London, England (PRWEB UK) 29 August 2014 Haris Suleman, the teenage pilot who died when his plane crashed while on a round-the-world journey to raise funds for The Citizens Foundation, has been awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain. The Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) is Pakistan’s 3rd highest award. Haris, 17, was on the final leg of a courageous attempt to become the youngest ever pilot-in-command to fly around the globe in 30 days when his plane crashed off the coast of American Samoa on July 22. He made the trip with his father, Babar, who is still missing. During their two-day stop in the UK, the Sulemans stayed with family in Reading and Haris toured the capital while Babar carried out some maintenance checks on their aircraft. The teenager, who lived in Plainfield, Indiana, in the United States and was of Pakistani origin, is being honored for his public service. The Sitara-i-Imtiaz is awarded by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister of Pakistan and recognizes individuals who have made an “especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of Pakistan, world peace, cultural or other significant public endeavors.” The investiture ceremony will take place on Pakistan Day, March 23, 2015. Haris and Babar’s flight has raised more than (pounds) 600,000 for The Citizens Foundation, a leading non-profit with more than 1,000 quality schools for underprivileged girls and boys in Pakistan’s urban slums and rural areas. A TCF spokesperson commented: “The Citizens Foundation is proud to be associated with Haris and his family. Haris and Babar’s inspiring journey and their selflessness in dedicating their voyage to the education of Pakistan’s children will always be treasured by TCF.” The Citizens Foundation funds schools and educational programs for Pakistan’s poorest children. From 5 schools in Karachi in 1995,TCF has expanded to 1,000 purpose-built schools with an all female faculty and 145,000 students in 100 towns and cities across Pakistan. TCF has a major fundraising branch in the UK. TCF-UK raises funds for the construction and on-going support of TCF schools, contributing approximately 10% of TCF Pakistan’s total budget. Funds are raised from generous individuals, corporates, matched giving schemes, events and Trusts and Foundations. The number of schools built by UK donors is 40 and school units funded by UK donors has now reached 50. TCF is a recipient of the 2014 Ramon Magsaysay Award, widely described as Asia’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize, for “the social vision and high-level professionalism of its founders and those who run its schools, in successfully pursuing their conviction that, with sustained civic responsiveness, quality education made available to all—irrespective of religion, gender, or economic status—is the key to Pakistan’s brighter future.”
