Dubai ruler awards Iraqi pharmacist Tala Al Khalil as Arab Hope Maker

Dubai (IraqiNews.com) – Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, named Iraqi pharmacist, Tala Al Khalil, as the winner of the fourth season of Arab Hope Maker, a philanthropic awards ceremony. Tala Al Khalil earned the most votes during the ceremony.

Together with Tala Al Khalil, Sheikh Mohammed further directed that the four finalists—Mohamed Al Najjar of Iraq, Amine Imnir of Morocco, and Fathiya Al Mahmoud of Egypt—be given the title of Arab Hope Maker.

“In our part of the world, hope making is life making. The only way we can overcome challenges is through collaborative efforts,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “Hope for a better future is what keeps people going. Every new generation bears the responsibility of creating a better reality in their communities.

On the other hand, spreading despair is our major challenge, which is why we need to continue to nurture hope, optimism and positivity among the new generation,” Sheikh Mohammed concluded.

In order to help young cancer patients overcome obstacles related to their condition, Tala Al Khalil, an Iraqi pharmacist, began welcoming them at the Basra Children’s Hospital in 2015. This program gave cancer-stricken kids a space for optimism and hope away from the harsh realities of medical procedures and hospital beds. It was the start of what inspired Al-Khalil to establish the Warriors Academy in 2018 and offer support to strong young people suffering from various illnesses.

Today, just over 200 children with down syndrome and cancer are currently under the care of Al Khalil.

Iraqi finalist Mohamed Al-Najjar, who lost his leg in 2014, has always loved football and has used the tragedy to spur hope. Al Najjar joined the Portsmouth football club for amputees while pursuing his PhD in the United Kingdom, and in 2019 he was crowned the squad’s top player.

Al Najjar moved back to Iraq to try to replicate this experience, and within a year of starting the squad, an amputee football team qualified for the 2022 Amputee Football World Cup in Turkey. Out of 70 amputee football teams worldwide, the Iraqi squad now stands 19th thanks to Al Najjar’s efforts to inspire his teammates.

In front of 12,000 attendees at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, a number of Arab celebrities, including Ahlam, Hussain Al Jassmi, and Assala, as well as media figures and artists, took part in the closing ceremony.

The fourth edition of the Hope Makers program, run by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), drew in excess of 58,000 submissions from all throughout the region.