A few days away from 2017, or the year of good deeds as designated by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the augurs of good deeds continue on our blessed land. On the occasion of his accession, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, launched initiatives focused on charitable work, among which is UAE Food Bank.
This initiative is of great importance and interest as it targets one of the most vital needs of human beings everywhere. The bank will constitute an integrated humanitarian system to establish the value of offering food. It will encompass the hotels sector, food factories, farms, hospitality institutions, major supermarkets and volunteers. The purpose is to deal professionally with a surplus of fresh and canned food under the supervision of the competent authorities and to distribute it inside and outside the country in collaboration with a network of local and international humanitarian and charitable institutions.
Expressing the philosophy of this pioneer initiative, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said “the year of good deeds is a golden opportunity for human potential and charity initiatives for the people of the Emirates and all its institutions; we would like to start the year of good deeds with an initiative related to the most important human need—food, and highlight one of the important qualities of our people—generosity.”
The meaning here is that His Highness intended to participate in the year of good deeds through an initiative that meets the most important humanitarian needs, and at the same time reflects one of the most important qualities of our people which he described as “one of the most generous communities”.
The “UAE Food Bank” is one of the most important objectives of the Year of Good Deeds. The goal of the initiative is to institutionalize volunteer and charity work, and to make it sustainable. Good deeds are not unfamiliar to the good Emirates. the legacy of the His Highness Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan shows that, and so do the efforts and humanitarian relief initiatives ordered by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan; and those made under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme commander of the armed forces.
Since its establishment, the UAE was a world-renowned place for good deeds. The Food Bank initiative is represented in the two strategic objectives, namely, institutionalization and sustainability, with the second being based on the first. Planning must be done to distribute food so it reaches everywhere, whether through initiatives or various humanitarian organizations. This means new partnerships in charity work will be made and possibly international partnerships. The initiative will enhance the humanitarian and civilizational aspect of the UAE and the world in the face of encroachment of globalization as a threat to many noble human values.
The year of good deeds is starting and we are confident that the UAE will be a global leader in sustainable charity in light of the institutionalization of this great humanitarian initiative and the positive race to participate in making this year a turning point in humanitarian work worldwide.
Our leadership, headed by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, opens the windows of hope that our region has good and noble values it can share with the world. That will help showing the right mental image of the Islamic religion that terror organizations seek to deform all the time. Such efforts show the true face of this righteous religion, one of tolerance, care and love.
