The UAE has taken yet another step in its continuous humanitarian efforts to ease the suffering of Palestinian children by launching a prototype Children's Centre in Hebron (Al Khaleel) in the Occupied Territories.
With the official launch of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Centre for the Palestinian Child yesterday in the city of Hebron, the dream of the city's children was translated into reality.
The centre will help alleviate the hardships faced by the Palestinian children due to the widespread violence and instability and the collapse of infrastructures in Palestinian cities.
The launch came during a two-day conference entitled 'Palestine Tomorrow', that is being organised by the Welfare Association (WA), a non-profit organisation founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1983 which provides humanitarian and development assistance to Palestinians.
The conference was in commemoration of WA's 20th anniversary.
The conference, which concludes today, is being held under the patronage of General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister, at the Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President Dubai Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates, represented Sheikh Mohammed at the official launching of the centre.
Addressing the gathering, Sheikh Ahmed highlighted the importance of 'Palestine Tomorrow'.
He said: "The reason why you're meeting here today is very important. It deserves to be treated as a continuous work plan in order to set a future vision that should be agreed upon by all the Palestinian people and be endorsed by the Arab nation so it gains the support of the international community. Al Aqsa Intifada has gained international support and respect because it came to prove the Palestinians' commitment to their rights, land and freedom."
He added: "Palestinians are experiencing a critical situation like that of the Arab world, but the Arab nation can overcome these difficulties. The Arab nation has great potentialities. But such potentialities need to be employed honestly and sincerely."
He called on the participants to be optimistic and never to lose faith in their just cause.
Speaking via satellite link from the newly-launched centre in Palestine, Mustafa Abdul Nabi Al Natcha, President of Hebron Municipality, said: "We thank the UAE people and government, President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Sheikh Mohammed and Sheikh Ahmed for their tremendous and continuous support for us.
"The centre represents a dream that has finally come true. It contains the first-of-its-kind theatre for children, library, computer lab and an amusement park. Our children will have the chance to benefit the most from this unique property."
The conference serves as a forum and highlights the work undertaken by the WA to develop and support the Palestinian people, as well as strategise future plans to enable further progress in the country.
Speaking at the conference's opening session, Dr Ismail El Zabri, WA's Director General, said: "It's a good opportunity for a thorough exchange of ideas on the future development programme for Palestine and the Welfare Association's possible interventions in supporting civil society and the Palestinian people."
Today's closing session focuses on 'Palestine Tomorrow A Strategic Vision to build a future Palestine'.
Talking about the shortcomings of the 'Security Wall', Dr Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative, noted: "The wall is three times as long and twice as high as the Berlin Wall. It's a segregation wall that will isolate more than 680,000 Palestinians from their homes and lands. More than 46,000 people will be living in an open-air-prison."
He added: "The Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had promised to suppress the Intifada in 100 days. But 1,100 days have passed and he hasn't fulfilled his promise. Israel is currently living in a huge crisis. They will never ever be able to tyrannise the Palestinian Intifada."
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