The World Health Organization (WHO) releases regular statistics about blindness and eye diseases at a global scale. According to this data, every year, the number of affected people rises at an alarming rate. In fact, one person in the world goes blind every 5 seconds.
In response to these alarming statistics, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai launched the "Noor Dubai Initiative" on September 3, 2008. Noor Dubai started as an international charitable initiative for the prevention and treatment of blindness and low vision.
Noor Dubai was launched with the vision of a world free from avoidable causes of blindness. Noor Dubai provided therapeutic, preventative and educational programs to treat and prevent blindness and visual impairment in developing countries on a regional and international scale.
In its first year and following the success achieved of reaching out to over 5.8 million individuals worldwide, a decree was passed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, launching the Noor Dubai Foundation a non-governmental, non-for-profit organization, aiming to eliminate all forms of preventable blindness globally.
