Manama, October 1, 2024: The Kingdom of Bahrain hosted the grand finale of the inaugural The Arab Council for Youth Award, an initiative organized by The Arab Council for Youth (ACFY), headquartered at Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU), in partnership with the Arab Voluntary Union based in Bahrain, the event also in partnership with the League of Arab States, the United Nations Volunteers programme, the United Nations Population Fund UNFPA, the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait, the World Youth Forum, and The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID).

The ceremony was graced by the presence of His Excellency Osama Bin Ahmed Al-Asfoor, the Minister of Social Development, and His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and Honorary President of the Good Word Society, along with a host of dignitaries and prominent figures from both Bahrain and the Arab world.

The event witnessed the honoring of four youth initiatives that aligned with 21st-century skills and targeted the Sustainable Development Goals. These included: Your Platform for Training from Morocco, a Youth Helping Youth  focused on innovative problem-solving, leadership, and decision-making from Egypt, Bevol Platform (Youth Platform for Volunteering and Social Entrepreneurship) from France, and a Promising Youth Initiative (Senses Project). Additionally, the ASEAN Youth Organization from Indonesia, The Education Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) – Morocco, and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Egypt were recognized under the award's "Enablers" track. The Saudi author and writer, Dr. Khalid Al Munif, was also honored under the "Inspirers" track in recognition of his outstanding contributions to youth empowerment and personal development.

Dr. Issa bin Hassan Al Ansari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Arab Council for Youth (ACFY), congratulated the winners on their innovative projects, emphasizing that the award empowers youth by showcasing their exceptional efforts aimed at serving society and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. He highlighted the importance of investing in their initiatives and supporting them to continue innovating and developing their work.

For his part, Counselor Khamis Al Buzaidi, Director of the Civil Society Organizations Department at the League of Arab States, affirmed that the League's sponsorship of The Arab Council for Youth Award reflects its commitment to supporting organizations working to empower youth in the development field, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Vision. He emphasized the League's keenness to unify efforts and coordinate between Arab governments and civil society organizations to actively engage them in a joint framework that serves development issues at the Arab level.

Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, expressed his sincere gratitude to His Excellency Osama Bin Ahmed Khalifa Al-Asfoor, Minister of Social Development, and His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa for gracing the award ceremony, as well as to The Arab Council for Youth (ACFY) for its great support and outstanding efforts in empowering youth. He also commended the sponsorship of the League of Arab States and all partners, and congratulated the winners, wishing them all the best in developing their development projects.

The winners of The Arab Council for Youth Award expressed their deep pride and honor in receiving the award, and extended their sincere thanks and appreciation to the Arab Voluntary Union, The Arab Council for Youth (ACFY), and the organizers of the award for their support in promoting outstanding work. They emphasized that this award marks a milestone for a new phase of development for their projects and expanding their services.

The eighth edition of Bahrain's Best Volunteer Project Award concluded on Saturday, August 31, 2024. Organized by the Good Word Society in collaboration with the Arab Voluntary Union, this event is part of the 14th edition of His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa Award for Voluntary Work.

Hassan Buhazza, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Good Word Society and President of the Arab Voluntary Union, stated, "While the evaluation process aims to select the winners of this edition, we also seek to provide an opportunity for all participants to exchange experiences and expertise with their peers across various fields. This is one of the noble goals we strive to achieve through promoting and fostering a culture of volunteering in the Bahraini community".

A judging committee, comprising Dr. Faleh Al-Rowaili, Dr. Badour Buhajji, and Mr. Mohammed Ahmadi, evaluated 39 volunteer projects submitted over two phases. The projects were assessed based on a set of predefined criteria, including the project's overall objective, target beneficiaries, methodologies, alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, and its potential for future development.

Committee Chairman Dr. Faleh Al-Rowaili commented, "The committee evaluated volunteer projects submitted by NGOs, volunteer teams, and individuals. We noted the presence of exceptional projects serving various sectors across the Kingdom. I commend the Good Word Society for organizing this event and the significant progress achieved in the competition".

Dr. Inas Hamad, the Regional Programme Officer for the United Nations Volunteers programme in the Arab States Regional Office, commended the efforts of the Arab Voluntary Union in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Arab Council for Youth at Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in enhancing the role of government and private institutions, as well as youth organizations and teams worldwide. This is achieved through the launch of quality programs and global awards that encourage them to provide innovative solutions to address challenges and serve the causes of comprehensive development in their communities. She reaffirmed the continued support of the United Nations Volunteers programme for the efforts of male and female volunteers and their humanitarian and community initiatives of global common interest.

Dr. Inas stated, "The Arab Council for Youth Award aims to strengthen partnerships and exchange experiences between the Arab Voluntary Union and the Arab Council for Youth, thereby enhancing youth and development work and supporting the efforts of young people worldwide to bring about positive changes that benefit their communities. It also seeks to enrich thought and creativity among youth at the Arab and global levels, as well as to enhance and develop capacities and cadres."

It is worth noting that the Arab Council for Youth Award aims to highlight youth products and projects that offer innovative solutions to the problems faced by young people and transcend social challenges. It also aims to spread a culture of youth empowerment in the public and private sectors and civil society organizations, as well as to celebrate individuals who have made valuable contributions and works for youth in various fields, thereby empowering them to make an impact on sustainable development in different countries worldwide. Moreover, the award recognizes unique and successful development innovations by youth, which can provide significant motivation for others.

The award focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals and its five core dimensions: people, prosperity, planet, partnerships, and peace. It also emphasizes 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, communication, teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, leadership, decision-making, global citizenship, entrepreneurship, technological literacy, and linguistic empowerment. The total prize money for the award is $160,000 USD, distributed across three tracks.

Anwar Buhassan, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Good Word Society and Secretary-General of the Arab Voluntary Union, revealed that this year's award will honor the most prominent figures in the field of volunteerism across the Arab world. This recognition is in appreciation for their significant sacrifices in serving their communities and in acknowledgment of their noble humanitarian role. In a statement, he explained that the selection of these individuals is done in collaboration with the Arab Voluntary Union based on objective criteria, most notably: job level, social status, scope of voluntary impact, national inclusivity, and integrity of national and professional history. He noted that these primary criteria are further branched into a set of sub-criteria.

Buhassan affirmed that the evaluation committee of the award's Board of Trustees has received the list of nominees and will be evaluating them according to the aforementioned criteria to select the most prominent figures and highlight their luminous achievements in this field. Buhassan stated, "The nominees for this year's award have achieved qualitative leaps in volunteer work and have contributed through their achievements to driving the wheel of development in their countries at various levels".

In addition to honoring pioneers in volunteer work, Buhassan added, the award will recognize the owners of leading volunteer projects and volunteer associations that have won the award for the best Bahraini volunteer project in its eighth edition. The award for leadership in community work will also be granted to a national institution that has contributed to making a positive impact on society, as part of the activities of the fourteenth annual session of HH Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa Award for Volunteer Work.

Buhassan commended HH Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa's support and encouragement for volunteers and their distinguished volunteer initiatives that have a positive impact on society, noting that the award has placed the Kingdom of Bahrain at the forefront of the humanitarian and volunteer work map and list. It has become one of the distinguished initiatives contributing to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. These are among the distinguished aspects of Bahraini initiatives. He noted that the Kingdom of Bahrain has become a model to be emulated in developing mechanisms for volunteer work.

In a move that reflects its appreciation for his outstanding contributions to volunteerism and development, the Arab Voluntary Union has appointed Mr. Mohamed Saif Al-Ansari as an "Advisor" and a member of its advisory board. This honor comes in recognition of Al-Ansari's significant contributions to promoting a culture of volunteering in the Arab world and his extensive experience in the non-profit sector.

Hassan Buhazza, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, stated, "We are delighted to welcome Mr. Mohamed Saif Al-Ansari to the Arab Voluntary Union family. His extensive experience and insightful vision will be a valuable addition to our advisory board. We look forward to working with him to enhance the Union's role in serving Arab communities."

For his part, Mr. Mohamed Saif Al-Ansari expressed his gratitude for this appointment and for being part of the Union, pledging to exert more efforts to achieve the objectives of the Arab Voluntary Union and elevate volunteerism in the Arab world.

The Arab Voluntary Union has announced that the inaugural Arab Council for Youth Award ceremony will be held on October 1, 2024, in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Organized by the Arab Council for Youth, headquartered at Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University in Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the Arab Voluntary Union, based in Bahrain, and under the patronage of the League of Arab States, the event will be graced by His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and Honorary President of the Good Word Society.

The ceremony will recognize four youth initiatives aligned with 21st-century skills and targeting the pillars of sustainable development, as well as institutions and organizations that have empowered youth in various sectors, as part of the award's second track, "The Enablers." Additionally, influential figures who have made significant contributions to youth in various fields will be honored under the award's third track, "The Inspirers."

The Arab Council for Youth Award (ACFY Award) aims to highlight youth initiatives that offer innovative solutions to challenges faced by young people and address societal issues. It also seeks to promote a culture of youth empowerment in the public and private sectors and civil society organizations, while celebrating individuals who have made valuable contributions to youth in various fields. This, in turn, empowers young people to make a significant impact on sustainable development in countries worldwide and recognizes unique and successful youth-led development innovations that can inspire others.

The award focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals and its five core dimensions: people, prosperity, planet, peace, and partnership. It also emphasizes 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, communication and teamwork, creativity and problem-solving, leadership and decision-making, global citizenship, entrepreneurship and initiative, technological literacy, and language proficiency. The total prize money for the award is US$160,000, distributed across three tracks.

Doha, Qatar, July 3, 2024:

 In a significant step towards fostering volunteerism and promoting a culture of social responsibility, the Arab Voluntary Union and Bevol International have signed a strategic partnership agreement. The signing ceremony, held at the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), was attended by board members from both organizations. A key outcome of this partnership is the launch of a dedicated sub-platform for the Arab Voluntary Union within the Bevol platform.

The agreement was signed by Hassan Buhazza, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, and Bashar Al-Haraki, Founder and CEO of Bevol Platform.

This partnership marks a new era of collaboration between the Arab Voluntary Union and Bevol. Bevol offers its partners, including the Arab Voluntary Union, a suite of sub-platforms that provide advanced technological infrastructure for building their own communities within an innovative digital environment. The agreement aims to leverage the expertise and capabilities of volunteer organizations and develop effective volunteer programs that meet the needs of Arab communities.

Furthermore, the agreement aims to enhance the use of technology in volunteer work. Bevol will provide its advanced digital platforms to support the Arab Voluntary Union's efforts in organizing and managing volunteer activities professionally. This will also foster a culture of volunteerism and social entrepreneurship among Arab youth, creating new opportunities for positive community engagement.

Buhazza, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, emphasized that the agreement aims to strengthen cooperation with Bevol International to develop new methods and tools for volunteer work and utilize advanced digital technologies. Al-Haraki, Founder and CEO of Bevol International, expressed confidence that this partnership will have a significant impact on developing innovative programs in volunteerism and social entrepreneurship. Dr. Muhammad Al-Kubaisi, Regional Director of Bevol, added that signing this strategic agreement is a significant step in Bevol's journey towards promoting volunteerism and community engagement in the Gulf and Arab world.

The Arab Voluntary Union is the premier Arab framework that brings together bodies, organizations, societies, and centers working in the fields of volunteerism and social development. The Union seeks to promote and disseminate the culture of volunteerism in the Arab world and support efforts to achieve sustainable development.

Bevol is a leading global platform dedicated to promoting a culture of volunteerism and social responsibility through a modern and innovative technological system. Bevol offers its partners custom sub-platforms that enable them to build their own online communities to effectively manage their volunteer activities and projects.