Pink Caravan holds second community event in Aljada

The sound of children’s laughter and animated conversations filled the air in Aljada on Friday evening as the Pink Caravan opened its second community event.

From 5pm, scores of families, volunteers, and medical teams streamed in, turning the venue into a packed, high-energy space centred on community solidarity and breast cancer awareness.

Organised by Friends of Cancer Patients (FOCP) as part of the annual Pink October campaign, the three-day event runs from October 10 to 12, between 5pm to 11pm daily, under the theme “A Community Through Her.”

It offers free clinical and mammogram screenings, interactive workshops, roaming performances, and a full schedule of activities for children, teenagers, and families.

On its opening day, the event drew more than 1,500 visitors, with a strong turnout from the community from across the country.

Women visited the mobile clinic for free screenings, while others joined hands-on workshops and awareness sessions.

Children moved between face painting, flower-making, and decorating T-shirts, while teenagers spent time in the gaming zone and took part in video challenges.

The mix of health services and family activities kept the venue active throughout the evening.

Visitors also enjoyed the Manbat Market, where they could shop for a wide range of organic fruits and local products, and sample a selection of healthy dishes. A portion of the proceeds will go towards supporting Pink Caravan and FOCP’s efforts to provide medical and emotional support for cancer patients and their families.

To offer diverse experience, several partner entities participated, including Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, which hosted two interactive workshops highlighting traditional Emirati crafts reflecting its commitment to social responsibility and to weaving heritage skills into community and awareness initiatives.

Delivered under Irthi’s Community Engagement initiatives, the sessions taught participants how to make bookmarks using the Safeefah technique and create leather tally keychains, using pink materials, in solidarity with the Pink October campaign, and attracted over 100 participants on the first day.

Reem BinKaram, Director of Irthi, emphasised the importance of the campaign and its role in raising awareness: “Our participation in the Pink Caravan activities reflects our commitment to social responsibility and institutional collaboration. It aligns with Irthi’s mission to integrate Emirati crafts into community and awareness initiatives. Heritage is a means of human connection that can support the messages of positive campaigns.”

She added: “Sponsoring the Pink Caravan’s event in Aljada allowed us to engage the public through craft while promoting the cultural value of heritage. We want younger generations to see traditional Emirati crafts as something to learn, practise, and pass on.”

The Bookmark workshop combined traditional craftsmanship with modern design, introducing participants to Safeefah and Saffafah, two of the UAE’s oldest palm-frond weaving techniques used to make baskets, mats and food overs.

Participants created bookmarks using these methods, learning how to transform raw natural materials into functional items that carry cultural meaning. The session reinforced patience, precision and manual skill, while showing how heritage crafts can remain relevant and engaging for new generations.

The leather Talli keychain workshop combined traditional Emirati craftsmanship with modern design.

Participants were introduced to Talli, a handwoven decorative technique that uses cotton, metallic or camel leather threads to embellish garments and accessories.

Participants explored key tally weaving methods, including the Sayir Yay pattern, which uses a back-and-forth technique to produce detailed, balanced designs. Using camel leather threads, participants created keychains that showed how heritage crafts can be adapted into modern products while preserving cultural identity.

Aligned with FOCP’s wider mission, the initiative reinforces efforts to promote early detection and raise public awareness of breast cancer. Through Pink Caravan’s clinics, it continues to provide free clinical and mammogram screenings, as well as ongoing medical and emotional support for patients and their families.