Dubai: Welcoming the announcement of the ‘Year of Giving,’ Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, on Saturday said that the year 2017 will be a milestone in the UAE’s philanthropic approach.
The government and private sector on Saturday hailed the announcement by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan that the year 2017 will be the Year of Giving.
The initiative will focus on three major components: strengthening social responsibility in the private sector, promoting the spirit of volunteerism and specialised voluntary programmes in all segments of society, and strengthening the concept of serving the nation in the new generations.
Hailing the move, Shaikh Hazza added that the initiatives that will be launched by the UAE during the ‘Year of Giving’ will surprise the world and will contribute in alleviating the suffering of people.
In a statement, Shaikh Hazza said, “As UAE’s experience in the year of reading achieved resounding success, the UAE’s initiative during the Year of Giving will astonish the world and will help ease the suffering of people.”
Dr Thani Ahmad Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said that the initiative, which is the latest in a series of national and global programmes launched by the president, will promote the spirt of solidarity among people and will help serve humanity better.
“The UAE was and will always be the home of giving based on the philosophy of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the vision of Shaikh Khalifa, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces,” said Al Zeyoudi.
Saqr Ghobash, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation, also hailed the announcement of the Year of Giving.
In a statement, Ghobash said, “Shaikh Khalifa’s initiative will further promote the social solidarity which has been consolidated since the inception of the UAE by the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the founding fathers. Solidarity, compassionate and giving are key features of the UAE society.”
Praising the the directives of Shaikh Khalifa, Ahmad Abdul Karim Mohammad Julfar, director-general of the Dubai Community Development Authority (CDA), said that giving and philanthropic works are deeply rooted in the UAE society.
The UAE is the home of sustained giving and it has been ranked first globally in terms of giving, Julfar added.
He noted that the instructions of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to immediately begin implementing the directives of Shaikh Khalifa through developing a framework will contribute to enhancing the activities of all government bodies operating in this field.
The UAE has been at the forefront of humanitarian aid since the union came into formation in 1971 and so far, it has given away Dh206 billion in 45 years.
The UAE’s stellar contributions to global humanitarian efforts saw the country top the list of global donors in 2013, when it was ranked the number one donor in the world with foreign aid of Dh21.5 billion.
Continuing with its unwavering commitment to reduce poverty and improve quality of life around the world, the UAE topped the world among the largest donors of official development aid during 2014, contributing an amount of Dh18 billion, 1.17 per cent of gross national income.
Stepping up its efforts, last year UAE provided Dh32.34 billion in foreign aid, including development aid worth Dh29.75 billion.
In March this year Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that the Dubai will have the world’s first centre for endowment consultancy services, with the aim of making the emirate a global humanitarian capital.
