Dubai to set up first charity park with community contribution

Dubai Municipality has announced that has begun implementation of the first Community Charity Park, named Charity Oasis. The park is to be built at a cost of AED10 million, in coordination with the Mohammed bin Rashid International Centre for Endowment Consultancy, and will be cultivated using innovative methodology based on 'collective outsourcing', a concept that has been successfully used in many economic projects where members of the community contribute small shares.

For the first time, there will be community participation in the establishment of a new park through the donation of palm trees from their homes and farms, as a charitable donation in the name of the UAE community, and the returns from the park will be distributed to the needy.

Commenting on the announcement, Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, said, "Everyone knows that Dubai is a leader in innovation in various fields. Today, we announce one of its innovations in the field of charity, in line with the #Year of Giving, declared by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Year of Giving strategy announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It will be the first charity park in the world and will be a sustainable endowment in the name of the UAE community and a witness to the charity activities deep routed in the UAE."

Dr. Hamad Al Hammadi, Secretary-General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Centre, said, "The Charity Park in Dubai is one of the initiatives that meets the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa on announcing 2017 as Year of Giving and an innovative initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, aimed at revitalising the endowment as a community development tool. This first of its kind in the world in style and idea, and will be a milestone that confirms that the UAE is a society that adopts charity in all areas."