School cricket partnership

“So many of our superstars of the 70s and 80s were products of school cricket. This partnership with Bank Alfalah will develop and groom the superstars of tomorrow. In the last year, we have made an unprecedented investment in the pathway and grassroots cricket,” says the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja, according to a press release.

“Bank Alfalah stands proud of its longstanding partnership with the PCB, and together we’ve continued to support the shared passion for cricket in all these years working in collaboration,” says President and CEO of Bank Alfalah Atif Bajwa

The PCB and Bank Alfalah have entered a four-year partnership to revive school cricket across the country. Per the partnership agreement, the PCB and Bank Alfalah will jointly organise a school tournament each year in which 120 schools (to be shortlisted by the PCB) will participate.

The PCB and Bank Alfalah will conduct nationwide school drives for making programme-based interventions to harness and nurture youth with a strong passion for cricket.

With the growth of the partnership over the next four years, school participation will increase to 900 schools across the country. This will be part of PCB’s grand plan of developing and sustaining a quality school competition that will not only identify but also nurture and groom future cricket stars.

A total of 105 PCB-designated and approved grounds will be used for school cricket tournaments in this four-year period.

Kilos of kindness

Mövenpick hotels worldwide aim to collect 25,000’ Kilos of Kindness’ throughout October to support organisations working to deliver heartfelt care and enrich lives, says a press release.

Just in time for the season of giving, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts has announced the launch of its annual Kilo of Kindness charitable program. At the heart of Mövenpick is the belief that indulgence is something that should be both good for you and good for the world, which it hopes will inspire people to donate.

Mövenpick Hotel Karachi is excited to announce that it will participate in the initiative for its seventh year. It is inviting guests, visitors and members of the community to donate at least one kilo of food, clothing and school supplies throughout October. The collected items will be shared with local communities in need, focusing on JS Academy working to provide education to deaf and hard of hearing children.

The hotel joins 65 Mövenpick properties across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East of food participating in the initiative with a global goal to gather 25,000 kilos of donations.

Guests and visitors are invited to drop off donations at the lobby of the Mövenpick Hotel Karachi from October 1-31.

Mövenpick’s new program slogan, “nothing tastes sweeter than a kilo of kindness,” aims to remind the public that giving back brings joy to all involved.

While guests and local neighbours are encouraged to donate a kilo of goods, all contributions are welcome and gratefully received, no matter how big or small.

World’s most effective media agency network

OMD (a part of Omnicom Media Group) has been ranked the world’s “Most Effective Media Agency Network” in the 2021 Global Effie Effectiveness Index, and Omnicom has been named the world’s “Most Effective Agency Holding Group”, according to a press release.

George Manas, CEO of OMD Worldwide, commented: “The breadth of wins worldwide has been a testament to excellence coming out of all regions. Along with the UK, USA, Canada, and New Zealand, we celebrate wins from other markets such as Pakistan, Colombia, Croatia, Malaysia, Turkey, Egypt, and more.”

The Effie Awards are one of the industry’s most prestigious honours celebrating “ideas that work” and are known as the global symbol of achievement.

Engineering & healthcare show

The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), after a successful first edition of the Engineering and Healthcare show (ECHS) 2022, has organised the second edition. The Pakistan Engineering and Healthcare Show 2023 will be held at Expo Center Lahore from February 23-25, 2023, in Lahore, says a press release.

Delegates from across 56 countries of Africa, Central Asian Republics, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan & China will be a part of this exhibition. It will have 24 product categories ranging from national engineering to dynamic health sectors.

This year, EHCS 2023 has received 70 applications so far from different sectors of Engineering and Healthcare, which have reserved more than 110 stalls in three halls of the Lahore Expo centre. The main participation is from the cutlery and crockery sector, furniture sector, pharmaceutical, surgical and dental instruments, construction material, handicrafts etc.

International marketing has started, and many buyers who attended the first edition have confirmed their visit to the exhibition. Factory/unit visits are also planned, which will be carried out on the second and third days of the event.

Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, October 11th, 2022