Pakistan Nationality and Sitara-e-Imtiaz for Emil Wyss proposed
Before leaving back to home Emil Wyss met his media fiends at Avari Hotel Sunday and shared details of the tour, cherished the world-famous Pakistani hospitality, and expressed his interest to revisit Pakistan soon, with his wife Arie Wyss.
Senior Journalist Mahmood Sham and other journalists suggested that Government of Pakistan must consider honorary Citizenship of Pakistan to Emil Wyss and Sitara-e-Imtiaz should be given to him to acknowledge his meritorious services for Pakistan especially for deserving NGOs sector. Mubasher Mir, President Karachi Editors Club (KEC) said that KEC will take up this suggested issue properly with the Government of Pakistan.
With love, all the way from Switzerland
Emil Wyss, who was the Consul General of Switzerland in Karachi from 2014-16, served and owned various NGOs serving the humanity during his tenure.
Emil said when arrived in Karachi: “Just before leaving Karachi after my diplomatic assignment ended, my wife and I committed to revisit this beautiful country every year around the 14th of August. I’m very happy that I could come this year to celebrate the Pakistani Independence Day with friends and to meet with some local charities and NGOs to further promote their cause to serve the less privileged.
During this visit the Swiss national, who excitedly boasts that his heart is half Pakistani, paid visits to Karachi Vocational Training Centre for intellectually challenged children, Bint-e-Fatima Old Home Trust for aged/single women, Al-Umeed Rehabilitation Association (AURA) for cerebral palsy children, Deaf Reach School for aurally impaired, Alamgir Welfare Trust where he inaugurated the Trust’s state-of-the art computer institute for the less privileged students.
Wyss also visited Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre where he paid homage to the founder Late Sister Ruth Pfau. He attended an impressive investiture ceremony and Independence Day celebrations organized by Saifiyah Girls School run by the Bohra community in the old Karachi City precinct. He also granted wishes of terminally ill kids during his visit to Make-a-Wish Foundation Pakistan.
Despite heavy rains over past week-end, the former Swiss diplomat, went out and about on his mission to visit Friends of Burns Centre at the Civil Hospital (now Dr. Ruth K.M. Pfau Hospital), Brenton Carey Hostel for orphan and single-parent girls students, the Edhi Foundation, IBTIDA Drug Rehabilitation Centre, and Dar-ul-Sukun home for the abandoned children with special abilities.
Dressed in a half-starched traditional Pakistani shalwar-kameez, with waist-coat and sandals, Wyss made sure to attend the official flag hoisting ceremony at the Mazar-e-Quaid on the morning of August 14. Following which, he visited Afzaal Memorial Thalassemia Foundation where he donated blood for thalassemia major children. Later that day, he visited Markaz-e-Umeed to participate in the Independence Day celebrations and enjoyed BBQ dinner with the elderly at Vcare Social Welfare Society.
On the second last day of his tour de Karachi, Wyss visited the offices of HANDS Pakistan, went to meet students at the Anjuman-e-Behbood Samat-e-Atfal (ABSA) School and College.
In the vicinity of Landhi, he visited Drug Free Pakistan Foundation. Wyss also made a stop at one of Pakistan’s first ever vocational education institute, Pak-Swiss Training Centre, and spent one afternoon with the especially-able children at the Umeedgah Rehabilitation Welfare Trust.
Various activities held by Tara Uzra Dawood
Tara Uzra Dawood (TUD) President GBF remained busiest woman during the reported week to organized her various philanthropic activities.
TUD started ‘Educate a Girl Programme’ few year back and Emil Wyss in the capacity of Consul General of Switzerland at Karachi three year back supported this Ladies Fund in his personal capacity. This programme is going well through know philanthropist, charming and kind hearted Lady Tara Uzra who is also President of Dawood Global Foundation (DGF).
Emil Wyss, now as former Swiss CG. this year again visited to DGF to meet with some of the ‘Educate a Girl’ scholars, LadiesFund women SME entrepreneurs and other stakeholder in the journey of educating girls during his recent visit to Karachi.
Emil appreciated the performance on this smoothly ongoing project of Educating Girls and placing them on jobs. Tara Uzra Dawood President DGF thanked to the former Swiss CG for his continued support and interest.
Lean In Pakistan
Another Project of TUD is Lean In Pakistan (LIP) which was conceived in 2015 and had its first event on January 23rd, 2016 and featured 200 women which made it one of the largest Lean In event in the MENA region. LIP is a community of professional women empowering each other to build purposeful and fulfilling careers. Our events are built by women, for women and we focus on hot career topics with actionable information and inspiring stories.
During the week LIP live on Facebook held an exclusive Bird’s Eye View 60 minutes discussion event where expert industry insiders had a candid discussion on 50 ways to Fight Bias in the workplace.
LadiesFund Graduation Ceremony
Tara Uzra Dawood organized another ceremony during the week which was LadiesFund Graduation Ceremony for the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women mentees. TUD congratulates all successful women.