H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, has instructed all entities and departments of Dubai Government to take proactive measures, set broad outlines and plans and establish initiatives and programmes that will contribute to making the Year of Giving a success. Sheikh Hamdan’s instructions follow President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s declaring 2017 the Year of Giving.

Sheikh Hamdan called government entities to coordinate with each other, on the local and federal levels, to come up with the best possible outcomes, which will further solidify the UAE’s leading position in the humanitarian and charity domain worldwide.

Sheikh Hamdan said, "Declaring 2017 as the Year of Giving by Sheikh Khalifa is a new message conveyed by the UAE and its wise leadership to the world. The message is "we are the state of charity and peace". We wish everyone good and never spare any effort to ensure the goodness of the entire humanity".

Crown Prince of Dubai said that the President's announcement of 2017 as the Year of Giving is a message to the world: we are a peaceful nation always striving to do good. He added that, over the years, UAE has become synonymous with giving, and our leadership has sought to spread peace and goodwill around the world; there is no greater or more noble form of giving than service to one's country and honouring its values and traditions.

"The UAE wants through this message to reaffirm the humanitarian approach it has adopted for decades to help people in need, spread hope and ensure the happiness of people everywhere," Sheikh Hamdan said.

He added, "The name of the UAE coupled with philanthropy throughout the years, during which our wise leadership has sought to ensure that goodness prevails all over the globe without discrimination on the grounds of ethnic and religious background or gender".

Sheikh Hamdan said that the directives issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to highlight the need to develop a comprehensive framework for the Year of Giving, will ensure the highest level of coordination between government bodies to arrive at the best possible outcomes.

"Serving the nation is one of the greatest aspects of giving that one can do in his life, and Shaikh Khalifa’s initiative aims to promote the culture of giving back to the community and boost the spirit of volunteering and loyalty to one’s country," Sheikh Hamdan stressed.

He paid tributes to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who laid the humanitarian approach in the UAE, as well as to UAE leaders who followed suit.

The three key pillars of Year of Giving’s general framework are creating a sense of community responsibility in the private sector; enhancing the spirit of volunteering and encouraging specialized volunteer programmes, and instilling national spirit and loyalty in the next generation to serve their country.