UAE a ‘beacon of hope’ for sustainable development for the poor

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed poses with Dr. Abdul Salam Madani.

Jameel Khan, senior reporter

Sustainability is key to success and our aim is to support those in need around the world so they can escape poverty, said Dr Abdulsalam Al Madani.

In an exclusive interview with Gulf Today, Ambassador-at-Large of the GCC Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (PAM) and Chairman of INDEX Holding, explains how under the umbrella of the DIHAD (Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development) sustainable humanitarian foundation, they Ongoing involvement in several humanitarian and educational activities, which are also in line with the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) locally and around the world.

He highlighted the humanitarian projects under the foundation and said it has set up and launched several initiatives including: DIHAD Conference and Exhibition, DIHAD Humanitarian Academy, DIHAD Glass House, DIHAD Hackathon, Humans Without Borders – Tajikistan and Jordan, cycling for DIHAD, and continuing education waterfall programs from the UAE to the world.

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Over the years, many projects have been completed and many are currently underway as part of DIHAD’s sustainable projects to help communities in need with the support of its local partners. These projects include medical assistance and education for refugees in Jordan, water supply and small businesses for needy families in Tajikistan, a 200-bed children’s hospital in Egypt, and several others supporting those in need.

Regarding the Humanitarian Program in Education, he said: “We have established the world’s first institute in Spain to offer a master’s degree in sustainable humanitarian action, offering fully-funded scholarships to students in need. The program launched last year , we have selected 30 of the best students, 5 of whom are from the UAE, who come from 24 countries and are involved in 48 charitable organizations. The first graduation ceremonies will be held this June. As part of the educational programme, these Graduate students will also volunteer around 2,000 hours in different areas,” he mentioned.

Al Madani shared a tender moment.

Additionally, the Waterfall Initiative, a non-profit global continuing education initiative, was announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Supporting UAE President Al Nahyan, under the supervision of Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.

Free for all participants, the initiative supports frontliners through several professional scientific webinars hosted by renowned local and international speakers and lecturers from various fields.

He further stated, “To date, the Waterfall Initiative has helped more than 1.6 million medical personnel and youth from 197 countries develop their education and healthcare fields.”

Notably, the DIHAD conference and exhibition, organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, continues to bring together international Key decision makers, as well as aid, education and construction providers from the private sector to meet the needs of people and countries affected by crises, disasters and natural disasters.

“Next year we will celebrate the 20th DIHAD Conference and Exhibition and with its sustainable model, we will focus on youth, providing the necessary training and education to start small businesses, take advantage of opportunities in the fields of agriculture, education and social activities around the world. We hope they run their projects independently through our training, so that they can continue working without any outside help in the future. The purpose is to help the poor no longer be poor,” he said.

As chairman of INDEX Holding, he also oversees the firm’s 10 subsidiaries, including event management company INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions; INDEX Media, an integrated media and marketing solutions agency; INDEX Trading and Investments, covering food, beverages and more multiple sectors; Abdul Salam Al Madani Textile Trading and Tailoring, which imports the finest fabrics and offers modern yet traditional Emirati clothing; and offices in Korea and Singapore, to name a few.