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Dubai, UAE – In line with the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, that highlights that emphasizes the role of social responsibility, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council launched the Day for Dubai initiative – the largest volunteering initiative in the emirate.
The initiative aims to both solidify social responsibility amongst its residents and reinforce the spirit of volunteering. Day for Dubai also aims to support in making Dubai the most giving city in the world. The initiative is overseen by the General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai in partnership with the Community Development Authority in Dubai and Watani Al Emarat Foundation.
The initiative encourages individuals to share the gift of their time by dedicating at least one day of the year to volunteering. It also inspires individuals to create various volunteering opportunities to leverage their talent and skillset, including participation in activities that preserve local heritage and passing it down to future generations, such as hunting, diving, poetry, and crafting, but also through sharing talent and expertise in specific sectors such as financial, strategical, technical, and managerial analysis. Day for Dubai initiative also encourages private and public organizations to join the city-wide volunteering movement to develop and participate in various volunteering opportunities, create meaningful partnerships, and ensure that residents are invited to be active participants.
Residents received the announcement of the year-long initiative made by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council with enthusiasm. Numbers of registered volunteers increased since the launch – a move that demonstrates the social cohesion of the UAE community.
His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai, stated that Day for Dubai initiative is in line with the emirate’s strategic vision. His Excellency also confirmed that the initiative stems from the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, that emphasizes the importance of social cohesion and responsibility. His Excellency encouraged government entities to create volunteering opportunities that invite residents to give back to their community.
His Excellency Ahmed Julfar, Director General of the Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai, committed to supporting the various volunteering opportunities; continuing to raise awareness around volunteering; and setting regulations, processes, and laws that highlight the roles and responsibilities of volunteers. His Excellency highlighted that Day for Dubai motivates individuals to discover the positive aspect of giving and reflects the community’s generous culture.
His Excellency Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi, General Director of Watani Al Emarat Foundation confirmed the foundation’s commitment to supporting the Day for Dubai initiative through the application, receiving volunteering suggestions from community members, as well as logistically supporting the various initiatives that highlight the value of volunteer work – all which aligns with the emirates’ aim and direction.
Al Falasi also said: “volunteering is a one of the most important pillars for the advancement of societies. Watani Al Emarat Foundation is committed to providing the required support to encourage volunteering as its serves the community. The many initiatives launched by our leadership have highlighted the importance of volunteerism and have encouraged residents to make it a way of living, ensuring the creation of a tenacious community.”
Day for Dubai volunteer categories
Day for Dubai offers volunteers various opportunities that fall into different categories ensuring to offer residents diversity and the opportunity to use their time in a beneficial manner. Categories include: elderly; children and youth; people of determination; education; mentoring; health; community support; sports and recreation; culture and arts; environment and wildlife; tolerance and hope; emergency and safety; and international volunteering.
Environment and wildlife: encourages residents to participate in activities that preserve environmental resources to ensure to maintain a self-sufficient city for the present and the future. Residents are encouraged to support government efforts in this space as the environment and wildlife are pillars of sustainable development.
People of Determination: Day for Dubai aims to raise awareness around the rights of People of Determination, and to ensure their inclusion in society. The initiative also encourages residents to take part in volunteering activities related to this segment in order to enhance their quality of life as well as support the emirates’ direction in making Dubai a suitable city for People of Determination.
Education and Mentoring: encourages residents who are equipped to teach and mentor to share their knowledge and expertise in the aim of developing the community as well as emphasize the importance of education and its role in ensuring a prosperous future.
Health: this category offers moral and psychological support to those in need. Such offering is provided through interactive activities and in volunteering to spend time with those in need. Similarly, residents are encouraged to participate in movements including health awareness or blood donation campaigns.
Sports and recreation: encourages volunteers to participate in activities that support physical, mental and psychological health. Day for Dubai initiative calls experts in this field to pass on their knowledge to all community members.
Community support: the initiative encourages residents to come up with innovative ways for volunteering in the aim of instigating behavioural change in society.
Culture and arts: residents are encouraged to share their talent and creations with the community through volunteering opportunities.
Tolerance and hope: a category that encourages residents to be open minded and accepting of others, as well as exchange cultural ideas and concepts.Emergency and safety: Day for Dubai encourages residents who are equipped and trained in first aid and emergency to support those in need in the community in order to ensure safety and peace across society.
International volunteering: the initiative encourages participants to volunteer abroad in the aim of showcasing the humanitarian element of the UAE community to the world.
Elderly: residents are encouraged to participate in activities for the elderly. This category ensures social cohesion and paying back to elderly who have once committed their time for the current generation and the country.
Children and youth: Day for Dubai calls residents to support children and the youth and motivate them to reach their highest potential in academic work and extracurricular activities. Residents are encouraged to support this segment to ensure their success in the future.
Day for Dubai initiative aligns with the government’s strategic plans that aim to create a cohesive community. Global experiences have shown that government entities cannot achieve development plans in silo – resident participation, and commitment of public and private organizations is necessary due to their ability to make quick decisions. Partnership of the private and public entities as well as volunteering in society is a model that has been adopted by developed countries to resolve societal challenges.
-Ends- © Press Release 2017
The initiative aims to both solidify social responsibility amongst its residents and reinforce the spirit of volunteering. Day for Dubai also aims to support in making Dubai the most giving city in the world. The initiative is overseen by the General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai in partnership with the Community Development Authority in Dubai and Watani Al Emarat Foundation.
The initiative encourages individuals to share the gift of their time by dedicating at least one day of the year to volunteering. It also inspires individuals to create various volunteering opportunities to leverage their talent and skillset, including participation in activities that preserve local heritage and passing it down to future generations, such as hunting, diving, poetry, and crafting, but also through sharing talent and expertise in specific sectors such as financial, strategical, technical, and managerial analysis. Day for Dubai initiative also encourages private and public organizations to join the city-wide volunteering movement to develop and participate in various volunteering opportunities, create meaningful partnerships, and ensure that residents are invited to be active participants.
Residents received the announcement of the year-long initiative made by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council with enthusiasm. Numbers of registered volunteers increased since the launch – a move that demonstrates the social cohesion of the UAE community.
His Excellency Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai, stated that Day for Dubai initiative is in line with the emirate’s strategic vision. His Excellency also confirmed that the initiative stems from the directive of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, that emphasizes the importance of social cohesion and responsibility. His Excellency encouraged government entities to create volunteering opportunities that invite residents to give back to their community.
His Excellency Ahmed Julfar, Director General of the Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai, committed to supporting the various volunteering opportunities; continuing to raise awareness around volunteering; and setting regulations, processes, and laws that highlight the roles and responsibilities of volunteers. His Excellency highlighted that Day for Dubai motivates individuals to discover the positive aspect of giving and reflects the community’s generous culture.
His Excellency Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi, General Director of Watani Al Emarat Foundation confirmed the foundation’s commitment to supporting the Day for Dubai initiative through the application, receiving volunteering suggestions from community members, as well as logistically supporting the various initiatives that highlight the value of volunteer work – all which aligns with the emirates’ aim and direction.
Al Falasi also said: “volunteering is a one of the most important pillars for the advancement of societies. Watani Al Emarat Foundation is committed to providing the required support to encourage volunteering as its serves the community. The many initiatives launched by our leadership have highlighted the importance of volunteerism and have encouraged residents to make it a way of living, ensuring the creation of a tenacious community.”
Day for Dubai volunteer categories
Day for Dubai offers volunteers various opportunities that fall into different categories ensuring to offer residents diversity and the opportunity to use their time in a beneficial manner. Categories include: elderly; children and youth; people of determination; education; mentoring; health; community support; sports and recreation; culture and arts; environment and wildlife; tolerance and hope; emergency and safety; and international volunteering.
Environment and wildlife: encourages residents to participate in activities that preserve environmental resources to ensure to maintain a self-sufficient city for the present and the future. Residents are encouraged to support government efforts in this space as the environment and wildlife are pillars of sustainable development.
People of Determination: Day for Dubai aims to raise awareness around the rights of People of Determination, and to ensure their inclusion in society. The initiative also encourages residents to take part in volunteering activities related to this segment in order to enhance their quality of life as well as support the emirates’ direction in making Dubai a suitable city for People of Determination.
Education and Mentoring: encourages residents who are equipped to teach and mentor to share their knowledge and expertise in the aim of developing the community as well as emphasize the importance of education and its role in ensuring a prosperous future.
Health: this category offers moral and psychological support to those in need. Such offering is provided through interactive activities and in volunteering to spend time with those in need. Similarly, residents are encouraged to participate in movements including health awareness or blood donation campaigns.
Sports and recreation: encourages volunteers to participate in activities that support physical, mental and psychological health. Day for Dubai initiative calls experts in this field to pass on their knowledge to all community members.
Community support: the initiative encourages residents to come up with innovative ways for volunteering in the aim of instigating behavioural change in society.
Culture and arts: residents are encouraged to share their talent and creations with the community through volunteering opportunities.
Tolerance and hope: a category that encourages residents to be open minded and accepting of others, as well as exchange cultural ideas and concepts.Emergency and safety: Day for Dubai encourages residents who are equipped and trained in first aid and emergency to support those in need in the community in order to ensure safety and peace across society.
International volunteering: the initiative encourages participants to volunteer abroad in the aim of showcasing the humanitarian element of the UAE community to the world.
Elderly: residents are encouraged to participate in activities for the elderly. This category ensures social cohesion and paying back to elderly who have once committed their time for the current generation and the country.
Children and youth: Day for Dubai calls residents to support children and the youth and motivate them to reach their highest potential in academic work and extracurricular activities. Residents are encouraged to support this segment to ensure their success in the future.
Day for Dubai initiative aligns with the government’s strategic plans that aim to create a cohesive community. Global experiences have shown that government entities cannot achieve development plans in silo – resident participation, and commitment of public and private organizations is necessary due to their ability to make quick decisions. Partnership of the private and public entities as well as volunteering in society is a model that has been adopted by developed countries to resolve societal challenges.
-Ends- © Press Release 2017
