'Year of Giving'' will help heal wounds

The year 2017 will be a watershed year for charitable and philanthropic works, as the UAE will take the world by surprise in launching initiatives to heal the wounds and alleviate the suffering of destitute people, said H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council.

''Initiatives to be launched by Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, will transform the Year of Giving into a remarkable Arab and global event as it will crown the UAE's generous humanitarian contributions in the region and beyond,'' Sheikh Hazza said in a statement following the announcement on Saturday by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of 2017 as the ''Year of Giving".

''The UAE's experiment in spreading charity and giving is deeply embedded in the UAE people by the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan,'' he added.

As the Year of Reading was impressive, he noted, so will be the Year of Giving.

The "Year of Giving" will focus on three main pillars: the first of which aims at creating a sense of community responsibility in the private sectors so as to fulfil their role in serving the community and contribute in the developmental march of the country. The second pillar focusses on enhancing the spirit of volunteering and encouraging specialised volunteer programmes that will effectively assist in social development and community services. The third pillar aims at instilling loyalty and commitment in the next generation to serve their country, a trait that is characteristic of Emiratis who were raised to love and serve their country.

The president affirmed that designating the year 2017 as the "Year of Giving" mirrors the method adopted by the UAE ever since its formation, a method based on helping others without expecting anything in return.