ROTA annual ceremony collects $21m for charity in Qatar

The 5th annual Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) ceremony gathered $21 million that will be directed towards charitable projects concerned with education.
The event, held under the theme "Plant a Book...Harvest a Future", to support ROTA's projects in Asia which include renewing schools and providing job opportunities in the education fields among others.
HE Chairperson of ROTA Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani expressed her happiness at the success of the event, adding that it was an honor HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani attended. HE Sheikha Mayassa added that the attendance of HH the Emir reflected ROTA's importance in reflecting Qatar's historic role towards Asia.
For his part, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who won the lifetime achievement award during the event, said that the prize reflected the strong relationship between Kingdom Holding Company, Al-Waleed bin Talal Foundation and the State of Qatar. He added that the relationship was strengthened with HH the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and continued on the same path with HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal then expressed his thanks to HE Sheikha Mayassa for the award.He added that his relationship with Qatar is strong and extends from investment fields to charitable and humanitarian fields.
Opening the ceremony HE the Minister of energy and industry Dr. Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Sada delivered a speech in which he stressed that Qatar's support and assistance to the needy around the world is an extension of its long history of generosity, that was best represented by the Founder of the State Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammad Bin Thani.
He stressed that Qatar has worked to consolidate the culture of giving in its various humanitarian activities in various corners of the globe, especially in disaster and emergency situations.
He explained that Qatar has been committed to exceed the direct financial support to the dissemination of science and knowledge as an essential tool for improving the quality of life.
The Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) initiative stemmed from this great commitment to become an extension of Qatar's history and culture in extending a helping hand to those who need without regard to race, color or religion, he added.
HE Dr. Al-Sada pointed that ROTA worked under the patronage of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by HE Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad Al-Thani, to empower communities by providing ways and means of quality education for children affected by crises and disasters in Asia where over a hundred million children lack basic education.
He added that supporting programs of empowering young people in Qatar, ROTA has embodied the noble values of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), which HH the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser wanted to be a seed for progress.
HE the Minister of Energy and Industry pointed that during the past eight years, ROTA succeeded in building and supporting over 500 schools around the world, the restoration of over 1,700 schools, the creation of more than 700 jobs and the delivery of education to hundreds of thousands of students in 13 countries.