UAE humanitarian legacy attributed to late Sheikh Zayed

The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may he rest in peace, established the foundations of volunteer work in the UAE and left a clear mark in the area of humanitarian work, both locally and internationally, making the UAE a land of giving and a beacon of humanitarian action.

In its report for the Year of Zayed, the Zayed Giving Initiative stresses that the UAE’s humanitarian action has become a lifestyle, a noble humanitarian value and a civilised behaviour, which the wise leadership and the people wholeheartedly believe in, adding that the late Sheikh Zayed laid the foundations of this noble behaviour.

The report stated that the UAE has continued the path of giving, led by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

The report mentioned that the Zayed Giving Initiative was founded by H.H. President Sheikh Khalifa in harmony with the humanitarian spirit of the late Sheikh Zayed Nahyan, the founder of the country.

It added that the Year of Zayed will highlight the humanitarian values of the late Sheikh Zayed, which were followed by his sons and the people of the UAE over the past years, turning them into a national occasion that reflects the love of the UAE’s citizens and residents for a great leader, who presents a model of giving and humanity to the world.

The Zayed Giving Initiative has succeeded in making the UAE among the first countries to launch humanitarian, relief and charity programmes around the world, thereby contributing to helping millions of patients, through the Zayed Giving Convoys and its projects to build mobile field hospitals and health centres in various countries, attracting 5 million volunteers, to reach out to 100 million Arab and African people.

The initiative also aims to empower the youth and invest in their capacities and innovation capabilities, motivating them to effectively contribute to the development of the country in the areas of health, education, the environment, culture and volunteer work.

Since its establishment in the year 2000, the initiative has launched many humanitarian and health programmes, including the World Humanitarian Giving Initiative, a series of volunteer field hospitals and clinics, the adoption of the first of its kind mobile city for humanitarian work - a virtual city for charity and philanthropy- and the establishment of the Zayed Humanitarian Work Academy, as well as the regular organisation of the Arab Giving Forum, the Arab Forum for Youth Empowerment in Humanitarian Work, the Emirates Volunteering Conference, the Arab Knight of Giving Award and the UAE Humanitarian Work Award.