Emaar Malls Group and Wafi join list of DSS 2008 sponsors

Emaar Malls Group and Wafi have joined the growing list of private sector entities sponsoring Dubai Summer Surprises 2008 – the region's biggest summer event, organisers announced yesterday.

The officials of the Dubai Shopping Festival Office also announced 16 key sponsors for the festival, the Middle East's largest summer and shopping entertainment event. The sponsors consist of leading local and regional business houses, some of whom have partnered with the event since its inception in 1998. DSS 2008 will run for 65 days, from June 19 till August 22 under the slogan "Catch a smile this summer".

The sponsors for DSS 2008 are Al Futtaim Group – Dubai Festival City, Al Ghurair City, BurJuman, Emaar Malls Group, Dubai Duty Free, Wafi, Dubai Refreshments Company – Mirinda, Dubai Shopping Malls Group, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group, Emarat, Emirates airline, etisalat, Ibn Battuta Mall, MAF Shopping Malls and MasterCard Worldwide.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman, Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Group, announcing the sponsors and their unstinted support since the inception of DSS. He said: "DSS is an event that has maintained its unchallenged status as the leading summer event in the region, in addition to promoting the image of Dubai among the favoured summer destinations in the world. One of the main pillars of the DSS achievement has always been co-operation between the private and the government sectors."

"We are at the threshold of the 11th edition of DSS this year. We have crossed many milestones over the past decade and yet we have only begun. Our ambitions are unlimited, our vision is clear, and our determination is relentless. The future of Dubai is very promising, with endless possibilities of growth in all areas. This growth has encouraged us to elevate the quality of our events to match the bar of excellence set by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai," added Sheikh Ahmed.

"DSS 2008 will witness a major shift in its composition. Nevertheless, it will continue to bring the joy, the smiles, and the festive spirit to the city of Dubai and its visitors from all over the world. As we speak, Dubai's booming economic sectors are preparing to provide the best services in the region for visitors and residents," Sheikh Ahmed said.

"With the support of our 16 sponsors, we are yet again assured of a memorable DSS edition," he said.

Laila Suhail, CEO of the DSF Office, said: "This is our first DSS edition as an official government body after the decree issued by Sheikh Mohammed in September 2007 establishing the office of the Dubai Shopping Festival, which will be a financially and administratively independent public sector organisation."

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