Dubai: Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance, on Tuesday honoured the winners of the fifth edition of the Watani Emarat Humanitarian Work Award at his Palace in Zabeel.

The award ceremony, themed, “This is What Shaikh Zayed Loves”, was  organised by the Watani Emarat Foundation under the patronage of Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, in commemoration of the 13th death anniversary of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid received the award’s trophy from Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi, Director-General of the Watani Al Emarat Foundation. He honoured 11 personalities and organisations in recognition of their humanitarian contrinutions.

Among the honoured was Shaikha Noura Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa from Bahrain in recognition of her outstanding efforts and initiatives in humanitarian and charitable work in the Bahraini Kingdom and beyond.

Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid honoured the Sultan Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation whose Secretary General Abdul Hamid Ahmad received the trophy. Other honoured included Media personality Dhaen Shaheen, Islamic Clerk Dr. Saleh Abdul Kareem Abdul Jalil, Dubai Civil Defence, Emirates Thalassemia Society, Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation, and Mohammad Mohtadi Mohammad, teach of special education at the Ministry of Education.

This year’s award is characterised by honouring the Emirati martyrs of humanitarian work in Afghanistan in recognition of their self-sacrifice, giving and dedication.

Those honoured included martyrs, namely ambassador Mohammad Juma Al Kaabi, Mohammad Ali Al Bastaki, Abdullah Mohammad Eisa Obaid Al Kaabi, Ahmad Rashid Salem Ali Al Mazroui, Ahmad Abdul Rahman Ahmad Al Tunaiji and Abdul Hamid Sultan Abdullah Ebrahim Al Hamadi-all had fallen martyrs while performing a humanitarian mission in Afghanistan.

Shaikha Noura, who is a goodwill ambassador of the International Goodwill Club at the United Nations, extended her profound thanks and appreciation to Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid for the honour.

The award was launched in 2013 to coincide with the UAE Humanitarian Work Day on 19th of Ramadan to honour Emiratis who reflect charitable values.