A Scots student who has donated ambulances to some of the world’s most dangerous war zones is organising a cultural festival he hopes will enable him to continue his humanitarian work.
Umran Ali Javaid has driven dozens of emergency vehicles to areas blighted by conflict, such as Ukraine and Gaza, either on his own or with friends to assist efforts to evacuate civilians and treat the sick and injured. In 2022, the Glasgow Caledonian University student drove an ambulance to the Polish-Ukrainian border to help refugees fleeing the Russian invasion, having previously donated more than 30 rescue vehicles to war zones in Burma, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Last year, Mr Javaid drove another ambulance to the Egypt-Gaza border to provide medical support and help evacuate civilians, taking the number of emergency transport he has delivered to trouble spots around the world to more than 40. The international tourism and events student now plans to stage a festival in Glasgow’s Tollcross Park in August and use some of the proceeds to buy more ambulances to help people in need.
Umran Ali Javaid at the Ukraine border in 2022.
(Image: Umran Ali Javaid/PA Wire)
He said he wants to buy another 15 ambulances for distribution, 14 of which will be sent to countries around the world while the last one will be donated to a care home in the UK. The event, called Fun For Life Fest, is expected to feature musicians, comedians, social media influencers and sportspeople, as well as creative workshops and popular attractions such as a ferris wheel and a drone light show.
Mr Javaid, who last year received the Association for Events Management Education most inspirational student award, is hoping the one-day festival will prove successful so he can turn it into a longer three-day event in the years to come.
Umran Ali Javaid in Burma in 2017.
(Image: Umran Ali Javaid/PA Wire)
He told the PA news agency: “I’ve been planning this festival for a long time now. I’ve got a very good team behind me working on this. It’s going to be a family friendly festival, it’s for 15,000 people, and it’s going to be held in Tollcross Park on August 2.
“It’s a great park, it’s got good transport links and it can hold 15,000 people. There will be musicians and comedians on the main stage and a sports section which will have an influencer football match and other games.
“At the end of the festival the ambulances will leave to go to different countries around the world. I’m really, really looking forward to it. It’s been a dream of mine to organise my own festival.”
Mr Javaid said more announcements about the various acts expected to perform at the festival will be made over the coming months. For more information about the festival, visit www.funforlifefest.com.
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