Beirut, Lebanon, 23 September 2020: City Centre Beirut and local NGO Arcenciel have joined together to help safeguard children in Lebanon’s access to that most essential tool in building a brighter tomorrow: an education. From 19 to 29 September, City Centre Beirut is supporting Arenciel’s “Bank to School” campaign; an initiative that encourages people to donate funds and essential supplies to children facing prolonged disruption to their education. The donations will be used to cover students’ tuition for one year, with the supplies distributed by the NGO to students in need all over Lebanon.
The campaign aims to help overcome some of the socio-economic issues threatening the education and futures of Lebanon’s younger generation — a situation deepened by the COVID-19 outbreak. The pandemic has created a major education crisis, shutting schools and bringing children’s education to an abrupt halt.
Meanwhile, following the Beirut blast tragedy, Lebanon switched to remote teaching and learning as an alternative to school closures, but challenges related to connectivity, resources, and infrastructure have placed further pressure on students, parents, teachers, and the educational authorities.
Bank to School will help ease some of the pressure by providing learners with financial support and essential school supplies such as pencils, erasers, sharpeners, copybooks, rulers, and geometry sets. Visitors to City Centre Beirut can make a donation at the mall’s Level Zero next to Carrefour and also donate funds at the following website: http://www.arcenciel.org/donate/
As a proud and committed member of the community is serves, City Centre Beirut was keen to support Arcenciel’s cause, being a Lebanese based non-profit organization that aims to help every person in need. Alongside direct support through initiatives such as Bank to School, Arcenciel also works to advance national policies in all the sectors in which it is active.
Arcenciel champions the social and economic integration of marginalised people and communities back into society. The organisation believes that every person, no matter their situation, can overcome their circumstances and disabilities to contribute to their community.
About Majid Al Futtaim
Founded in 1992, Majid Al Futtaim is the leading shopping mall, communities, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa and Asia.
A remarkable business success story, Majid Al Futtaim started from one man’s vision to transform the face of shopping, entertainment and leisure to ‘create great moments for everyone, every day’. It has since grown into one of the United Arab Emirates’ most respected and successful businesses spanning 15 international markets, employing more than 43,000 people, and obtaining the highest credit rating (BBB) among privately-held corporates in the region.
Majid Al Futtaim owns and operates 25 shopping malls, 13 hotels and four mixed-use communities, with further developments underway in the region. The shopping malls portfolio includes Mall of the Emirates, Mall of Egypt, City Centre malls, My City Centre neighbourhood centres, and four community malls which are in joint venture with the Government of Sharjah. The Company is the exclusive franchisee for Carrefour in a number of markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, operating a portfolio of more than 280 outlets.
Majid Al Futtaim operates more than 400 VOX Cinemas screens and 36 Magic Planet family entertainment centres across the region. In addition to iconic leisure and entertainment facilities such as Ski Dubai, iFly Dubai and Ski Egypt, among others. The Company is parent to the consumer finance company ‘Najm’, and a Fashion and Home retail business representing international brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch, AllSaints, lululemon athletica, Crate & Barrel and Maisons du Monde. In addition, Majid Al Futtaim operates Enova, a facility and energy management company, through a joint venture operation with Veolia, a global leader in optimised environment resource management. The Company also owns the rights to The LEGO Store and American Girl in the Middle East and operates in the food and beverage industry through a partnership with Gourmet Gulf.