UAE Community Development ministry draws up a 50-year child development plan

Dubai: Recognising young children as the true asset of the nation, UAE’s Ministry of Community Development, in collaboration with the Juvenile Awareness and Welfare Association, invited Emiratis and residents to contribute to ideas on child development for next 50 years.

This initiative, held under the non-benefit public dialogue at the community development ministry in conjunction with the with the next 50-year preparation committee, was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The initiative intends to invite ideas from the community to design the future of the UAE and develop components of the comprehensive development of the UAE Centennial plan.

What is the 50 year plan?

Shaikh Mohammed launched the project of designing the next 50 years for the UAE, with the aim of enhancing the participation of all the members of the community in developing the components of the comprehensive development plan for the UAE, and identifying the future paths that the UAE focuses on from 2021 to 2071, under the supervision of the 50-year Higher Committee chaired by Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.

Under this plan, 50 design initiatives are supervised by the 50-year preparation committee that is working on the involvement of various community members in the development plan of the preparation for the next 50 years, to enrich the comprehensive development plan with new ideas, identify challenges faced by the members of the society and expand the scope of government knowledge in order to meet the expectations of individuals for the future.

Panel discussion held on nurturing good values in children

Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai, spoke at the panel session that was attended by Nasser Ismail, Assistant Undersecretary of Social Welfare at the Ministry of Community Development, members Board of the Directors and members of the association. The panel session resulted in a series of ideas and initiatives on the welfare of children and promoting the concepts of societal values for future generations. These ideas and initiatives will be included as an input into the UAE’s comprehensive development plan.

Children are a national wealth

Lieutenant General Tamim emphasised on the fact that one of the most important constituents of preserving children as a national wealth in preparation for the next 50 years is to establish in them a set of ideal values and virtues such as honesty and morality, good education, taking good care of parents and as they grow old, in addition to teaching young people the principles of tolerance and correct religious education to keep them away from sectarianism, and extremist ideas that create hatred among people.

He stressed upon the need for opinion leaders to guide new generations towards positive and constructive ideas through lectures and seminars that young people need, in order to guide them and raise them properly, with the participation of both home and school, and teaching them the values of loyalty, love, service and pride towards their homeland.

Discussion on the Emirati identity

The panel session, which was moderated by Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi, a member of the Board of Directors of the Juvenile Awareness and Welfare Association, was based on the authentic values and upbringing of children, cohesive family, building a well-integrated personality during childhood, educational system and the promotion of education in state schools, acquisition of life skills that contribute to building future generations, importance of communication between Emiratis and officials, spreading the concept of social innovation and establishing Emirati values and identity and preserving them from external variables and influences due to openness.

Important role of family in protecting children

The session also highlighted the need to address the problem of youth marriage reluctance due to the difficulties of life, support Emirati family, strengthen family cohesion and protect children from separation and delinquency as a result of family disputes, prevent them from blending with bad companions, fill their leisure time and provide them with advanced skills in various fields. The session concluded with a set of recommendations, proposals and ideas for the topics that have been put forward, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Community Development.

The session was attended by Sultan Saqr Al Suwaidi, Deputy Chairman of the Association, Mirza Al Sayegh, Dr. Mohammed Murad Abdulla-Secretary General, Dr. Mansour Al Awar-Treasurer, Dr. Jasim Khalil Mirza-Chairman of Media Committee, Dr. Khalifa Al Suwaidi-Educational Advisor, Badria Al Yassi-Chairman of Educational Committee, Moaza Al Shoami-Chairman of Cultural Committee, Hayam Amir Al Hammadi, Supervisor and Representative of the Association in the Eastern Region and Mariam Al Hammadi.