Mohammed bin Rashid to crown the Arab Hope Maker 2020 today (Thursday)

• The third edition of the Arab Hope Makers initiative attracts a whopping 92,000 applications, 6% more than the previous edition
• Proceeds of the Arab Hope Makers final show will support building the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center in Egypt
• Inspiring stories of five finalists to be highlighted during the show
• The grand show will present the region’s biggest music production, presented and composed by RedOne, bringing together over 50 Arab celebrities
• Balqees, Mohammed Assaf and Nawal Al Kuwaitia to headline the Arab Hope Makers 2020 variety show

Dubai:—Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will crown the Arab Hope Maker 2020 in a grand variety show to take place today (Thursday) at Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk Dubai.

The grand final show, expected to attract 12,000 attendees, will announce and highlight the inspiring stories of the five finalists whose humanitarian projects and efforts lead a positive change in their societies, before declaring the winner by audience vote.

For the first time since its inception, the Arab Hope Makers final show will allocate its proceeds towards supporting the construction of Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center.

The third edition of the Arab Hope Makers initiative drew a whopping 92,000 entries from 38 countries, including 15 Arab countries among which Egypt topped the list of participations and 23 Western countries led by Germany in terms of participations.

The initiative honors individuals, teams and entities who dedicate their time, efforts and resources to serving humanity.

This year’s entries are 6 per cent more than the previous edition that attracted more than 87,000 participations, witnessing a 42 per cent increase from the first edition that launched in 2017. A notable female participation was witnessed at this year’s edition with 58 per cent of submitted humanitarian projects led by women.   

Humanitarian Cause of the Year

The Arab Hope Makers initiative enters a new phase of supporting sustainable humanitarian and social work and creating a wider community involvement. The initiative will adopt a humanitarian cause annually, inviting the public to contribute towards making a difference to a wider range of people in a dimension that strengthens Dubai’s role in spreading hope across the world.

Through the new addition, the Arab Hope Makers initiative aims to highlight and support a humanitarian or charitable project with sustainable long-term goals to maximize impact and expand the scope of beneficiaries. It seeks to promote the individual, societal and institutional responsibility in supporting sustainable humanitarian projects.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had earlier announced that Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center as the Arab Hope Makers’ Humanitarian Cause of the Year.

Set to become among the region’s biggest specialized facility in cardiac care, the new heart center in Egypt will expand access to a world-class treatment among vulnerable communities through a fully-equipped facility with the latest research and surgical technologies and qualified medical cadres. The specialized facility will provide free-of-charge cardiovascular care to patients across the Arab world.

Once complete, the center will conduct 12,000 heart surgeries annually, of which 70 per cent will target children. Its clinics will also receive over 80,000 patients annually and train over 1,000 cardiologists and cardiac surgeons through the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Foundation.

The Egyptian-British Dr. Magdi Yacoub (often referred to as Sir Magdi Yacoub) is one of the world's most respected cardiac surgeons who performed more than 40,000 open heart surgeries and conducted over 2,000 heart transplants.

Exceptional performances 

This year’s Arab Hope Makers final ceremony is transformed into a grand variety show to be headlined by acclaimed artists with an expected attendance of 12,000 people including leading media figures, authors and social media influencers.

The show will host the Arab headliners Nawal Al Kuwaitia, Emirati singer Balqees and Palestinian pop singer and former Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf who will perform their widely-admired hits. 

In a unique appearance, the multi-Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter RedOne will present the region’s biggest music production that brings together more than 50 Arab artists and celebrities to perform in the name of hope. The ‘Hope Makers’ production, composed by RedOne, sends the message of hope from the UAE to the world, calling humanity to unite towards shaping a better future.

RedOne is known for his collaborations with A-listers including Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, Enrique Iglesias, Mark Anthony, Usher and Pitbull. RedOne is also known for his humanitarian contributions. In 2011, he established his non-profit “2101 Foundation” to support and inspire disadvantaged to pursue their passion in life through music, arts and education. He was nominated for 11 Grammy awards, bagging three of them.

A number of distinguished Arab celebrities and media personalities including Kuwaiti comedian and actor Tariq Al Ali, Saudi Arabian actor Fayez Al Malki, Syrian actor Qusai Khouli and Egyptian media figures Mona Al Shazli and Amr Adeeb alongside Egyptian actor Ahmed Helmy will also attend the celebrations.

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About Arab Hope Makers

In 2017, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched Arab Hope Makers initiative, the largest of its kind in the region, to celebrate inspiring individuals, teams or entities whose philanthropic efforts serve humanity and make a difference in societies without seeking personal gains or recognition in return.

Under the umbrella of Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), Arab Hope Makers are recognized for their humanitarian projects and initiatives that improve lives, overcome challenges in their communities, alleviate the suffering of those in need and empower marginalized groups.

In its first round, the Arab Hope Makers initiative received overwhelming 65,000 applications from all over the Arab world, while the second round recorded over 87,000 entries. Five finalists took home Dh1 million in each round to support their humanitarian projects.

© Press Release 2020