Etihad Airways and Air Serbia donate items to refugee children

The aid package, which was officially handed over at the Krnjača asylum centre in the Serbian capital today, reflects the UAE national airline’s ongoing commitment to global education and social responsibility. The children at the centre were joined by orphans from the Home for Children and Youth for a fun-filled few hours.

Hosted by Minja Subota, a famous Serbian television personality, the event also included songs from Serbian children’s choirs, clown and magician shows, as well as the Serbian folklore ensemble, Talija, and Željko Vasić, the Serbian celebrity singer.

In addition to the event at the asylum centre, the Etihad Airways’ delegation visited on Tuesday 6 September, the Home for Children and Youth in Sremčica, spending time with children and staff members and donating blankets, cardigans and wheelchairs.

The events in Serbia are part of an agreement between Etihad Airways and the UAE Embassy in Belgrade to provide humanitarian and social support in Serbia. During the last four years Etihad Airways has also supported education for children in Yemen, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Jordan.

Khaled Al Mehairbi, senior vice president Abu Dhabi Airport Operations, chairman of the Etihad Sports and Social Committee, said: “Every child deserves to live in a safe and secure environment with access to education. Sadly in this world that is not always possible and so we hope that this initiative goes some way to helping these young children in the months ahead. Our special thanks goes for the UNHCR for supporting us to put a smile on the faces of the children.”