Dubai: A newly launched “UAE Volunteers” platform will create an integrated, sustained system to promote volunteerism as one of the most important pillars of a cohesive society, it was announced on Thursday.

A stronger UAE fabric is one of the national priorities of the UAE and will be strengthened by the new volunteer registry to be found at www.volunteers.ae which was developed by The Emirates Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development.

His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, were the first two people to sign on the new volunteer platform.



Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid signed up as a volunteer in the fields of Hope Making and Environmental Sustainability, and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed signed up in the Humanitarian Work field; their actions are intended to motivate the community to register as well and enrich the nation’s culture of generosity, philanthropy and social service.

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid tweeted: “Our goal is to consolidate volunteer work in UAE society during the Year of Giving, and to register 200,000 volunteers in all sectors by the end of the year.”

“Volunteer work is noble and valuable. A person does not feel its true value unless they have given without receiving anything in return, and a community does not feel alive unless it stands as one and the strong supports the weak,” Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid tweeted.

Present during the launch were Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affair; and Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The platform was launched by Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid before the Cabinet meeting yesterday.

It will offer volunteering opportunities across 14 categories ranging from education and elderly care to sport and the environment. More than 82,000 people signed up online for the volunteer work on the first day of launching the initiative.

The platform will bring together volunteering opportunities with government institutions, private sector entities, and charitable organisations.

Thousands of registered volunteers, including citizens and residents, will have opportunities to apply their skills and serve their communities.

The platform will be designed in a way that highlights opportunities based on the volunteer’s skills and interests. It will develop a personal record for each volunteer, and provide people the chance to nominate volunteers for innovative projects. It will be the largest and most thorough volunteer platform in the country.

The platform seeks to consolidate the mission of the Year of Giving for public and private sector entities to promote the value of volunteer work and social responsibility as an important part of sustainable development.

The Emirates Foundation is an independent philanthropic organisation set up by the Abu Dhabi government to facilitate public-private funded initiatives to improve the welfare of youth across the UAE.

The Ministry of Community Development collaborated with the Emirates Foundation to launch the “UAE Volunteers” website. The website will offer a comprehensive database and accurate statistics on volunteerism at the national level for government agencies, and will support individuals seeking to volunteer and contribute to the development of their communities.

UAE Volunteers

The new UAE Volunteers platform will provide volunteering opportunities in a number of humanitarian sectors:

Fields of education

Humanitarian work

Care for the elderly

Health

Culture and arts

Sports

Leisure

Environment

Community service

Hope making

Professional development

International volunteerism

Emergency response

Source: www.volunteers.ae