Business Desk : dhakamirror.com
Unicef has announced Muhammed Aziz Khan as the incoming chair of the Unicef International Council, succeeding the inaugural chair, Maria Ahlstrom-Bondestam.
He will assume the position in November this year, a press release issued by Unicef said yesterday.
The Unicef International Council is a unique community of approximately 150 private philanthropists and partners who want to optimise their philanthropic investments for children by bringing together their funding, leadership, and expertise.
Together, International Council members have invested more than US$ 552 million in Unicef, in support of children around the world.
Aziz Khan is a businessman, and founder and Trustee of the Anjuman and Aziz Charitable Trust (AACT), together with his wife Anjuman Khan. He and his family have been part of the Unicef International Council since 2022.
Driven by a commitment to shaping a better future for children, Khan and his family have sponsored schools, built hospitals, and supported projects to address drug addiction and violence against women and children in Bangladesh.
“I am a believer in the power of education – not only for its ability to lift people out of poverty but as a unifying force for good. I see education as the bedrock of modern civilization and builder of trust amongst humanity and that by enhancing understanding, education has the power to reduce social conflicts and bring more harmony into the world,” said Aziz Khan.
After the Covid-19 pandemic, Khan decided to focus the effort of the AACT, on education, and on the urgent task of getting children back into class, helping them catch up on their lost schooling.
“I am pleased to welcome Aziz Khan as the next Unicef International Council Chair, and I look forward to working with him to shape a better, fairer future for all children,” said Unicef Deputy Executive Director Kitty van der Heijden.
Under Khan’s leadership, the Unicef International Council aims to grow its membership by positioning itself as the natural home for philanthropists working on the rights of children, the release added. – Press release
