World Humanitarian Day
On the 19th of August each year, the world celebrates the World Humanitarian day. It is the day in which work is directed towards the benefit of humans in all the areas of health, science, environment, service, and welfare.
The humanitarian work has great importance as it contributes to the help of those who face challenges and critical circumstances in their struggle to acquire life necessities. It also has a role in consolidating the spirit of brotherhood and the values of humanity among the individuals in a society and among the nations of the world.
The humanitarian work is truly a civilized act. It is also the duty of every individual as mentioned by all religions of heaven and by social conventions.
I would like to mention that the UAE gives special importance to humanitarian work in all areas and with no limits. That is because humanitarian work stems from the principles of the country and its constitution and from the vision of its leaders. The concept of humanitarian work has become part and parcel of the country’s initiatives and activities of its establishments and organizations.
The concept of humanitarian work has been given special importance at the level of the leadership and the level of public and private establishments in the country.
The platforms of humanitarian work in the UAE vary depending on the societal, developmental and welfare needs inside and outside the society and at the regional and international levels.
This year celebration of humanitarian work focuses on the real heroes who are the doctors and all members of the medical teams and volunteers who worked hard to challenge the corona epidemic. It is the epidemic that the whole world has faced in the year 2020. These doctors, nurses and paramedics have formed the front line of the battle against the epidemic. They have done their best, sacrificed their time and were kept away from their families for months. Some of them contracted the disease and lost their lives. They worked hard with sincerity and cooperation. The retired ones came back to hospitals and the intern students spared no efforts.
I would also cite cases of Arab doctors who happened to be abroad in different parts of the world. Those doctors refused to come back to their countries and instead they worked in the treatment of Corona patients in the countries abroad. I would like to commend all the medical teams in the UAE. The Ministry of Health and Prevention for example offered 535 volunteers to augment the medical system in its fight against the Corona.
An initiative named the Emirates of Giving was launched to start the voluntary work of medical doctors in a program entitled (Treatment -on- Line). It was part of an Emirati Initiative entitled the Medical Heroes Program which included participation of medical doctors in tasks involving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The aim was to enhance solidarity.
The country directed all its volunteers to communicate with the National Authority for Emergency and Crisis. There were several initiatives launched by several organizations and voluntary bodies to support humanitarian work in the struggle against Corona. All that was done in cooperation with the government and volunteers to maximize the efforts against the epidemic.
We all believe that we are brothers in humanity and therefore we need to help each other. I appreciate and commend the efforts of the heroes of humanitarian work this year. And I wish them success and good health.
