This Article is From Feb 04, 2015

Britain's Prince Charles Thanks Ambanis for Charity Fund Match

Britain's Prince Charles Thanks Ambanis for Charity Fund Match

File photo of Britain's Prince Charles. (Associated Press)

London:

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Foundation has pledged to match-fund the millions of pounds to be raised for a new anti-trafficking fund Britain's Prince Charles has launched in London.

Thanking the foundation, the heir to the British throne made the announcement in his capacity as president of the British Asian Trust (BAT) at a fundraising event yesterday.
 
"I am delighted to announce that the Reliance Foundation in India has very generously agreed to match fund my trust's Anti-Trafficking Fund, pound for pound. I am deeply grateful to Mrs Nita Ambani for enabling me to launch this partnership with her foundation," said Prince Charles.
 
"It is hugely encouraging that my BAT team is tackling the very difficult issue of human trafficking and its devastating impact on women and girls. Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi himself has sought to highlight the sometimes precarious position of girls through his campaign in support of the girl child," he added.
 
The prince was accompanied by wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who wore an Indian silk sari with her gown designed by Anna Valentine. 
 
The keynote address at the event was given by Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, who the prince described as an "unwavering campaigner for the transformative power of education and its social role in bringing an end to modern slavery."
 
"I am a proud Indian and I know that India is a land of a hundred problems but it's the mother of one billion solutions...I strongly believe we will put an end to slavery in this world, nobody can stop it," said Mr Satyarthi.
 
"What we need is compassion, new kind of partnerships, thinking out of the box. All we need is a little bigger push. Let us pledge to make slavery history in your lifetime, my lifetime," he concluded to standing ovation.
 
According to the figures released by the BAT, India is home to 14 million modern day slaves -- almost half of the world's 30 million.
 
The new fund, estimated to be millions of pounds, will raise and award money to grassroots organisations helping victims and to educate girls to the dangers.
 
Bollywood star Rani Mukerji has been appointed the brand ambassador of the trust for her work to raise awareness about trafficking through her recent box-office release 'Mardani.'
 
"Every eight minutes a girl goes missing in India. Eradication of trafficking is a long and arduous journey but we will make a difference," she said at the event attended by UK-based entrepreneurs and celebrities from across the board including filmmaker Gurinder Chadha and singer Ella Henderson.
 
The British Asian Trust was founded in London in 2007 by a group of British Asian businessmen.
 
This year's fundraiser was themed around "Unlocking potential in South Asia'. 

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