Cartier charity gives UNHCR grant for education and sport in Zambia

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, March 30 (UNHCR) - Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of Dubai's ruler, has presented a cheque for 646,000 dirhams (US$176,000) from an annual Cartier charity campaign to the UN refugee agency for education and sports programmes in Zambia.

Princess Haya, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, and Cartier International President Bernard Fornas handed over the cheque to Hamdi Bukhari, UNHCR acting regional representative, during the annual Cartier International Dubai Polo Challenge last Friday.

The money was donated by the Cartier Love Charity campaign. Princess Haya, who is patron of the campaign, chose UNHCR to be this year's recipient for the second consecutive year.

Bukhari offered thanks on behalf of UNHCR and praised Princess Haya for demonstrating "a solid commitment to promote education of refugee children worldwide." He said the Cartier donation would be used in Zambia to improve access to education; to encourage girls to complete a full education; and to boost sports facilities in schools.

Princess Haya, a UN Messenger of Peace and daughter of the late King Hussein of Jordan, is a major supporter of UNHCR's Women Leading for Livelihoods initiative. In the past, she has arranged donations for UNHCR projects that benefit refugee women and youth.