Dubai: As the ‘Year of Reading’ gives way to the ‘Year of Giving’, the Pakistan Association Dubai has set up a bookshelf at workers’ accommodation, symbolising the theme of a year gone by and the year to come.
The step comes following President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s directive, declaring 2017 as ‘The Year of Giving,’ following on the success of the ‘Year of Reading’ last year.
The bookshelf designed in the shape of the word ‘Read’, was installed at the staff accommodation of Transguard Security services.
Ibtisam Azeem, the man who led the initiative at the Pakistan Association’s Youth Forum, said that as one of the key elements of ‘The Year of Giving’ is instilling social responsibility among the youth, the bookshelf is the first step towards that.
Providing a platform to obtain knowledge and wisdom has always been a classic example of giving and sharing, he added.
“We feel that reading plays a very major role in the life and development of any human being at any level or position. It is the vision of Shaikh Khalifa that has enabled us to cater to the staff in this facility, who will benefit from this shelf. As youth members of the community and future leaders we feel the responsibility to provide multiple platforms to promote reading and giving back to the community,” said Ibtisam Azeem, External Affairs Secretary of Pakistan Youth Forum.
Dr Omar Al Muthanna, CEO of Community Development Authority Dubai, inaugurated the shelf along with officials from Pakistan Association Dubai, Pakistan Youth Forum, and Transguard group.
“When I hear the word give, the first thing that comes to my mind is the teachings of our father, the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. We have inherited from him many things, the most important of which is the sense of giving,” he said.
The bookshelf contains reading material in multiple languages, and focuses on the topics of history, geography, and fiction.
The shelf was designed with support from Al Meher Group — a leading contracting company in the region.
Over 5,000 people reside at the Transguard facility, belonging to various parts of Asia and Africa.
Dr Faisel Ikram, general secretary of Pakistan Association Dubai, said: “We decided to officially inaugurate this on the last day of the year as we move ahead to the next year, which has been declared as ‘The Year of Giving’. Reading provides a great deal of wisdom in all mankind, and broadens our imagination.”
