"Nobody talks about its love for humanity the way the U.A.E. does. It achieves so by cutting through all conceivable barriers, as it proved on Tuesday, when the U.A.E. marked World Humanitarian Day at the Dubai Mall," said the Sharjah-based English language daily, The Gulf Today, in an editorial comment this morning.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, announced earlier this year, that the U.A.E. is the largest donor of official development assistance in the world, in proportion to its gross national income. The country's development assistance in 2013 amounted to US$5.2 billion.
"The U.A.E. has always been pulling out all stops to lend a helping hand to the needy and poor, the hapless and the destitute in different regions of the world. Last year, the Clothe One Million Children Ramadan initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, benefited more than three million underprivileged children in countries all over the world, including Bosnia, Albania, Romania, nations in South Asia, the Far East and the Middle East," said the editorial.
The Holy Month of Ramadan saw the launch of U.A.E. Suqia (water aid campaign) by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed, to provide a clean drinking water to approximately five million people around the world.
"The U.A.E. is also making wholehearted attempts to strengthen international resolve to eradicate polio among children in Syria. It couldn't have been, therefore, more appropriate and timely that Dubai, as the commercial, lifestyle and entertainment hub of the region, and a torchbearer of humanitarianism, observed World Humanitarian Day 2014 vigorously," the editorial explained.
The day was marked by a walk to commemorate the courageous efforts of humanitarian workers' around the globe, an event that was held under the patronage of under the Patronage of UN Messenger of Peace and Chairperson of International Humanitarian City, Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, Wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed.
About 30,000 people turned up, including representatives of local and international humanitarian organisations, visitors, residents, and regional artists.
The editorial went on to say, "Dubai Cares has hailed the role of humanitarian workers in facilitating positive change around the globe. The organisation provides food daily to more than half a million schoolchildren, trains over 38,000 teachers, and distributes over 2.1 million books written in local languages.
In conclusion, the editorial said, "The U.A.E. represents a high mark of compassion and care," quoting Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, who said, "The U.A.E. community collectively believes in empowering people through education. Here in the U.A.E., we enjoy the liberty to pursue and achieve our ambitions, as we have strong foundations safeguarding our rights, security and prosperity."