2015 Winners & Shortlists

Brief Explanation

In the UAE, the cost of schooling special needs children is 3 times higher than the average, and funding does not come by easily. So as the leading bank in the Middle East, Emirates NBD with Manzil (a leading centre for special needs children) is endorsing their cause, and wanted to drive funding towards their development and progress. But in a society where special needs children are only looked at with pity, we first needed to show them that these children are capable of being independent contributing members of society. We invited affluent art patrons to a special art exhibition called PERSPECTIVES, showcasing exclusively curated work created by upcoming, talented artists. We conducted a live auction in conjunction with a leading auction house, where they could own those works of art. We then gave them the opportunity to meet the talented artists. What they didn't know was that the artists were in fact, special needs children. Not only did the film change UAE’s perspectives but we also raised $100,000 and counting, in funds for Manzil. The film, seeded online across owned, earned and shared platforms, generated conversations around Perspectives and the integration of special needs children.