Year of Giving Retreat exemplifies UAE's unique values of dialogue, says acting NMC Director-General

ABU DHABI, 2nd February, 2017 (WAM) -- The declaration by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan that the year 2017 is to be the "Year of Giving" is a continuation of the UAE’s long-standing strategy to promote humanitarian giving as a key pillar of the national policy, said Mansour Al Mansouri, acting Director-General of the National Media Council, NMC. ''The UAE has always been at the forefront of countries that pay significant attention to giving, and the Year of Giving initiative is providing all segments of the community with a fitting opportunity to actively participate and effectively contribute to serve the nation and humanitarian work,'' Al Mansouri said in a statement marking the Year of Giving Retreat, which started on Wednesday. ''The initiative creates a strong base for promotion and enhancement of social responsibility in the private sector where there will be a true partnership between the public and private sectors in serving the nation and the local community,'' he stated. He said that the Year of Giving Retreat, initiated by the Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, embodies the spirit of dialogue and collaborative thinking that characterises the UAE, resulting in best ideas and practices that will support and advance the Year of Giving. Commenting on the media mission, Al Mansouri said that media could play a major, crucial role in supporting the Year of Giving by spreading awareness, reporting on the values of giving and service to the nation, and instilling the culture of volunteering among all segments of the community. The national media organisations had always supported efforts for national initiatives, he noted. ''We will work to place social responsibility among the success factors in the private sector companies,'' he affirmed. According to him, media debates at the Retreat have produced initiatives that will usher in a new era for fostering and enhancing concepts of social responsibility, volunteering and service to the nation, as the prime forward-looking objective is to focus on grooming a generations equipped with the thought of giving so that they are capable of contributing to the development and progress of their nation. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates-year-of-giving/1395306784789.html