President Sheikh Mohamed on Monday declared 2025 as the Year of Community, in support of a national drive to promote unity and inclusion across society.
In a post on X, Sheikh Mohamed urged "all those who call the UAE home" to help to contribute towards "improving your community and ensuring that our nation remains an inspiring model of progress and prosperity".
Under the slogan "Hand in Hand", the national initiative reflects the leadership’s vision to foster a united and empowered community.
"Hand in hand, we will work to strengthen social bonds, foster shared responsibility, and unlock potential for inclusive and sustainable growth," Sheikh Mohamed wrote.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, also posted a message on X to mark the announcement. He said the move "highlights our priorities for the future: strengthening social bonds and fostering unity across society".
Sheikh Mohammed added that the "foundation of our nation’s strength lies in a united community, where individuals are connected, and care is extended to each other. A strong community thrives on fortified families, and lays the groundwork for a brighter future for generations to come".
The initiative is to be overseen by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, and Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed, Deputy Chairperson of the Presidential Court for National Projects.
Several events will be announced this year and citizens and residents will be encouraged to contribute to society through community service, volunteering and initiatives, state news agency Wam reported. The public will also be urged to share their ideas to build social bonds, foster community progress and celebrate the cultural diversity that defines the UAE.
Last November, Sheikh Mansour welcomed a new community initiative package worth Dh500 million ($136 million) aimed at "enhancing quality of life, promoting sustainable development, achieving social stability and empowering all community members". It organised community councils to provide social services across the UAE.
“Investing in our people is central to our comprehensive sustainable development strategy and to strengthening the community's role as a cornerstone of the UAE's progress," Sheikh Mansour had said at the launch. “These community initiatives reflect our leadership's vision for sustainable development and social well-being, underscoring our commitment to ensuring a high quality of life for all."
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UAE's role in anti-extremism recognised
General John Allen, President of the Brookings Institution research group, commended the role the UAE has played in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
He told a Globsec debate of the UAE’s "hugely outsized" role in the fight against Isis.
"It’s trite these days to say that any country punches above its weight, but in every possible way the Emirates did, both militarily, and very importantly, the UAE was extraordinarily helpful on getting to the issue of violent extremism," he said.
He also noted the impact that Hedayah, among others in the UAE, has played in addressing violent extremism.
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Abdul Jabar Qahraman was meeting supporters in his campaign office in the southern Afghan province of Helmand when a bomb hidden under a sofa exploded on Wednesday.
The blast in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah killed the Afghan election candidate and at least another three people, Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak told reporters. Another three were wounded, while three suspects were detained, he said.
The Taliban – which controls much of Helmand and has vowed to disrupt the October 20 parliamentary elections – claimed responsibility for the attack.
Mr Qahraman was at least the 10th candidate killed so far during the campaign season, and the second from Lashkar Gah this month. Another candidate, Saleh Mohammad Asikzai, was among eight people killed in a suicide attack last week. Most of the slain candidates were murdered in targeted assassinations, including Avtar Singh Khalsa, the first Afghan Sikh to run for the lower house of the parliament.
The same week the Taliban warned candidates to withdraw from the elections. On Wednesday the group issued fresh warnings, calling on educational workers to stop schools from being used as polling centres.
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Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
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