Indian association to mark UAE National Day

The Indian community in the UAE is gearing up for the 40th UAE National Day celebrations with Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), the largest community association, at the fore front its planned 40-day-long National Day celebrations.

KMCC, the overseas wing of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a major constituent of the United Democratic Front government that currently rules the south Indian state of Kerala, will fly in four senior ministers to participate in the celebrations that will start with a blood donation drive at the Naif Police Station area.

 

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Ibrahim Ilayettil, president of the Dubai KMMCC, said the organisation has been regularly holding UAE National Day celebrations for more than 30 years now. About 1,500 people including political leaders and others will participate in the programme scheduled for December 2.

 

Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani will be the chief guest and other Ministers, P K Kunjali Kutty (Industries Minister), Education Minister P K Abdurab, Non-Resident Keralites Affairs Minister K C Joseph and M K Muneer, Minister for Local Self Government, will take part in the UAE National Day celebrations. An open forum with the leaders of various Indian associations and the ministers will be organised simultaneously.

 

“Every year we celebrate the UAE National Day in a grand way, and for the 40th UAE National Day, we are bringing four Indian ministers, socio-cultural leaders and other eminent personalities from India and the Arab world. The programme will start on November 27 with a major blood donation drive at the Deira Naif Police station. Last year we had one bus for blood donors. This year, we will have two buses and hundreds of KMCC members will donate blood,” Ibrahim said.

 

“KMCC has 48,000 registered members, of which 15,000 are from Dubai alone. Members’ relatives are five times that number who are associated with the organisation’s activities,” he said. “The association expects about 1,000 members to donate blood and from next month onwards, it will conduct such camps and health awareness programmes in various labour camps.”

 

N A Karim, UAE National Day Programme Committee chairman, said the association will organise various socio-cultural programmes and competitions on November 11 and there will be sports and games competitions at the Dubai Police Auditorium on November 25. The organisation will also convene a special ladies meet on November 25 in which expatriate women and their families can participate. Women leaders from the Muslim League and female representatives from various organisations in the UAE will conduct classes and socio cultural programmes.

 

KMCC has been conducting charitable activities in the UAE and India to help poor and distressed people through free medicine supply and setting up of free dialysis centres at government medical solleges. Here in the UAE too, it has been helping members and non-members who are in difficulty. It is also associated with the Indian Welfare and Relief Committee, part of the Indian Consulate Dubai that undertakes various charitable projects.