UAE a ‘beacon of hope’ in sustainability for needy

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Sustainability is the key to success and our aim is to empower people in need around the world so they could move out of poverty, stated Dr. Abdulsalam Al Madani.

In an exclusive interview with Gulf Today, the Roving Ambassador for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) for the GCC and Chairman of INDEX Holding explained how, under the umbrella of the DIHAD (Dubai International Humanitarian Aid & Development) Sustainable Humanitarian Foundation, they are constantly engaged in several humanitarian and educational activities throughout the year that also fall in line with the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) locally and around the world.

Highlighting the humanitarian projects under the Foundation, he said it has several initiatives that were founded and initiated including: DIHAD Conference and Exhibition, DIHAD Humanitarian College, DIHAD Glass House, DIHAD Hackathon, Humanity Without Boarders — Tajikistan and Jordan, Ride for DIHAD, and the Waterfalls Initiative for Continuous Education from UAE to the World.

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Throughout the years, as part of DIHAD’s sustainable projects with the support of its local partners to help communities in need, a number of projects have been completed and many are currently under way. These projects included medical assistance and providing education to refugees in Jordan, water provision and establishing of small businesses for underprivileged families in Tajikistan, a 200-bed children’s hospital in Egypt, and several others to support people in need.

Regarding humanitarian projects in education, he said, “We established the world’s first-ever college that offers a master’s degree in Sustainable Humanitarian Action in Spain to provide fully-sponsored scholarships to deserving students. The project commenced last year in which we selected 30 of the best students, including 5 from the UAE, who originate from 24 countries and are involved with 48 charity organisations. The graduation of the first batch will take place this coming June. These graduate students will also serve around 2,000 volunteer hours in different fields as part of the education programme,” he mentioned.

Al Madani shares a tender moment.

Additionally, the Waterfalls Initiative is a not-for-profit global continuous education initiative that was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, supported by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and under the supervision of Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

The initiative, which is free for all participants to attend, supports frontliners through several specialised scientific webinars presented by well-renowned local and international speakers and lecturers from all fields.

He further said, “The Waterfalls Initiative has so far helped more than 1.6 million medical personnel and youths from 197 countries develop their education and healthcare sector.”

Notably, the DIHAD Conference and Exhibition, which is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, continues to bring together international key decision-makers from leading NGOs, UN agencies, charity organisations and governmental bodies, together with aid, education and construction providers from the private sector to address the needs of the people and countries affected by crises, disasters and natural calamities.

“Next year we are celebrating the 20th edition of the DIHAD Conference and Exhibition, and with its sustainable model, we are focusing on youths to provide necessary training and education for doing small businesses, availing opportunities in the field of agriculture, education and social activities around the world. We want them to run their projects on their own through our training so they will continue in the future without any outside help. The aim is to help the poor not to be poor,” he said.

As Chairman of INDEX Holding, he also oversees 10 subsidiaries of the company that include INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions, an event management company; INDEX Media, a comprehensive media and marketing solutions agency; INDEX Trading and Investment, which covers various sectors including food and beverage; Abdul Salam Al Madani Textile Trading and Tailoring, which imports the finest fabrics to offer modern yet traditional Emirati attire; and offices in Korea and Singapore, to name a few.