Year of Giving will solidify UAE's No. 1 position

Sheikh Mohammed attends the giving Retreat held to launch a unified nationalstrategy to implement the year of giving on Wednesday.

Giving is a part of the UAE's national agenda, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said on Wednesday.
Taking part in the Giving Retreat held to launch a unified national strategy to implement the Year of Giving, Sheikh Mohammed said the initiative, under the wise leadership of the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, will solidify the UAE's position as the world's most giving nation.
"Consolidating the culture of giving in the UAE is a shared responsibility; all individuals and institutions will play a vital role and contribute to making giving a part of our national agenda," he said.
The retreat included the largest brainstorm of its kind in the UAE, bringing together over 100 experts, stakeholders, officials and humanitarian workers in an interactive dialogue that identified the challenges and opportunities for humanitarian and charitable advancement in the UAE.
Sheikh Mohammed expressed his pride at the enthusiastic responses that he received on the #YearofGiving hashtag on Twitter. "We received thousands of responses, creative ideas and suggestions, proving once again that our people are wired to make a positive impact on their communities and give. The eagerness of the responses heartened and assured us that because of our generous people, the future of our country is bright; the people's ideas will soon be a reality, and everyone will play a role in embedding the value of giving even further in Emirati culture."
Accompanied by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed said: "The Giving Retreat was the largest national gathering dedicated to institutionalising humanitarianism in the UAE. Today we launched dozens of initiatives that are sure to introduce a new era of giving and humanitarian work to the country. The conversations at the retreat proved that our nation, with the help and support of its people, will remain a beacon for humanitarianism."
"We will introduce an integrated legislative system with a clear framework for Corporate Social Responsibility and Volunteering, both on an institutional and individual level. We will provide volunteers with incentives and a comprehensive framework for volunteering in order to document and reward their initiatives and efforts Many young people want to volunteer, but are missing incentive programmes and clear guidance in order to be motivated to start volunteering," he said.
Sheikh Mohammed added: "Our objective for the Giving Retreat is to produce a sustainable strategic framework for the Year of Giving that we are proud of. We will ensure that the initiatives for the Year of Giving will become a dynamic part of the corporate and individual identity and performance."

• Dubai