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Aetna Shows Support for Dubai Cares’ ‘Walk for Education’ Initiative in Key Sponsorship Deal
- Aetna named one of the main sponsors of the 2018 philanthropic initiative
- Dubai Cares’ ‘Walk for Education’ 3km route reflects the distance millions of children walk to school each day in developing countries
- This year’s Walk for Education is in support of the “Year of Zayed”
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 4 February 2018: Aetna, the leading health benefits provider, has confirmed its support as a key commercial partner of this year’s Dubai Cares’ Walk for Education initiative, having agreed a significant sponsorship deal.
Held in support of the “Year of Zayed” 2018, the 9th Walk for Education aims to raise awareness about the long distances children and young people in developing countries walk to reach school each day. This symbolic three-kilometer walk also aims to raise funds towards providing underprivileged children and young people globally with access to quality education.
Taking place on Friday 16 February at Dubai Creek Park, next to Al Garhoud Bridge, Gate 2, the Walk for Education hopes to build on the success of last year’s event, which attracted more than 14,500 participants and 250 volunteers.
David Healy, CEO EMEA of Aetna International, said: “At Aetna, our mission is to build a healthier world, and to help people stay healthy by focusing on wellness and prevention. That’s why sponsoring the 2018 Walk for Education initiative is the perfect way for us to turn this commitment into action. We are delighted to be a main supporter of the event, which will highlight the struggles experienced by some children in reaching school each day.”
Speaking about this year’s edition of the annual Walk for Education, His Excellency Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares, said: “We are delighted to see Aetna sponsoring this year’s edition of the Walk for Education. Through this support, we are able to further extend our reach to support a greater number of children who endure exhausting journeys to and from school, in order to gain access to education in developing countries.”
The entry fee for this year’s Walk for Education is AED 30 per person, with children under five able to enter for free. Participants can register online at dubaicares.ae or on the day, and are advised to arrive at 8am with the walk starting at 9am.
Healy added: “It’s set to be a fun and inspiring day out, and our employees alongside their friends and families are very much looking forward to taking part.”
Alongside Aetna, this year’s other main sponsor is IFFCO. Other supporters include Chevron, Dubai Police, Dubai Sports Council and Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services to name a few.
Notes to the Editors
About Aetna International
Aetna International is committed to helping create a stronger, healthier global community by delivering comprehensive health care benefits and population health solutions worldwide. One of the largest providers of international health benefits and services, Aetna International serves more than 700,000 members worldwide, including expatriates, local nationals, and business travelers. Its global benefits include medical, dental, vision and emergency assistance and, in some regions, life and disability. Aetna International also offers customised technological and health management solutions for healthcare systems, government entities, and large employers to improve people’s health, enhance the quality of care and contain costs. For more information, see www.aetnainternational.com.
About Aetna
Aetna is one of the leading diversified health care benefits companies in the U.S., serving an estimated 46.7 million people with information and resources to help them make better-informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services, workers' compensation administrative services and health information technology products and services. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups, and expatriates. For more information, see http://www.aetna.com/ and learn about how Aetna is helping to build a healthier world. @AetnaNews
About Dubai Cares:
Since its inception, Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has been working towards providing children and young people in developing countries with access to quality education through the design and funding of programs that aim to be integrated, impactful, sustainable and scalable. As a result, the UAE-based global philanthropic organization has successfully launched education programs reaching over 16 million beneficiaries in 45 developing countries.
Dubai Cares is playing a key role in helping achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning by 2030, by supporting programs in early childhood development, access to quality primary and secondary education, technical and vocational education and training for youth as well as a particular focus on education in emergencies and protracted crises.
In the UAE, Dubai Cares engages residents through a series of volunteer, awareness and fundraising initiatives that are linked to its global mandate. These initiatives include the annual Walk for Education, Volunteer Emirates, Volunteer Globally and Ramadan Campaign.
To learn more, please visit www.dubaicares.ae
