World’s Coolest Winter campaign launches Warm Winter humanitarian initiative

AMMAN — The World’s Coolest Winter campaign, which celebrates the UAE’s most beautiful tourism destinations, has launched the Warm Winter initiative to raise $10 million for refugees and people in need.

The World’s Coolest Winter campaign joins hands with YouTuber AboFlah to provide aid to more than 100,000 refugees and people in need facing harsh winter conditions, according to a statement from the UAE government’s media office sent to The Jordan Times.

AboFlah will continue to broadcast live in a glass room near Burj Khalifa, Dubai, until $10 million is collected. The campaign began on January 7, the statement said.

The humanitarian campaign was launched in collaboration with Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, Galaxy Racer,  Dubai-based lifestyle organisation, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Food Banking Regional Network, according to the  statement.

“Part of the funds raised will be directed to support refugees in Jordan,” the statement said.

AboFlah’s YouTube channel is one of the fastest-growing YouTube channels in the world, with over 22 million subscribers and over 2.8 billion views. He is followed by millions of fans who avidly watch his vlogs, comedy shorts and formatted shows covering video games and popular culture.

“Warmth in winter for those facing harsh winter conditions is no less important than food and water. There are millions of refugees and displaced people who need all the support they can get,” AboFlah was quoted in the statement as saying.

Sarah Al Nuaimi, director of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, in the statement, said: “Warm Winter reaffirms the UAE’s established culture of compassion and humanitarian work”.

Paul Roy, CEO of Galaxy Racer, in the statement, said: “At Galaxy Racer, we believe in giving back to the community and all of us, including our content creators such as AboFlah, share this value as well”.

Assistance will be provided to refugees in Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon. The assistance will also extend to individuals and families in Syria and Egypt, the statement said.

The statement also noted that UNHCR estimates that there are 3.8 million refugees and displaced people in the Arab region, as well as millions in Africa, who need critical assistance to survive winter.

“We are pleased to support the Warm Winter initiative, which reaffirms the importance of the collective efforts led by the UAE to provide relief to those most in need, in cooperation with global partners,” Khaled Khalifa, senior advisor and tepresentative to the GCC, UNHCR, said in the statement.

“Warm Winter will provide direct support to refugees and those in need, serving as an open message of solidarity to aid millions of refugees and displaced people facing bleak conditions this winter,” Moez El Shohdi, founder and CEO of the Food Banking Regional Network, said in the statement.

Anyone from anywhere in the world can donate to the humanitarian initiative. Contributions can be made to the Warm Winter campaign, which has been running from January 7, 2022, at MBRGI.ae/WarmWinter, according to the statement.