Sheikh Zayed’s humanitarian legacy marked across nation

Zayed Humanitarian Day, which takes place on Friday, is an opportunity to celebrate the rich legacy left by UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent has said.

The event takes place on the 19th day of Ramadan, the anniversary of Sheikh Zayed’s death in 2004.

“While we have lost the champion of humanity, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, we renew our pledge and loyalty on the anniversary of his passing to continue his humanitarian legacy,” Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed, Ruler’s Representative of Al Dhafra Region and chairman of the ERC, was quoted as saying by state news agency Wam.

“The UAE continues on the same path to enhance its humanitarian message and bear its responsibility in alleviating the suffering of humanity.”

Under Sheikh Zayed’s leadership, the Abu Dhabi Development Fund was launched in 1971 while the Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation was set up in 1992.

The UAE will stay on course to honour Sheikh Zayed’s legacy, Sheikh Hamdan said.

“For us at the ERC, the Zayed Humanitarian Day is an opportunity to reflect on our journey, evaluate our progress, and push it forward.

“We actively contribute to mobilising support for programmes, developing partnerships with all sectors of society, and spreading the values and principles that we seek to achieve.”

The day is a significant milestone on the UAE’s humanitarian journey, he said.

The UAE is currently undertaking several philanthropic projects aimed to reflect the ethos of Sheikh Zayed.

Among them is the The Mothers’ Endowment campaign, which was launched at the start of Ramadan.

The initiative, announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, aims to provide disadvantaged families around the world with access to education, and has raised Dh770 million ($209 million) in its first two weeks.

Another project is the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, which was launched earlier this month with the goal of addressing water scarcity around the world.