MoI launches child protection award at ADFF

The Higher Committee for Child Protection, represented by the Ministry of the Interior's Child Protection Centre, has launched the "Child Protection Award" as part of the seventh edition of the Abu Dhabi Film Festival (ADFF), which will run until November 2nd. Major General Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of the Office of H.H. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and Chairman of the Higher Committee for Child Protection, indicated that participation in the festival follows the directives of H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior. "These directives exemplify Sheikh Saif's commitment to maintain the U.A.E.'s position as a haven for civilization and a role model in the region for its efforts to promote the protection and security of children through preventive and precautionary measures, which thereby strengthens the community's security and safety," he said. Al Nuaimi added that the Child Protection Award is dedicated for the film industry, referred to as the "Seventh Art". It was introduced as part of this year's ADFF awards, and will recognise the best film and the best script that deal with the subject of child protection and safety. "The award serves as recognition of filmmakers' contributions, and reflects the valuable role played by the film industry and filmmakers who can efficiently communicate with different society segments," he continued. Lt. Col. Faisal Al Shamari, Director of the U.A.E. Ministry of the Interior's Child Protection Centre, emphasised that the ministry, through the Higher Committee for Child Protection, is the first government institution worldwide to harness the film industry to promote societal awareness. He added that the ministry had shown a movie called "Trust" as part of the Fifth Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) Conference in Abu Dhabi. The Conference attendees were shown a scenario regarding a case of online child abuse, a testament to the importance of such films in raising awareness of a wide range of issues. The film addressed the dangers that children face when they use chat websites, as they cannot be sure of the identity of the other people they are communicating with, who build their trust and eventually entrap them. The film highlighted the instrumental role that parents can play in providing the necessary protection to prevent children from falling into the clutches of such dangerous websites.