Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid: Year of Giving has entered crucial final stretch

With three months to go, the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai reviews new proposals to boost charitable giving and volunteering

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, chairs a meeting of the Year of Giving Higher Committee, as part of the Year of Giving, which has three months left to run. Wam

New initiatives to boost opportunities for charitable giving and humanitarian work have been approved by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and the Ruler of Dubai.

They include a “giving card” developed by charities and banks that will make it easier to donate to good causes, and a twinning programme to help knowledge sharing between the world’s leading humanitarian organisations.

Also approved was new diploma in humanitarian and development work, helping young Emiratis to develop skills in these fields.

Sheikh Mohammed was chairing a meeting of the Year of Giving Higher Committee, as part of the Year of Giving, which has three months left to run.

“This final stretch is the most important,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “Our goal is to expand further on our humanitarian policies, ensuring that we multiply our efforts to deliver even more goodness to all parts of the world."

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The committee was told that corporate social responsibility efforts, backed by donations from individuals as well as private and public sector donations, have so far raised more than Dh1.6 billion.

In addition, more than 2.8 million volunteer hours have been recorded, with 716 volunteer opportunities offered by 141 institutions, while the National Volunteer Platform has registered nearly 275,000 volunteers.

Sheikh Mohammed said, "The Year of Giving precedes the Year of Zayed because the value of giving is mirrored in Sheikh Zayed’s spirit; the Year of Zayed will be a continuation of giving.”

Sheikh Mohammed also approved a corporate social responsibility “smart platform,” which would electronically link public companies to private sector opportunities for taking part in development and community projects.

He also approved two other programmes, Involving Government Employees in Volunteering, which includes setting up a new federal mechanism to encourage federal and local government employees to volunteer, and Opportunities in Government, which will share volunteer opportunities across all segments of society.