Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination, attended the concluding lecture of this year’s Majlis Mohammad bin Zayed Ramadan series, titled The UAE’s Humanitarian Legacy.
The lecture, which took place in the Majlis Mohammad bin Zayed venue at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, featured Dr Hamdan Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of the Emirates Red Crescent; Ali Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the Endowment and Minors’ Trust Foundation; and Hessa Tahlak, Assistant Undersecretary for the Social Development Sector at the Ministry of Community Development.
Dr Al Mazrouei began the panel discussion by exploring the humanitarian tradition established by the UAE’s Founding Father, noting that sharing was ingrained in Arab culture and that the late Sheikh Zayed’s focus was always on people and their dignity.
This tradition, he said, lives on in programmes such as the recently announced Dh20 billion Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Initiative to support humanitarian projects around the world. Al Mutawa then spoke about the ongoing importance of endowments in supporting the UAE’s humanitarian work, explaining how all sectors of society — including citizens, residents, Muslims and non-Muslims alike — contribute, as a way of giving back to the UAE and the world.
Tahlak discussed volunteering and how helping others had always been ingrained in UAE society. She explained how the UAE is a pioneer in the field of volunteering, with systems, establishments and legislation introduced as the country’s humanitarian efforts evolved. The panel further explored the topic of volunteering, noting how the humanitarian deeds of Emiratis around the world act as a way of promoting the UAE’s culture and enduring values of care and compassion.
Offering additional proof of the benefits of volunteering, Dr Al Mazrouei shared details of a study which found that patients participating in volunteering activities enjoyed a boost to their immune systems and faster recovery times. The discussion concluded by looking at the future of the UAE’s humanitarian efforts, exploring some innovative and novel endowment ideas as well as acknowledging the increasingly important role of the private sector in humanitarian work.
The lecture was moderated by TV presenter Faisal bin Hariz and featured pre-recorded contributions from Dr Mariam Al Naemi, Emergency Consultant at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City in Abu Dhabi; Mohammed Al Kaabi, General Manager at the UAE Cancer Support Association; Tala Al Ramahi, Chief Strategy Officer for Reaching the Last Mile; and Giuseppe Saba, CEO of the International Humanitarian City.
The UAE’s Humanitarian Legacy will be broadcast on Wednesday April 3 at 5pm on local TV networks and will be available to watch afterwards on the Majlis Mohammad bin Zayed YouTube channel
