The number plate AA9 being displayed on screen during auction.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The open number plates auction held by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai on Saturday donated Dhs38 million to support the 100 Million Meals campaign.

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) raised Dhs 50,450,000 for the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign through a numbers charity auction today. Dhs48,500,000 was raised through auctioning single-and double-digit car plates and exclusive mobile numbers, and Dhs 1,950,000 through direct donations from the attendance.

The civic body sold AA9 number plate for Dhs38 million. The number E 51 was sold for Dhs2.4 million. UAE’s leading telecommunication company Etisalat sold a number 0569999999 for Dhs3 million.

The owner of the number plate AA 9, who bought it for Dhs38 million dirhams at the auction to support the campaign, thanked the international initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai and refuses to disclose his name, upholding the value of philanthropy.

The man (name withheld) who bought the AA9 number plane.

On the other hand, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Tolerance Award donated Dhs1 million to the "100 Million meals” campaign launched by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) to provide food support across 30 countries in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Europe and South America throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan and after.

The contribution made by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Tolerance Award, adds 1 million meals to the generous donations collected by the campaign so far after the wide response it received from philanthropists in the UAE and abroad, including individuals, companies, public and private institutions, businessmen and other active sectors.

To reach as many beneficiaries as possible, the campaign’s organiser the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) is collaborating with the UN World Food Programme, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, Food Banking Regional Network, and local humanitarian organizations in beneficiary countries to distribute food parcels.

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Dr Hamad Al Shaibani, Managing Director of the International Institute for Tolerance, said: "The contribution of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Tolerance Award to support the campaign with 1 million meals of tolerance stems from the objectives of the award, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to consolidate the value of tolerance, especially as the campaign coincides with the Holy Month of Ramadan, the month of benevolence, generosity and tolerance, which constitutes a school of piety in which the worshipers accept God Almighty with all kinds of acts of worship, including fasting, prayer, charity, feeding the poor and bonding with ties of kinship, as making it an opportunity to rise above and overcome differences, reject divisions and initiate forgiveness, for it is the month of tolerance, love and transcendence above all conflicts, and Islam came to establish the pillars of society on the most honorable morals and noble qualities, including forgiveness and pardons for offenses and harm.”

The ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign raised a whopping Dhs100 million from 185,000 donors, achieving its target within 10 days from its launch as donations continue to pour in to provide food aid for vulnerable communities in 30 countries.