Dubai: The Giving Retreat will be launched on Wednesday under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The retreat is to be attended by over 100 experts, stakeholders and officials brought together to brainstorm and generate strategies and ideas to boost philanthropy in the UAE during the Year of Giving (2017).
The Giving Retreat provides a platform for experts to produce a sustainable strategic framework that turns the vision of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the Year of Giving into reality. Initiatives will be identified and tasks distributed, ensuring the development of a comprehensive and integrated system that supports philanthropic growth throughout 2017 and beyond.
Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, and chairman of the Higher National Committee for the Year of Giving, said: “The Giving Retreat, during which we will develop initiatives that promote social cohesion and the value of giving, reflects our leadership’s promise to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world by 2021. Our commitment to spreading goodness through dynamic partnerships is part of our goal to build a more sustainable, prosperous and secure future for everyone.”
He added: “The pillars of the Year of Giving cover all elements of philanthropy, volunteering, and humanitarian development in the UAE. At the retreat, we will collate ideas and initiatives in order to create a comprehensive framework for the social, economic, cultural and education sectors, with clearly identified roles and responsibilities in order to ensure a fully integrated system that performs seamlessly.”
Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid called for organising the Giving Retreat last Saturday, and invited members of the community to share their ideas and suggestions for the Year of Giving through #YearofGiving on Twitter.
The agenda of the Giving Retreat will highlight six areas of focus for the Year of Giving. Each area will be led by the minister in the related field, reporting periodically to the Higher National Committee for the Year of Giving, which has launched a website (www.giving.ae) to provide more information.
