ETA Ascon Star Group employees pledge to eradicate poverty

Sporting bright white signature T-shirts, over 7,190 employees of ETA Ascon Star Group from all over the UAE gathered at Salahuddin Road, Deira, early morning on October 18 and 19 and pledged to eradicate extreme poverty and work towards an environmentally sustainable world.

The gathering made an impressive sight as the employees lined up in formation to create the ETA Ascon Star Group logo.

Mr. Syed M. Salahuddin, Managing Director of the Group, who also participated in the event, stressed the importance of adopting simple measures to judiciously use the resources available to us in our daily lives. "Only such a concerted effort by all would make the pledge meaningful and produce the desired results," he said.

"Nature is nature," Mr. Salahuddin said, adding that unlike man-made marvels which we get tired of easily, natural wonders like the sea and mountains will always fascinate us and refresh our lives. "We all must do everything we can to protect the Mother Nature," he pointed out.

Mr. Hameed Salahuddin, Director, ETA Ascon Star Group, read out the Pledge on behalf of all the employees of the Group,

"We commit not just to support the Millennium Development Goals, but also to take action through positive and focused efforts within our homes, offices and the larger society for sustainable environment."

Mr. Akbar Khan, Executive Director, Human Resources, thanked the employees for actively supporting the campaign, noting that participation of the Group's employees from all its offices, sites, workshops and camps in the UAE was heartening. "We thank Her Royal Highness Princess Haya bint Hussein, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the UN Messenger of Peace for her gracious patronage of this campaign," he said.

Mr Taimur Khan of the HR department was the event co-ordinator.

The Pledge is part of a worldwide campaign by global leaders to achieve the eight Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The action will be counted as part of an official Guinness World Record for the most number of people simultaneously standing up against poverty and in support of the Millennium Development Goals in a span of 48 hours.

Seeking to create a better world for the mankind, the campaign pledges to:

• Serve humanity by creating a truly global civilization, acting in harmony to eradicate poverty, disease and hunger.

• Cherish our beautiful planet by integrating measures in our lives that contribute to protecting natural resources, ecology and environment.

• Achieve the goal of universal primary education and reduce child mortality.

• Promote gender equality, empower women and improve maternal health.

• Create long-term sustainable partnerships that will help us reach the above goals.