A priceless collection of historic manuscripts and artifacts is being auctioned at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai to raise funds for the ongoing Reading Nation Ramadan campaign. Here's our coverage of the event as it happened. (Inputs from Mary Achkhanian, Staff reporter)
Campaign collects Dh40 million
The charity auction held for Reading Nation campaign launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai collected more than Dh40 million.
Campaign raises funds to buy 7.3 million books
The Reading Nation campaign has managed to raise funds which will help provide 7.27 million books to children in refugee camps and underprivileged students in schools across the world. The highest bid for the night was Dh9.7 million for the unique Dubai plate number R10.
Reading Nation campaign exceeds its initial target of donating 5 million books worldwide to 7.3 books after the successful charity auction— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 21, 2016
Dh4million for Q13
RTA number plate Q15 has been bought for Dh4m, from a starting price of Dh2.1 million.
Dh4.05 million was the winning bid for the Dubai plate number L22
The charity auction continues with unique numbers from Etisalat and Du still remain to be auctioned as well as many distinguished plate numbers from RTA
The first mobile phone number on auction was sold at Dh2.05 million. The number was 0565555555
Mobile number 0523333333 was sold for Dh1.6 million at the charity auction, which is still taking place at Madinat Jumeirah.
T13 Dubai plate number from RTA was sold for Dh5 million.
Money raised for the Reading National campaign has exceeded its target in donating 5 million books to the most needy. The funds collected so far are enough to provide 6.10 million books to children around the world
Dh9.7 million for No 10
Dubai number plate R 10 was sold to the highest bidder at Dh9.7 million, at Reading Nation auction in Dubai.
A special number from Etisalat 0565555555 is now being auctioned and has already reached Dh2 million in less than 3 minutes.
RTA number plates, phone numbers
For the rest of the auction, there will be 10 unique numbers from Etisalat and Du worth millions of Dirhams, as well as five distinct numbers from the Roads and Transportation Authority (RTA) put up for sale.
The unique Dubai plate number R 10 is still up for bidding and has reached Dh8.8m so far.
Donations poured in from different public and private organisations for the campaign which was announced on the first day of Ramadan by Shaikh Mohammad
Some of the items put up for auction are being displayed next to the entrance of the hall allowing bidders to get up close with the items being auctioned.
De Lamar sold for Dh260,000
A one-year-old pure Arabian horse De Lamar born to a champion horse named Fa Al Rasheem was sold for Dh260,000, against a listed price of Dh100,000.
Distinguished car plate numbers are now up for auction with the number R 10 going up first. The price of the special plate shot up from Dh3.5 million to Dh8.8 million within minutes. People are still bidding.
The Reading Nation campaign aims to donate 5 million books to refugee children and underprivileged students around the world.
Painting fetches Dh70,000
A painting by Abdul Qader Al Rais from the private collection of Shaikh Mohammad was sold to a bidder for a final price of Dh70,000
The three-centuries-old copy of the Quraan donated by Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Al Owais was sold at a price of Dh250,000.
A painting by Emirati artist Dr. Najat Makki from private collection of Shaikh Mohammad is now being auctioned. The current price is Dh50,000 and it had in seconds gone up to Dh140,000 with the final bid at Dh150,000
Some items being auctioned today have been donated by prominent figures to support the campaign, which aims to provide five million books to the needy.
Charity event attracts large gathering
The charity event being held by Emirates Auction L.L.C event held at the Jawaher Hall attracted many people, most of whom were Emiratis.
Shaikh Walid Al Ibrahim of MBC group is attending the event and has donated Dh3 million.
A three-centuries-old copy of the Quran donated by Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and prevention is now being now auctioned at a current listed price of Dh250,000.
Calligraphy painting sold
The second item of the auction is a Calligraphy painting of a poem by Shaikh Mohammad which carries the signature of Shaikh Mohammad and is part of his private collection with a current value of Dh1 million. The calligraphy painting was sold for Dh1.1 million.
Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai is attending the auction organised by Emirates Auction L.L.C
Kiswa sold for Dh2.1 million
The Kiswa was sold for Dh2.1 million after it's current price was listed at Dh2 million.
Collections from the office of Shaikh Mohammad
The charity auction to support the Reading Nation Campaign has just began at Madinat Jumeirah with exceptional collections about to be sold for the first time including items from the private art collections from the office of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai
The first item to go up for auction is the 106-year-old piece of the Kaba cover (Kiswa) embroidered with gold and silver threads from the private collection of Shaikh Mohammad. It is the main cover of this auction and it's current price is dh2million. The minimum bid is Dh500,000.
Relates story: Rare Quran manuscripts donated for Reading Nation auction
An ancient manuscript and a manuscript edition of the Quran dating back to the 19th century, donated by Mohammad Al Murr, former speaker of the Federal National Council, is part of the items going under the hammer on Tuesday.
In addition, an old copy of the Quran dating back three-centuries was donated by Abdul Rahman Bin Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention.
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid announced the Reading Nation will supply as many as 5 million books for needy students across the globe.
The Reading Nation campaign will provide #5MillionBooks for refugee students and students in schools in need around the World.— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) June 5, 2016
We will provide children and students with two million books, establish 2,000 libraries and support educational and humanitarian programs.— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) June 5, 2016
The fastest way to end poverty is to eliminate ignorance. We plan to move from feeding the hungry to nurturing minds pic.twitter.com/ALSn44QRQ1— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) June 5, 2016
