emirates7 - Coinciding with International Volunteer Day on 5th December, Abu Dhabi hosted the Global Volunteer Forum under the theme For our Nation – Following the Path and Legacy of Zayed’s Giving and Goodness.
The event reflects the humanitarian values established by the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to fostering a culture of giving, strengthening a sustainable volunteer ecosystem and encouraging wider community engagement in volunteer and humanitarian initiatives.
The forum drew wide participation from volunteer leaders worldwide, both in person and virtually, underscoring the UAE’s role as a global platform that embraces humanitarian experiences and supports volunteer initiatives locally and internationally.
The programme included lectures, panel discussions, workshops and hands-on training in community, specialised, health, environmental, sports and institutional volunteering, alongside sessions on innovation and artificial intelligence in volunteer and humanitarian fields.
During the opening ceremony, a documentary highlighted twenty-five years of the Zayed Giving Initiative and its humanitarian and medical missions carried out by UAE volunteer doctors as part of national medical volunteer and reserve teams. It also reviewed the work of the UAE Medical Readiness and Response Program, Jaheziya, in training thousands of volunteers for local and international medical response.
The forum was organised through the Zayed Giving Initiative, supervised by the UAE Community and Specialised Volunteering Program and accredited by the Emirates Volunteer Academy, with broad participation from UAE Volunteer Ambassadors in the UAE Young Volunteer and Humanitarian Leaders Program and organised by Al Wataniya for Training.
Adel Al Shamry Al Ajmi, CEO of the Zayed Giving Initiative, Head of UAE Doctors and CEO of the UAE National Readiness and Response Program (Jaheziya), said hosting the forum reflects the UAE’s commitment to promoting a culture of giving. He emphasised its positive impact on young volunteers raised in the school of Sheikh Zayed and nurtured to embody social responsibility at home and abroad.
He said volunteering is now an essential part of the Emirati identity, strengthening social cohesion and honouring the contributions of youth who serve the nation. He noted that volunteerism is a key pillar of the UAE’s humanitarian approach, supported by the UAE leadership.
He added that the forum comes at a time of growing expansion in volunteer work, demonstrating the UAE’s commitment to building an integrated volunteer environment that invests in volunteer capabilities and enhances their development role.
He noted that Emirati youth, motivated by the example of their leaders and parents, have enriched the UAE’s volunteer experience and represent the country globally as ambassadors of volunteering, tolerance and positivity.
He said the UAE has become a global hub for training and empowering volunteers through the Jaheziya programme, which has built the capacity and readiness of thousands of first-line responders according to unified international standards.
Khalid Bumtaie from Bahrain said the event reflects the UAE’s vision of making volunteerism a core element of social development. He highlighted the forum’s role in fostering innovation, expanding community participation and supporting volunteers’ readiness to positive impact. He noted that the UAE continues to advance giving as a deeply rooted value and civilisational approach.
Al Anoud Al Ajmi commended the UAE’s pioneering role in the volunteer landscape. She said volunteer work develops character, belonging and responsibility, and that hosting the forum in conjunction with International Volunteer Day reinforces the UAE’s dedication to supporting volunteers locally and globally.
Salah Abubakr Al Masri from Egypt said volunteering has become integral to the Emirati identity and that the UAE is a model for turning volunteerism into a sustained culture and daily practice. The forum, he said, strengthens volunteer skills and supports sustainable humanitarian work.
The forum concluded with recommendations to reinforce the role of volunteers in development, enhance the volunteer ecosystem through new international partnerships and expand the use of technology in managing community initiatives. Participants affirmed that the UAE continues to strengthen its position as a global centre for volunteerism, social innovation and humanitarian action that supports a more sustainable and prosperous future.
The event reflects the humanitarian values established by the UAE's Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and reaffirms the UAE’s commitment to fostering a culture of giving, strengthening a sustainable volunteer ecosystem and encouraging wider community engagement in volunteer and humanitarian initiatives.
The forum drew wide participation from volunteer leaders worldwide, both in person and virtually, underscoring the UAE’s role as a global platform that embraces humanitarian experiences and supports volunteer initiatives locally and internationally.
The programme included lectures, panel discussions, workshops and hands-on training in community, specialised, health, environmental, sports and institutional volunteering, alongside sessions on innovation and artificial intelligence in volunteer and humanitarian fields.
During the opening ceremony, a documentary highlighted twenty-five years of the Zayed Giving Initiative and its humanitarian and medical missions carried out by UAE volunteer doctors as part of national medical volunteer and reserve teams. It also reviewed the work of the UAE Medical Readiness and Response Program, Jaheziya, in training thousands of volunteers for local and international medical response.
The forum was organised through the Zayed Giving Initiative, supervised by the UAE Community and Specialised Volunteering Program and accredited by the Emirates Volunteer Academy, with broad participation from UAE Volunteer Ambassadors in the UAE Young Volunteer and Humanitarian Leaders Program and organised by Al Wataniya for Training.
Adel Al Shamry Al Ajmi, CEO of the Zayed Giving Initiative, Head of UAE Doctors and CEO of the UAE National Readiness and Response Program (Jaheziya), said hosting the forum reflects the UAE’s commitment to promoting a culture of giving. He emphasised its positive impact on young volunteers raised in the school of Sheikh Zayed and nurtured to embody social responsibility at home and abroad.
He said volunteering is now an essential part of the Emirati identity, strengthening social cohesion and honouring the contributions of youth who serve the nation. He noted that volunteerism is a key pillar of the UAE’s humanitarian approach, supported by the UAE leadership.
He added that the forum comes at a time of growing expansion in volunteer work, demonstrating the UAE’s commitment to building an integrated volunteer environment that invests in volunteer capabilities and enhances their development role.
He noted that Emirati youth, motivated by the example of their leaders and parents, have enriched the UAE’s volunteer experience and represent the country globally as ambassadors of volunteering, tolerance and positivity.
He said the UAE has become a global hub for training and empowering volunteers through the Jaheziya programme, which has built the capacity and readiness of thousands of first-line responders according to unified international standards.
Khalid Bumtaie from Bahrain said the event reflects the UAE’s vision of making volunteerism a core element of social development. He highlighted the forum’s role in fostering innovation, expanding community participation and supporting volunteers’ readiness to positive impact. He noted that the UAE continues to advance giving as a deeply rooted value and civilisational approach.
Al Anoud Al Ajmi commended the UAE’s pioneering role in the volunteer landscape. She said volunteer work develops character, belonging and responsibility, and that hosting the forum in conjunction with International Volunteer Day reinforces the UAE’s dedication to supporting volunteers locally and globally.
Salah Abubakr Al Masri from Egypt said volunteering has become integral to the Emirati identity and that the UAE is a model for turning volunteerism into a sustained culture and daily practice. The forum, he said, strengthens volunteer skills and supports sustainable humanitarian work.
The forum concluded with recommendations to reinforce the role of volunteers in development, enhance the volunteer ecosystem through new international partnerships and expand the use of technology in managing community initiatives. Participants affirmed that the UAE continues to strengthen its position as a global centre for volunteerism, social innovation and humanitarian action that supports a more sustainable and prosperous future.