Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, along with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, were the first two people to sign up to volunteer through the country’s national volunteer platform, "Volunteers.ae."

The platform was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid before his Cabinet meeting, which was attended by H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, and H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid signed up as a volunteer in the fields of Hope Making and Environmental Sustainability, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed signed up in the Humanitarian Work field. Their actions are intended to motivate the community to register and enrich the nation’s culture of generosity, philanthropy and social service.

The "UAE Volunteers" platform seeks to create an integrated and sustainable system for volunteering and to promote the value of volunteerism as one of the most important pillars of social cohesion, which is one of the national priorities of the UAE.

The Emirates Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Community Development, developed the national volunteer platform. It will bring together volunteering opportunities with government institutions, private-sector entities, and charitable organisations. Thousands of registered volunteers, including citizens and residents, will have opportunities to apply their skills and serve their communities. The platform will be designed in a way that highlights opportunities based on the volunteer’s skills and interests.

It will provide volunteer opportunities in the fields of education, humanitarian care work for the elderly, health, culture and arts, sports, leisure, environment, community service, hope making, professional development, international volunteerism and emergency response. It will also develop a personal record for each volunteer, and provide people with the chance to nominate volunteers for innovative projects. It will be the largest and most thorough volunteer platform in the country.

The platform seeks to consolidate the mission of the Year of Giving, as announced by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, for public and private sector entities to promote the value of volunteer work and social responsibility as an important part of sustainable development.

The Emirates Foundation is an independent philanthropic organisation set up by the Abu Dhabi government to facilitate public-private funded initiatives to improve the welfare of youth across the UAE. It was launched in 2005 by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and is chaired by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed.

The Ministry of Community Development collaborated with the Emirates Foundation to launch the "UAE Volunteers" website. It will offer a comprehensive database and accurate statistics on volunteerism at the national level for government agencies and will support individuals seeking to volunteer and contribute to the development of their communities.

source: WAM