UAE embassy in Berlin donates 8,000 facemasks for city’s deprived children

The UAE embassy in Berlin has pledged funds earmarked for 8,000 Covid-19 masks to protect some of the German capital’s most vulnerable children.

In a tweet, the embassy said that it was donating the funds to Laughing Hearts, a charity that supports 22 homes for socially disadvantaged youngsters in Berlin and the surrounding area. More than 2,000 children and adolescents benefit from the work done by the organisation.

Hafsa Al Ulama, the UAE Ambassador in Berlin, said the embassy was “grateful” to be able to play a role in supplying funding for the masks.

On Monday, the wearing of face masks became mandatory for most Germans in public spaces across the country, though the regulations vary from state to state within the federal system. While individuals in Berlin are not legally obliged to wear the masks while shopping, they must do so on public transport.

In the majority of German states, children over the age of six are required to wear face masks. People found flouting the regulations face a €150 fine. The penalty can double for repeat offenders and shop owners risk a €5,000 fine if they do not provide masks for their employees.

Germany has been hailed for its exemplary response to the coronavirus crisis. Experts believe that the country’s swift imposition of lockdown measures combined with widespread Covid-19 testing have saved the nation from higher fatalities of the kind experienced in the United States, Italy and Great Britain.

The UAE and Germany have collaborated on both countries’ coronavirus responses. Ms Al Ulama said in a previous interview that the two nations had worked closely, exchanging advice on best practices from the beginning of the outbreak.