JEDDAH — The Jeddah Chapter of Islamic Cultural Foundation of India (ICF) will adopt 60 poor families from the southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Addressing a press conference here recently, leaders of ICF announced a series of initiatives and relief packages to mark the diamond jubilee celebrations of the foundation's parent organization –Sunni Yuvajana Sangam (SYS). The Jeddah chapter will also donate an ambulance to boost its drive to render free ambulance service to patients at the Regional Cancer Center in Thiruvananthapuram, capital of Kerala. The 60th anniversary conference of SYS with the theme of “Dedicated youth: Marching ahead with a mission accomplished” will be held in Edarikkode, Malappuram district of Kerala on Feb.27-March 1. ICF leaders said that the Jeddah chapter had spent Rs15 million in 2014 for relief works in order to alleviate the suffering of the weaker and marginalized sections in the society. These included healthcare and treatment, contribution to settle debts for the poor, construction of homes for those without a home, and financial assistance for education and marriage expenses of the poor and destitute families. The foundation has made elaborate arrangements and preparations to make the SYS conference a resounding success. As part of this, several programs are being held in the Gulf states; and these included seminar, debate, workers' meet, table talk, ‘family school', cultural and artistic performance, blood donation camp, and students' assembly. A symposium on “Indian culture: History and present scenario” will be held shortly as part of the programs. Those who attended the press conference included Sayyid Habeeb Al-Bukhari, Abdurahman Madahiri, Abdurahim Wandoor, Klari Mustafa Saadi, Shafi Musliar, Mujeeb A.R. Nagar, Basheer Ernakulam and Abdul Majeed Saqafi. Meanwhile, several prominent community leaders and media and cultural figures spoke at a seminar with the theme of “Dedicated expatriate youths” organized by ICF in Jeddah. The speakers underlined the need for joint efforts of the religious and cultural organizations to guide the younger generation into the right path and prevent them from going astray. “There should be concerted efforts to protect the younger generation from the scourge of terrorism as well as from moral degradation and cultural anarchy. Youths shall be trained so as to become torchbearers of virtues and useful to the society as a whole,” said Basheer Ernakulam who presented the seminar topic. Klari Mustafa Saadi was the moderator in the seminar, which was inaugurated by Hassan Cheruppa. The speakers included A.M. Sajith (Malayalam News), K.T.A. Muneer (Overseas Indian Cultural Congress), Rayin Kutty Neerad (Kerala Muslim Cultural Center), Gopi Nedungadi (Sameeksha Literary Forum), A.M. Abdullakutty (Indian Muslim Cultural Center), Asif (Navoday Cultural Forum), Hifzurahman (Saudi Indian Football Forum), Muhammad Kotta (New Ages), and Ali Bukhari (Risala Study Circle). Mujeeb A.R. Nagar welcomed the gathering while M.C.A Ghafour Vazhakkad proposed a vote of thanks.
