts, education, community development, sustainability, and volunteering in the Middle East North Africa region.
For further information, please contact:
Deutsche Bank AG
Press & Media Relations
Michael Lermer
Phone: +971 (0) 44283-860
E-mail: Michael.lermer@db.com
© Press Release 2012
