Dubai dresses up for a Big Ball

It's time to pull out those party frocks and iron out those tuxes as Al Bustan Rotana plays host to the media and creative industry's biggest event on Sunday with The Big Ball.

Featured guest for the evening is Lebanese songstress Nancy Ajram, who will be joined by the who's who of Dubai.

Presented by Blink Studios, the event is being endorsed by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), International Advertising Association (IAA) and the Consulate-General of Lebanon in Dubai to help mobilise funds to create a better future for children through education.

The committee headed by Barry Kirsch of BKP Music, aims to raise a total of $250,000 (Dh917,500) in order to support underprivileged children through Unicef's Adopt-A-School programme in Lebanon and the Dubai Autism Centre. "Everyone's excited because this year we can make an even bigger difference. Last year's results proved that we can do something if we pool our creative and financial resources together. We now have to look at giving interested patrons various options of auctioning items or simply donating money for this worthy and noble cause," Kirsch said.

Ajram, who is supporting the event said: "I'm happy to be a part of such a noteworthy project. Anything that helps underprivileged children find a happy place in this world has my support. In fact, children have inspired my latest album Shakhbat Shakhabit, especially the song Resala Lela'alam (Message to the World)."

Last year's charity event managed to raise more than $103,000 for the Adopt-A-School programme.

Big Ball 2008. Sunday at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel. Tickets: Dh1,000. Call: 04 391 4848

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