Voluntary work award winners honoured

Manama, Sept.17 (BNA): A ceremony was held this evening to distribute the Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa Voluntary Work Award. Deputy Prime Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa attended the ceremony, which was held under the patronage of Bahrain Basketball Society (BBS) chairman, Good Word Society honorary president HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa. Also present were Shura Council Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al-Saleh, Southern Governor HH Shaikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Khalifa, Al-Khalifa, ministers, officials representing the Arab League, the Arab Association for Voluntary Works and Arab and Foreign Ambassadors. HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa paid tribute to His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa and HH Deputy Premier Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa for their directives and support. He congratulated the winners of this year’s award and welcomed them to Bahrain, stressing the Kingdom’s strides, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa. He hailed the support of the Government, chaired by HRH the Premier, paying tribute to His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister. HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al-Khalifa then honoured recipients of this year’s edition of the award. The list of honourees includes Board of Trustees Chairman of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Foundation for Humanitarian Development, HRH Prince Mohammed bin Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud (Saudi Arabia), Assistant V.C. for International Cooperation at the Sultan Qaboos University, HH Dr. Mona bint Fahad Al-Said (Oman), NBB Board Chairman, dignitary Farouk Yousuf Khalil Almoayyed, (Bahrain), and Founding President of Ahlia University and the Managing Director of its Board of Trustees, Prof. Abdulla Al Hawaj (Bahrain). The list also comprises MP Youssef Al-Gharbi, from Morocco, UNESCO official Prof. Dr. Zahida Darwiche Jabbour (Lebanon), Shaikh Ali bin Ali Al-Salahi (Yemen), Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi (UAE), Dr. Jawhar bin Abdulqader Al-Jammoussi (Tunisia), Husamuddin Abdulhalim Al-Qabbani (Egypt), Arab Women Organisation’s Ambassador, Fathi Jabr Afane, Dr. Samih Mohammed Fayez Shaaban Al-Dweik (Palestine), Mohammed Rasheed Abdulmajid (Iraq) and Sayed Ahmed Abdoun (Algeria). HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa added that the voluntary work annual award is an opportunity to meet Arab leading figures in the voluntary work whose efforts focused on protecting the social peace and boosting ties among Arab communities. He pointed out the role of Arab Union for Voluntary work, which has been successful in establishing partnerships among Arab civil society organizations concerned with voluntary work, which also presented many remarkable initiatives to raise the efficiency of its employees. He praised the vital role of the Arab League in supporting Arab communities and contributed to the success of the award through nominating Arab pioneers of voluntary work. Director of Civil Society Organizations Department of the Arab League Dr. Nasseryiah Baghdadi, in her speech, said HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa Award contributes to enhancing the role of voluntary work in the Arab world and assisting countries to meeting the Arab communities’ needs. She noted the keenness of Arab League Secretary-General to promote the award as an Arab initiative that boosts voluntary work. The event witnessed honouring best voluntary project in Bahrain for individuals, societies and companies categories. It also witnessed honouring the cooperating sides and strategic sponsors, in addition to media newspapers. The honoured pioneers of Arab volunteer work expressed appreciation of HH Shaikh Isa bin Ali’s patronage, stressing the award would contribute to encouraging Arab voluntary initiatives. They also lauded the efforts of the Arab League and Arab Union for Voluntary work.