Dubai, 17th April 2013 - Under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai Center for Special Needs (DCSN) yesterday celebrated 35 years in Dubai at their Annual Concert entitled “The Journey”.

The annual concert is a celebration of the students’ achievements and a commemoration of their hard work. Throughout the performance, the audience learned of the history of DCSN, gaining insight in to the journey of the Center since it first opened in 1978. ‘The Journey’ took guests back to when the Center could only facilitate a handful of students. Featuring the talents of the students, the event showcased their passion for performing arts through singing, dancing and acting. DCSN’s annual concert continuously provides an outlet for the students which allows them to utilize their artistic skills.

During this year’s concert, the audience learned about the success stories of certain students and got a real feel for what the students can achieve through being at the Center. Attending with HRH Princess Haya was Mohamed Al Noori, Director of Corporate Marketing and Relations from Dubai Municipality, Tayeb Abdulrahman Al Rais, Secretary General from AWQAF & Minors Affairs Foundation (Government of Dubai), Mr. Esam Khoori, Director Procurement Contacts & Material Management from DP World and Mohammed Al-Zarouni, Director General of the Red Crescent. DCSN Director, Dr. Mahshid Salehi added that, “We are so proud of the kindness and willingness of the community who support us in our cause, which is to provide a holistic service to students with special needs in order to help them realize their potential.

The event has only been made possible through the generous support of our sponsors who continuously help the Center via their donations.” Over the years, DCSN has continued to grow from its initial guiding principles and vision. Now there are 136 students at the Center including 65% of UAE Nationals, who are between 4 and 27 years old. This year the concert was sponsored by AMBB Interiors, Madinat Jumeirah, Contempo, G4 Securicor, Gemini and Studio Ballerina.