UAE Cabinet dedicates Year of Giving strategy to martyrs

ABU DHABI // A national strategy involving more than 1,000 charity initiatives has been dedicated to the memory of UAE martyrs.

“Our martyrs paid the ultimate sacrifice for our dear homeland and their heroic deeds will live forever in the memory of the nation,” said the President, Sheikh Khalifa.

“Let us dedicate the greatest and noblest charitable efforts of the UAE and its people to those who gave their lives for this country.

“While keeping the memory of our martyrs and heroes alive, we seek to instil and sustain the habit of giving across the nation.”

The plan for the Year of Giving was revealed at a Cabinet meeting on Sunday led by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

The meeting was held at Wahat Al Karama, the memorial for those who sacrificed their lives serving their country.

At the Giving Retreat in Dubai last month, more than 100 dignitaries reviewed ideas to institutionalise and coordinate humanitarian work as part of the country’s development in line with the vision of the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed.

“Far from being new to the UAE, charity and generosity are deeply rooted values that the late Sheikh Zayed had reinforced since the birth of the nation,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed said.

A main goal of the Year of Giving is to make giving a habit for future generations.

As part of the plans, medical assistance – including humanitarian, diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical – has been offered to about 1,650 people in Tanzania.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid hailed the national strategy as a noble plan to sustain charitable efforts of the nation and its people, and said all residents should do their part.

“Dedicating the Year of Giving to the UAE martyrs is the greatest motivation to step up our efforts towards fulfilling its goals,” he said. “The UAE was established in the spirit of giving and is led by people who love to give.”

Volunteering is a key foundation of the strategy, which encourages investment in individual skills, experience and energies in charitable programmes and activities for the whole of society.

The programme is aimed at establishing a legislative framework to enhance governance of charity work and to make humanitarian and charitable activities more sustainable.

Businesses will also be encouraged to participate in the Year of Giving, with programmes such as an index that will rank companies according to their corporate social responsibility, as well as a responsible procurement programme to allocate a percentage of government contracts to companies excelling in such activities.

Volunteers will be catalogued in an online database and volunteering work will be organised through the National Volunteerism Centre, which will also provide training, conduct studies and publish reports.

Federal laws will be drafted to set regulations on volunteerism, endowments, social responsibility and community service.

Among the activities planned is the 100 Days of Giving event to take place in schools.

Other programmes outlined in the strategy are aimed at encouraging the involvement of humanitarian and media organisations.

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