Star of 'Resurrection: Ertuğrul'
Joins HCI in Brampton.
Clean Water Initiatives
HCI & Ertuğrul:
A Charity Gala To Be Remembered
When you think of charity events, what comes to mind?
For most people, it's likely images of an art auction with wealthy donors mingling and hobnobbing. But what if I told you about a charity event that included as its main feature a new collaboration with a high-profile celebrity, and raised money for clean water projects in the process? Canadian-based non-profit organization Human Concern International (HCI) has done just that. HCI hosted a charity gala that at Pearson International Centre in Brampton, Ontario on December 11, 2022. What everyone saw that day was an incredible display of community support, a fun auction, along with an internationally loved actor that drew a grand reaction from the crowd. HCI introduced its collaboration with Turkish actor, Engin Altan Düzyatan, where he will serve as the face of their clean water campaign. The audience was ecstatic to see the actor, and the event attracted a variety of community members, including religious leaders, entrepreneurs, and members of law enforcement.
About the Gala
The Gala started with a press conference where the actor and representatives from HCI discussed the collaboration and their mutual interest in providing clean water. This was followed by a VIP photo opportunity with the star Düzyatan. The event was guided by the charming emcee, Hassan Wadi, and featured special guest speakers, including Imams Hossam Helal and Hamid Slimi. In addition to this we saw the incredible educator, motivational speaker and author, Yasmin Mogahed, who gave an incredible speech followed by a book signing. And to top it off there was a live auction of some really cool custom made artwork inspired by the show in which the actor starred in. This included a replica sword made by Modern Wall Art.
“Fifty-three percent of African people do not have access to clean water, and three out of 10 newborns die from diseases caused by contaminated water,”
- Engin Altan Düzyatan
More about the event
Yasmin Mogahed delivered an incredible speech as she usually does and really moved the crowd. It's always such an honour to listen to Yasmin, she's able to speak to the core an individual in way that feels familiar, concise and effective.
It was a real treat to be at this event but what was really cool to see was the reaction the audience had to Düzyatan. It's no secret that celebrities are often met with mixed reactions. although in this case, everyone seemed to be over the moon to see their favorite actor. As soon as he came on stage, it seemed as though the entire audience was up on their feet. Although it didn't stop there. In search of a better angle and clearer shot, people holding their camera phones rushed towards the front of the stage to the point where the security was forced to push people back. It would be an understatement to say that the men and women were excited to see him, some of them were almost in disbelief. I was amazed by the level of reaction people had and the impact of his fame. To be fair I wasn’t exempt from this, I was absolutely blown away by his presence. Not only is he an incredibly talented actor, but he is also a passionate philanthropist.
