Year of Giving embodies UAE founder's legacy continued by President

The UAE, led by President His Highness, continues its confident progress to further bolster its humanitarian and economic leadership, while embracing generous giving as an approach, said His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Saturday.

The declaration today of 2017 as the Year of Giving by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa is embodiment of a sublime humanitarian legacy of generous giving and responsibility that was left behind by the nation's founder, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and is being continued by H.H. Sheikh Khalifa, H.H. Sheikh Mohamed said.

The initiative showcases a vision for preparing generations that are ambitious and proud of their identity and uphold a deep-rooted sense of responsibility and giving back, he said, adding, "In the UAE, we are combining our efforts in generous giving and remain united to achieve one goal – sowing the seeds of giving to promote happiness for all humanity."

The giant achievements in the UAE would not have been possible without the philanthropy and farsighted vision of the country's founder, as well as the country's policies strongly upholding humanitarian principles, he noted.

He was confident that the set goals of the main pillars of the initiative will be achieved thanks to the efforts being exerted by Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to promote a spirit of innovation and creativity in government work, Sheikh Mohamed said.

"The Year of Giving is being embraced by the UAE as a continuous approach to promoting the values of volunteering and community responsibility so as to bolster cohesion and solidarity of society. This approach inspires a roadmap for a state that was founded on the principles of promoting generous giving and human dignity and establishing the values of tolerance and coo-operation," he stated.

"Strong states that strengthen their international presence establish their thoughts and approaches on human principles including philanthropy and love for all humanity," the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi said, and expressed the hope that this initiative will serve as "a new beginning where all work as one team, each in their speciality, for a brighter future."

According to the declaration, the Year of Giving will focus on three main pillars: creating a sense of community responsibility in the private sectors, enhancing the spirit of volunteering and encouraging specialised volunteer programmes, as well as instilling loyalty and commitment in the next generation to serve their country.

The launch of the Year of Giving follows the concluding ceremony of the Year of Reading 2016, during which more than 1,500 reading initiatives were launched engaging various segments of the society. Most significantly, a strategy that aimed at transforming the act of reading into a lifestyle in the UAE was also launched.

The year was crowned by issuing the National Reading Law, the first decree of its kind in the UAE and the wider region, positioning reading as a cultural value and setting it into a legislative context bound by implementation, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

During the year, the AED1 billion Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Library in Dubai and a AED 100 million fund was set up with the aim of boosting the culture of reading in the Arab world.