An exhibition celebrating the near eradication of the Guinea worm disease (GWD) was opened in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, highlighting the efforts and contributions made by countries and organisations around the world to help stop what was once a prevalent disease infecting more than three million people annually.
The exhibition — Countdown to Zero — which is running until November 14, has been organised by the Carter Centre in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History and the Crown Prince Court. The exhibition has already been held in New York and London.
The eradication of the disease — which is spread by unclean drinking water — will represent a major milestone for the health sector. At present, there are only around 25 people afflicted by the disease.
“This exhibition is about 30 years of history that charts a coordinated effort by the Carter Centre and its partners to eradicate GWD. Just 30 years ago there were 3.5 million people being afflicted by this disease annually, with that number now reduced down to fewer than 25 people, so this has been a long and heroic struggle,” said Douglas Nelson, board member at the Carter Centre.
“The hope is that within no more than three years that we will have eradicated the last case of GWD, and once that happens, we are confident that this disease will be gone from our planet,” he added.
Nelson said that the exhibition was also brought to Abu Dhabi to highlight the UAE’s generous role and partnership with the Carter Centre, a relationship that stretches back to 1990 after the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan joined the efforts to eradicate the disease.
“The UAE was one of our first partners in making this effort happen in 1990, committing millions of dollars at a time when we needed believers in the possibility of this very daunting challenge. The UAE stepped up and made it possible for the Carter Centre to go to other governments and major organisations to show that we had a credible basis of making this happen.
“The UAE continues to be a strong partner, committing additional resources, and so this country has a reason to feel proud of its contributions that have enabled this miracle to happen,” he added.
Nelson said that the joint partnership with the UAE also sent a positive message of how different countries and cultures could unite for a good cause.
“I hope the visitors to the exhibition can get the idea that people in different parts of the world who share different faiths, can come together to accomplish something for humanity as a whole.”
For her part, Alanoud Madhi, senior associate at the Crown Prince Court, said the exhibition also hoped to raise awareness among the general public on the issue.
“One of the main goals is to raise awareness in the community about such diseases, and to also get the visitors to have empathy with the people who have been afflicted by infectious diseases. The exhibition is really more about the people than it is about the disease, it is about their stories and experiences, which is showcased through both visuals and audio representations.”
Dr Mark Siddall, curator, American Museum of Natural History, shared the same sentiments, saying the exhibition wanted to tell the story of real people who have been afflicted by the disease and how their communities have been helped.
“I hope visitors see this as a story about people, it’s a story about communities and empowering people. It’s also a story of success and triumph, and what we can do when we work together,” he said.
“When visitors come to the exhibition and look around they will see pictures of people, they will see the faces of children, mothers, brothers, wives, husbands, and so it really personalises the experience,” he added.
“It’s also very international, we have stories from people living in Africa, Asia, and South America. I think that’s very important to remember, that we are all part of a big community,” he said.
Countdown to Zero Exhibition
Where: Galleria Mall, Abu Dhabi
When: October 15 to November 15
Timings: 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm Saturday to Thursday, 1pm to 10pm on Fridays
What is Guinea worm disease:
Guinea worm disease is an infection caused by the parasite Dracunculus Medinensis. The disease is spread by drinking water containing the Guinea worm larvae. Communities that are usually affected by GWD are those that don’t have access to safe drinking water.
Timeline of UAE’s partnership and support for the Carter Centre:
Partnership began with Shaikh Zayed in 1990 with several million dollars donated.
In 2012, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan donated $10 million to the Carter Centre.
The exhibition — Countdown to Zero — which is running until November 14, has been organised by the Carter Centre in partnership with the American Museum of Natural History and the Crown Prince Court. The exhibition has already been held in New York and London.
The eradication of the disease — which is spread by unclean drinking water — will represent a major milestone for the health sector. At present, there are only around 25 people afflicted by the disease.
“This exhibition is about 30 years of history that charts a coordinated effort by the Carter Centre and its partners to eradicate GWD. Just 30 years ago there were 3.5 million people being afflicted by this disease annually, with that number now reduced down to fewer than 25 people, so this has been a long and heroic struggle,” said Douglas Nelson, board member at the Carter Centre.
“The hope is that within no more than three years that we will have eradicated the last case of GWD, and once that happens, we are confident that this disease will be gone from our planet,” he added.
“The UAE was one of our first partners in making this effort happen in 1990, committing millions of dollars at a time when we needed believers in the possibility of this very daunting challenge. The UAE stepped up and made it possible for the Carter Centre to go to other governments and major organisations to show that we had a credible basis of making this happen.
“The UAE continues to be a strong partner, committing additional resources, and so this country has a reason to feel proud of its contributions that have enabled this miracle to happen,” he added.
Nelson said that the joint partnership with the UAE also sent a positive message of how different countries and cultures could unite for a good cause.
“I hope the visitors to the exhibition can get the idea that people in different parts of the world who share different faiths, can come together to accomplish something for humanity as a whole.”
For her part, Alanoud Madhi, senior associate at the Crown Prince Court, said the exhibition also hoped to raise awareness among the general public on the issue.
“One of the main goals is to raise awareness in the community about such diseases, and to also get the visitors to have empathy with the people who have been afflicted by infectious diseases. The exhibition is really more about the people than it is about the disease, it is about their stories and experiences, which is showcased through both visuals and audio representations.”
Dr Mark Siddall, curator, American Museum of Natural History, shared the same sentiments, saying the exhibition wanted to tell the story of real people who have been afflicted by the disease and how their communities have been helped.
“I hope visitors see this as a story about people, it’s a story about communities and empowering people. It’s also a story of success and triumph, and what we can do when we work together,” he said.
“When visitors come to the exhibition and look around they will see pictures of people, they will see the faces of children, mothers, brothers, wives, husbands, and so it really personalises the experience,” he added.
“It’s also very international, we have stories from people living in Africa, Asia, and South America. I think that’s very important to remember, that we are all part of a big community,” he said.
Countdown to Zero Exhibition
Where: Galleria Mall, Abu Dhabi
When: October 15 to November 15
Timings: 11am to 3pm and 5pm to 10pm Saturday to Thursday, 1pm to 10pm on Fridays
What is Guinea worm disease:
Guinea worm disease is an infection caused by the parasite Dracunculus Medinensis. The disease is spread by drinking water containing the Guinea worm larvae. Communities that are usually affected by GWD are those that don’t have access to safe drinking water.
Timeline of UAE’s partnership and support for the Carter Centre:
Partnership began with Shaikh Zayed in 1990 with several million dollars donated.
In 2012, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan donated $10 million to the Carter Centre.
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