Dubai, United Arab Emirates , February 23, 2017 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) and the Peshawar Zalmi Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Dubai which enables them to work together to raise awareness regarding education in Pakistan.
Ms. Sanna Johnson, Regional Director at the IRC, said at the occasion, “We’re extremely happy to have the support of the Peshawar Zalmi for the cause of education, which is not just a Pakistani issue, but indeed a global one. Peshawar Zalmi is an invaluable asset to raising awareness about the importance of education to our children’s futures, and we look forward to the results of this partnership.”
The owner of Peshawar Zalmi, Mr. Javed Afridi, remarked that “Zalmi in Pushto means youth -and Peshawar Zalmi’s main aim has been to provide youth with the best in sports. I hope our association with the IRC helps promote education through sports, as even for sports players, there is no substitute for education. Books and pens are the most valuable tools a child can have and our association with the IRC will help highlight this.”
Peshawar Zalmi’s brand marketing consultant Hamid Hussain commented, “Unlike in cricket, there should be no boundary to education: it is indispensable for children to secure their futures, that of their families, and that of their communities.”
Top international cricketers representing the Peshawar Zalmi team including Darren Sammy, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Muhammad Akram, Khushdil Shah, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman, and Jariq Stanikzai were part of this event and have recorded special video messages for their fans.
A recorded video message from IRC President and CEO and former UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband was played at the event, where he welcomed the partnership with Peshawar Zalmi for the global cause of promoting education.
Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC today works in 40 countries around the world. In Pakistan, since 1980, it has actively been providing emergency relief, health care, education, job training and other essential services in affected communities. In 2013, it became the lead implementer of the Pakistan Reading Project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is working with provincial and regional departments of education to improve the reading skills of 1,300,000 children in grades one and two in public schools throughout Pakistan.
Peshawar Zalmi team is one of the most popular teams from the Pakistan Super League played in UAE. Peshawar Zalmi is also actively involved in Pakistan in giving sports education to children through sports camps and training all across Pakistan.
For more information, visit: www.rescue.org or www.pakreading.org.