LivingPolo.com

Polo enthusiasts from the United Arab Emirates and Palestine have joined forces, to try and make it a better year for the less-privileged communities of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Friday, January 15th will see several teams assemble at the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club for the first edition of the Palestine Cup, during which a number of matches will go ahead, together with a parade in charge of O de Rose.

The funds collected will be donated to the Welfare Association, a charity organization in Palestine since 1983, which is dedicated to obtain funds for medical supplies and for programmes dedicated to disabled children living on the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and in Lebanon.

“The Palestine Cup offers opportunities for groups or for individuals, of creating palpable solutions for 2010, offering support to communities in Palestine, making use of part of this charity initiative”, one of the event’s organizers, Rashid Al Habtoor, said.

Al Habtoor, an international lawyer for the polo community of the Arab Emirates, added that, “our objective is to create an annual charity polo event, to attract medical, educational and recovery support in Palestine, which would otherwise not be obtainable in the present economic conditions. We know that as different types of communities come and watch polo, with the Palestine Cup we can unite various kinds of spectators for the aid of this cause.”

Some well-known players from the Arab Emirates, Europe and the Middle East will take part in the Palestine Cup, demonstrating their horse-riding abilities, and they will lend a hand in the process. Apart from the sporting aspects, there will be a luncheon, together with a presentation by O de Rose, a boutique that will exhibit models pertaining to Palestinian and Lebanese designers, that will surely give the participants further opportunities to colaborate.

Those who wish to support the first edition of the Palestine Cup can send an e-mail to raymond.ohora@louder.ae.