THE ST. REGIS ABU DHABI HOSTS UNICEF CHARITY DRIVE

Hotel's First Annual Rhodes to Awareness Charity Campaign Raises Proceeds to Help Underprivileged Children in Africa Gain an Education

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – October 13, 2013 – The St. Regis Abu Dhabi and celebrity chef Gary Rhodes have hosted the hotel's first-ever Rhodes to Awareness charity drive, with proceeds donated to UNICEF to help children in Africa gain an education.

Since 2008, Starwood Hotels and Resorts and UNICEF have partnered on the annual Road to Awareness fundraising campaign, which makes a positive difference for children in the communities in which Starwood operates.

This year's Road to Awareness campaign is themed “Bridging the Gap”, with the goal of Starwood's 250 hotels and resorts in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East raising more than USD 500,000 in total for UNCIEF. Proceeds from Starwoods' local fundraising initiatives and an annual fundraising bike ride will go to educational projects in Nigeria and Cameroon.

Oliver Key, General Manager, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi, said: “Our first annual Rhodes to Awareness charity drive saw an incredible response from our guests and staff. The event, as part of Starwood's Road to Awareness campaign, demonstrates the compassion of people in Abu Dhabi to help children in remote communities in Nigeria and Cameroon go to school and start a better life. We expect Rhodes to Awareness to become one of Abu Dhabi's most valued traditions, and look forward to supporting UNICEF's programmes in the future.”

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi called its Road to Awareness event Rhodes to Awareness, after chef Gary Rhodes, who presided over the evening in the Rhodes 44 restaurant.

“At the Rhodes to Awareness charity event, Abu Dhabi's diverse community came together to support an education for children in Africa, and help families climb out of poverty. Hosting the awareness program at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi is a small gesture to help make a difference in the world with UNCIEF,” said Gary Rhodes.

In 2013, the Road to Awareness campaign aims to support 8,000 children in total, including 3,000 nomadic children across 20 schools in Nigeria, and 5,000 children across 15 schools in Cameroon. Proceeds will support literacy and numeracy training, awareness-raising campaigns about the importance of education, and training for 150 teachers.

David Bull, Executive Director, UNICEF UK, said: “UNICEF is committed to creating a world in which every child has access to education. There are currently an estimated 61 million primary school-age children around the world who are not in school, and whose future opportunities are severely limited. We are delighted that Starwood's Road to Awareness campaign will help to raise vital funds for UNICEF's work in Nigeria and Cameroon, enabling some of the most disadvantaged children in those countries to go to school and helping them to fulfil their potential.”

At Rhodes to Awareness, guests participated in raffle prizes and live auctions for stays in The St. Regis Hotels and Resorts in New York, Bangkok, Singapore, and Florence; and a racing school experience at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.

Complementing the local associate fundraising initiatives, a group of cyclists consisting of senior leaders and other hotel representatives climbed the mountains of Austria in the Tyrol and Salzburg counties from August 28-30. The riders cycled 410 kilometres, ascending seven climbs with a gradient of 8,860 metres over a three-day period.

In 2012, the Road to Awareness campaign raised USD 750,000 to help provide more than 50,000 children in Ethiopia with access to pre-primary school education. To learn more about the Road to Awareness campaign, visit www.checkoutforchildren.org/road-to-awareness.