Announcing new development initiatives to enhance the resilience of the people in Jerusalem Al-Quds Fund and Endowment Group holds its seventh annual ceremony with Arab and Palestinian participation

Media Department 5-12-2021
Al Quds Fund and Endowment Group announced during its seventh annual ceremony about new development initiatives to enhance the steadfastness of the people in Jerusalem and their institutions.

The ceremony, which was held under the slogan "We are building today for a bright future" witnessed an Arab participation through visual technology, represented by His Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Alquds Fund and Endowment, the President of the Islamic Development Bank Group, Dr.Muhammad Suleiman Al-Jasser, the Governor of Jerusalem Mr Adnan Ghaith with the presence of the Chairman of Al-Quds Endowment Fund Mr. Munib R. Masri,

Prof. Imad Abu Kishk President of Al-Quds University. Beside prominent Palestinian figures, including Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Fadi Al-Hadmi, Bishop Atallah Hanna, and several representatives of Jerusalem non-governmental organizations.

The ceremony began with a welcome speech by Dr. Abu Kishk, who said, Today we have reached the seventh year, with great achievements have been accomplished to support the people and institutions in Jerusalem. Recalling the beginnings of Al- Quds fund and the financial contributions from different donors made to make it a success, calling for the revival of the compass of Arabs and Muslims toward Jerusalem.

Mr Munib R. Masri welcomed the audience and mentioned that the slogan "We are building today for a bright future,” has been transformed into achievements within the framework of our national and religious duty to support Jerusalem and strengthening its people.

He added, “We close the curtain on the seventh year of the establishing Alquds fund and Endowment, entering the eighth year with steady steps and increasing challenges of the Israeli attack and Judaization schemes for Jerusalem, beside a hateful division that continues for 15 years An unprecedented Arab and Islamic decline for some countries toward Palestine ,which enhances our responsibility as a civil society, private sector and civil organizations to stand” Along with the people in Jerusalem.

Al-Masri stressed that year 2020 was a difficult year due to the Corona pandemic but, thank God, Alquds Fund and Endowment did its best to confront the pandemic and provide the needs of our people in Jerusalem on health and relief levels through an emergency online platform (MADAD) that reached every village and town in Jerusalem governorate and worked in parallel with our other projects without affecting the budgets.

Al-Masri added “In the past period, we have been able to achieve strategic transformations in the Fund’s work, most notably the partnership with the Islamic Development Bank by establishing the Jerusalem Empowerment Fund, and I am honored to be a personal contributor to it along with the brothers Michel Sayegh and Munir Al-Kalouti, the Cooperation Foundation and the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development to start its work from tomorrow to be good news for the city of Jerusalem.”

Al-Masri thanked everyone who contributed to the steadfastness and prosperity of Al-Quds Fund and Endowment Group, especially His Highness Prince Turki Al-Faisal and the President of the Islamic Development Bank Group, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman Al-Jasser, who played an important role, contributed to the launch of the Fund to Empower Jerusalem and the Brothers in the State of Kuwait and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, the Governor of Jerusalem, the Minister of Jerusalem affairs, members of the Board of Directors, the General Authority of the Fund and Institutions, and Al-Quds University.

The Governor of Jerusalem spoke praising the efforts and endeavors of Alquds Fund and Endowment towards supporting Jerusalem institutions and strengthening their steadfastness in light of the Judaization of the city.

Mr Fadi Al Hidmi spoke on behalf of the Prime Minister, Dr. Muhammad Shtayyeh, where he conveyed his greetings and appreciation for the great efforts made by Alquds Fund and Endowment in order to strengthen the steadfastness of Jerusalemites, mentioning what the Holy City and its neighborhoods and Al-Aqsa Mosque are subjected every day to the attacks of the occupation and its settlers, stressing that the Palestinian leadership places Jerusalem on the list of its priorities.

From his side the President of the Islamic Development Bank Group spoke about the important role played by Alquds Fund and Endowment to empower Jerusalem and Jerusalemites, and said that the Islamic Bank has accompanied the development process of the Palestinian people in general and the city of Jerusalem in particular, referring to the initiatives of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to establish a number of public funds to support economic development and social activities in Palestine, including launching of Jerusalem Empowerment Fund, which is the result of the partnership between Alquds fund and Endowment and the Islamic Development Bank.

Prince Turki Al-Faisal spoke and said, “I am happy to participate in the annual ceremony of the Jerusalem Endowment Fund, and we were able, with the efforts of the faithful, to establish the Jerusalem Empowerment Fund, whose work begins today, and this achievement was not achieved without the availability of faith, sincerity and enthusiasm that characterized the shareholders and members of the Jerusalem Endowment Fund.

He pointed out that launching of the Jerusalem Empowerment Fund to support the steadfastness of the people and institutions in Jerusalem, is a dream that was achieved with generous contributions from effective Arab and Islamic leaders and institutions.

He expressed his hope that launching Jerusalem Empowerment Fund would be a tangible step in the process of achieving support for the steadfastness of the people in Jerusalem and toward the attempts of Judaization of Jerusalem, stressing that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to support the Palestinian cause and pushes efforts to reach a just settlement.

In his turn, the Executive Director of Alquds Endowment Fund, Taher Al-Dissi, reviewed in his speech the development initiatives for the year 2022 within the plans of the endowment.

At the end of the ceremony, a number of partner institutions and youth clubs were honored.