200 cars join parade for Syrian refugees

200 cars join parade for Syrian refugees Lily B. Libo-on / 21 June 2013 More than 200 vintage and old fancy cars took part in a parade along the Buheira Corniche to drum up awareness about the plight of the 1.65 million Syrian refugees — 805,000 of whom are children needing food, health, security, education and shelter. Organised by the Union Club in support of the “Big Heart Campaign” launched by Shaikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi on Friday, the parade was expected to raise awareness and needed funds for the Syrian refugees. The parade started from the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Sharjah Expo Centre area, and after going along Buheira Corniche, it went back to where it started.   Vintage and fancy vehicles take part in the awareness parade in Sharjah. — KT photo by M. Sajjad To raise funds, scarves and flags commemorating the campaign were distributed to the Car Parade drivers. By wearing the scarf, sold for Dh150, from June 20 to 27, people will be showing their support for the cause and to Syrian refugee children who need shelter, security, health and education. The flags, being sold for Dh50, are desktop and hand held. Noura Ahmed Al Noman, director-general of the Her Highness Executive Office (HHEO), said the campaign aimed to assist the child refugees, most of whom arrived in Lebanon and other neighboring countries without parents. They constitute 51 percent of the total Syrian refugees. Through this Big Heart Campaign, Al Noman said, the HHEO will be able to raise funds for the 7,000 daily refugees taken care of by the UNHCR. “Every 14 seconds, a refugee is leaving Syria, and Her Highness Big Heart Campaign is the first initiative to raise awareness in the Arab world…itself, instead of relying on aid from the international community.” Al Noman said that Her Highness, now the Eminent Advocate for Refugees, needs to do this campaign because of the enormity of the Syrian refugee problem and to keep channels open to know where they are. lily@khaleejtimes.com Taylor Scott International