ABU DHABI- The Serbian community in Abu Dhabi gathered on Tuesday 20th May at Le Méridien Abu Dhabi to raise funds and collect humanitarian goods for their home country, which has been devastated by floods in the past week.
In the wake of the deplorable devastation, the Embassy of Serbia in the UAE, the Serbian Business Council of the UAE and Le Méridien Abu Dhabi Hotel made an emergency appeal to help those affected by the Serbian worst floods in the last 120 years. About 200 people from the community attended the charity event and AED 90,000 has been raised to assist in relief efforts. A similar charity event was held in Dubai the day before and AED 110,000 has been collected.
Mr. Milos Perisic, Charge d’affaires of the Serbian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, said the funds would help to provide immediate assistance for the hundreds of thousands of people displaced from their homes. The embassy has also collected around two tonnes of hygiene products, diapers, baby food and bed linen from UAE residents.
Floods and landslides in the Balkans have left more than 40 people dead and forced over 500,000 to leave their homes. Numerous buildings are uninhabitable and much of Serbia is without electricity or clean water. “We’re far away from the devastation, but we want to help in any way we can” said Mr. Ognjen Sudzum, chairman of the Serbian Business Council in UAE.
Etihad Airlines and Air Serbia are also contributing to the relief effort by air freighting these donations free of charge.
Mr. Nemo Acimovic, General Manager at Le Méridien Abu Dhabi, Serbian born said “It is great to see the Serbian community in UAE collecting funds in aid of the needy people in Serbia” Mr. Nemo Acimovic is a founding member of the newly formed Serbian Business Council UAE and he will assist in promoting tourism and hospitality in UAE and his birth place Serbia. The Serbian Business Council UAE will hold its inaugural event on 19th June 2014 at Le Méridien Abu Dhabi.