Volunteering is a noble humanitarian act that comes from a soul filled with compassion, generosity, and love. First, it reflects a refined human sense, and second, a patriotic sense. The truth is that a humanitarian volunteer experiences an unmatched pleasure when providing assistance to those in need, not to mention the great reward he receives from Allah Almighty. From this point, volunteering has been one of the most prominent humanitarian activities the UAE government, at all levels, seeks to establish due to the goodness it holds for both the volunteer and the entire society.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE, may God protect him, said on his Twitter account,
“On International Volunteer Day, we express our appreciation to all volunteers in the UAE and around the world who embody the values of sacrifice, dedication, and giving for their communities and humanity… Volunteering is the true reflection of societal progress.”
In embodiment of this vision, the initiatives and relief operations carried out by the UAE in several affected countries affirm its focus on the importance of volunteering. The society where the culture of volunteering spreads is a vibrant one, saturated with noble values such as love, selflessness, brotherhood, and relieving the needy. These authentic values are part of our Arab heritage, and they found fertile ground in our homeland, the United Arab Emirates, where our leaders encouraged and supported them.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may his soul rest in peace, placed great emphasis on volunteer work and humanitarian giving, to the extent that it became a distinguishing feature of Emirati society. The United Arab Emirates has become a beacon of guidance for humanity, extending its generosity to various countries around the world. He highlighted the importance of humanitarian work and cooperation among people when he said,
“The collaboration between humans leads to compassion, as encouraged by Allah the Almighty. A person should show mercy towards his fellow humans, animals, and plants because Allah, the Exalted, shows mercy to those who show mercy.”
The pure human perspective of Sheikh Zayed (may his soul rest in peace) indicates a good-hearted nature that loves and strives for goodness. This attitude extends not only to the citizens of the nation but to all of humanity. This was evident in his actions and words (may Allah have mercy on him). He used to say, “The rich must help the poor, and Allah has bestowed this wealth upon us for the development of our country and, at the same time, to contribute to the development of other nations.”
After his death, the charitable works he established, which were beacons of light and giving, had a worldwide impact. Zayed Foundation for International Charitable and Humanitarian Works is still an evidence of his impact as a noble leader (May Allah have mercy on him).
One of the pioneering charitable campaigns with a special humanitarian concept is the ‘Mother Endowment’ campaign, which aims to honor mothers by establishing a one-billion-dirham endowment fund to support education worldwide. This initiative was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai (May Allah protect him), in line with his past habit of launching charitable and humanitarian initiatives during the holy month of Ramadan.”
Many Emirati institutions and organizations are active in the field of volunteer work, including the UAE Red Crescent, which is a charitable volunteer organization established in 1983 and gained international recognition as a member of the International Federation of Red Crescent and Red Cross.
One of the main goals of the UAE Red Crescent is to support charitable work, promote volunteerism, and continually strive for development to achieve the best service. Additionally, it seeks to constantly enhance the capabilities of its staff to facilitate charitable operations and develop and enhance the resources of the organization.
The charitable works and projects it provides are numerous, including sponsoring orphans, providing relief aid, implementing local and international humanitarian projects such as “The Brave Knight” and “Birds of Goodness,” managing volunteering and volunteers’ affairs, and many other volunteering projects.
Similarly, Dubai Cares Organization is also a philanthropic organization established by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, may God protect him, in 2007. The organization works to support the right to education for deprived children at both the international and local levels. It organizes a range of charitable events and initiatives to achieve its goals of bringing about positive change in the lives of children in communities.
In addition, and as part of the UAE rulers’ vision which aims to encourage volunteer and charitable work, awards have been dedicated to excellence in volunteer work at the national level. Among these awards are UAE Medal for Volunteer and Humanitarian Work, given by the UAE government for excellence and innovation in voluntary charitable work at the UAE Volunteer Conference, which is held annually. There is also Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work, issued by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah. This award aims to promote the spirit of brotherhood among people as commanded by Islam, draw the attention of young people to the field of volunteer work, enable noble ethics, and appreciate and honor individuals or institutions that have shown interest in humanitarian volunteer work.
In conclusion, volunteer work is a symbol of true humanity and an expression of the sound instinct that God has placed in the hearts of His sincere servants. It is one of the faith seeds, and we all must nurture this seed and water it with love and sympathy until it bears fruit. May welfare spread among our country and beyond to the whole world. We ask the Almighty God to protect our country, our leadership, and our people, and bestow on us His apparent and hidden blessings.
