Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Bin Juma Al Maktoum, Acting Chairman of Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre, Villa, Rimal and Rihab Rotana celebrated the graduation ceremony of the third batch of students with special needs, who have completed the training period for the programme the first of its kind in the world of hotels.

This humanitarian project which is the first in the world of hotels in the United Arab Emirates was launched in 2009 in collaboration between each of Villa Rotana, Rimal Rotana and Rihab Rotana - Dubai and Rashid Center for the care and treatment of childhood.

The aim of the project in principle is receiving on a yearly basis in each hotel three students from Rashid Centre. The students are selected by the Centre management to receive six to eight months training in the workplace hotel under the supervision of the Centre social assistance and the human resources of the hotels.

The graduation ceremony was held at Villa Rotana - Dubai, where a speech by His Excellency Ahmed Hashim Khoury, founder of the Centre and Mr. Kinan Al Ghraoui the General Manager of the three hotels. The Centre children introduced drama of the occasion in addition to a documentary about project and the distribution of certificates by his highness.

HE Ahmed Hashim Khoury commented: "I am honored today to witness the graduation of the third batch of our special needed students from Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre, confirming our concern on the necessity of the rehabilitation of this category and their integration into communities without disabilities, by providing them with skills and discover new capacity inherent in them. Moreover the importance for the community is to create awareness, integration and employment for those students to be productive".

The founder of Rashid Paediatric Therapy Centre: "We cannot achieve these noble goals and objectives without the support and cooperation of the concerted various sectors of society, and here we must pay tribute to the role played by Villa Rotana, Rihab Rotana and Rimal Rotana, in the rehabilitation and training of those students. Perhaps, the attention of the public administration of this hotel with this graduation ceremony and their care of various details, reflect hotels� interest in this humanitarian issue and their commitment. Here I would like to extend all the greetings and appreciation to Kinan Al Ghraoui, the general manager, for his efforts, support and follow-up to these trends especially that this cooperation between the Centre and the three hotels is not a new phenomenon but has its roots and history".

Ahmed Hashim Khoury, congratulating the graduates, said: "We congratulate the graduates and their families as well as ourselves on what has been achieved throughout the year. Our presence today, together with His Highness Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, is to confirm our commitment to this case and insisting on the rights of children with special needs in learning, training, employment and participation, and I hope other institutions follow this approach, and commit to employing this category in the work and believe in their abilities. It is unacceptable to show the emotional empathy with the issues of these children and to refrain from support when it comes to employment".

Mr. Kinan Al Ghraoui, the General manager of the three hotels, welcomed His Highness Sheikh Juma Bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, thanking him for sponsoring the event, stressing the desire of everyone to accomplish this event, especially students who have worked since the beginning of the school year. Al Ghraoui added: "Our first and last has been and continues to contribute to our responsibility to the community and participation by creating a new idea to help children to rely more on themselves and draw a smile on their faces".

"We are proud of the new batch graduating today who proved their ability to complete their determination and perseverance defying the odds and achieving success."

In conclusion, all the participants in this session have received at the end of the training period a certificate of Rotana Hotels and Resorts.