Sharjah, February 28, 2024:

The Arab Voluntary Union participated in the 5th Sharjah Forum for Voluntary Work, held under the theme “Appreciating Voluntary Efforts.” Mr. Anwar Saleh Buhassan, Secretary-General of the Union, presented a paper on His Highness Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa Award to honor Arab pioneers in voluntary work, aimed at recognizing and honoring outstanding volunteers in the Arab world.

The presentation highlighted the objectives of the award, including recognizing Arab pioneers who have excelled in their fields and provided distinguished services to the community, motivating youth to engage in volunteer work, and fostering a culture of volunteering in society. The award's categories, criteria, and evaluation process were also discussed.

The importance of cooperation among various stakeholders involved in voluntary work to promote and spread this culture throughout the Arab world was emphasized.

In conclusion, Mr. Buhassan called on civil society organizations and institutions to encourage and promote a culture of volunteer work, believing in its importance in building strong and cohesive societies. He expressed his gratitude to the organizers of the Sharjah Forum and the Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work, particularly His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the Union and Ruler of Sharjah.

Cairo:

The League of Arab States and the Arab Voluntary Union have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at joining efforts and coordinating work to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in Arab countries.

The MoU was signed during the Arab Sustainable Development Day, which kicked off yesterday at the Arab League in the presence of the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit. The MoU was signed on behalf of the League's General Secretariat by Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki, and on behalf of the Arab Voluntary Union by its President, Hassan Mohammed Buhazza.

The signing ceremony was also attended by the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and the Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Nevin El-Kabbaj, who chairs the current session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs.

This MoU reflects the belief of both parties in the importance of joining efforts and strengthening cooperation to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in Arab countries, in line with the global trend.

The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in achieving the public interest and strengthening efforts to implement activities. This MoU is a significant step towards strengthening joint Arab action and supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Arab world.

Manama, February 08, 2024: In collaboration with the Abdulrahim Al-Kooheji Foundation, the Arab Voluntary Union hosted a workshop aimed at integrating the Kingdom of Bahrain into the 2024 Global Philanthropic Environment Index issued by Indiana University. The workshop targeted leaders of charitable organizations in Bahrain and included:

An introduction to the Global Philanthropic Environment Index and its objectives.
An overview of the index's criteria and calculation methodology.
A discussion of the status of philanthropic work in Bahrain in light of the index's criteria.
Developing an action plan to enhance Bahrain's participation in the index.

Cairo: The Executive Office of the Specialized Arab Unions Forum at the League of Arab States has appointed Mr. Hassan Mohammed Buhazza, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, as a member of the Refugee and Displaced Persons Committee.

This appointment is in recognition of the Arab Voluntary Union's efforts in serving refugees and displaced persons in the Arab world. The Union has undertaken numerous initiatives and projects aimed at providing assistance and support to refugees and displaced persons, including promoting a culture of volunteerism in providing assistance to refugees and displaced persons and collaborating with civil society organizations to organize events for displaced persons' camps in the Arab world.

Mr. Hassan Buhazza expressed his gratitude for this appointment, affirming that the Arab Voluntary Union will spare no effort to enhance joint Arab action in the field of refugees and displaced persons and to provide them with the necessary support and assistance.

In light of this appointment, the Refugee and Displaced Persons Committee held a meeting on Sunday, January 28, at the headquarters of the League of Arab States Secretariat. During the meeting, several developmental proposals were presented for the committee's bylaws, as well as steps to establish a communication and support system that will be provided by the committee to refugees and displaced persons. Additionally, steps were outlined to unify Arab efforts in providing assistance and aid to displaced persons and refugees in the Arab world.

These proposals aim to enhance the committee's role in serving refugees and displaced persons, and to provide them with the necessary support and assistance in various fields.

The appointment of the Arab Voluntary Union to the Refugee and Displaced Persons Committee enhances Bahrain's international standing and its role in supporting and assisting the victims. Bahrain is a pioneer in humanitarian work, has extensive experience in the field of volunteer work, and works to enhance international cooperation in the field of humanitarian aid.

Dr. Issa bin Hassan Al Ansari, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Council for Youth, emphasized the Council's commitment to supporting and empowering Arab youth in development fields. He highlighted the Council's efforts to raise awareness and educate Arab youth, encouraging their participation in comprehensive development across all Arab countries to achieve shared development goals, in addition to developing, coordinating, and expanding various areas of cooperation between Arab and global youth.

Dr. Al Ansari also emphasized the importance of contributing to economic integration among Arab youth and government efforts, as well as expanding youth participation in serving comprehensive community development issues at various levels. This is achieved through intensified efforts to develop and innovate qualitative initiatives and programs, most notably the launch of the Arab Council for Youth Award in cooperation with the Arab Voluntary Union. Both parties believe in the importance of the role of youth in leading their countries and the world towards a better future characterized by peace and prosperity. The award recognizes the efforts of young people to be active and productive citizens who contribute to the well-being of their communities and environment, as well as institutions that work to improve the enabling environment and infrastructure for youth to make an impact in all UN member states.

Mr. Hassan Buhazza, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, praised the joint cooperation between the Union and the Arab Council for Youth, which resulted in the launch of the Council's Youth Award.

Buhazza stated, "The Arab Council for Youth Award primarily aims to discover distinguished and creative young people from around the world in various professions, levels, and sectors, and to support them and provide them with opportunities to realize their potential and express their achievements and contributions. Additionally, it aims to highlight outstanding administrative practices related to the care and qualification of youth, to appreciate, publicize, and disseminate them in countries around the world to serve as a global reference that can be emulated through development and improvement".

He continued, "What distinguishes the award is its criteria, which are linked to creativity, innovation, and the use of technology to spread a culture of quality and excellence in performance. It also encourages global youth organizations to enhance their performance and improve their services and products, and to utilize social media to promote projects and attract support to achieve a fundamental goal: contributing to the development of youth businesses worldwide".

He added, "The award includes a number of judges with competencies and expertise from more than one Arab and international country. Through this award, we sought to create channels of communication with various parties concerned with volunteering and to strengthen the principle of effective partnership with organizations, bodies, institutions, civil society organizations, and volunteer teams, encouraging them to support government efforts in light of the changes the world is witnessing".

Cairo, Egypt: The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports, in collaboration with the Arab Voluntary Union, hosted the fourth edition of the "The Nile Ship for Arab Youth" program. The program brought together 120 young people from 13 Arab countries, including Jordan, Djibouti, Lebanon, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, UAE, Palestine, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. The initiative aligns with the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's declaration of the "Arab Youth Year."

Under the patronage of Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports and Chairman of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Ministers of Youth and Sports, the program received approval and support from the League of Arab States, in implementation of the decision of the Council of Arab Ministers of Youth and Sports No. 1058 in its 46th ordinary session held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The welcoming events included a reception for the participants, a coordination meeting for the heads of the participating delegations to outline the program's agenda, and a visit to the most important historical landmarks in Upper Egypt.

The program aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences and expertise in innovative volunteering and food security among Arab youth, create an environment for developing joint projects and programs between Egyptian and Arab youth, unify opinions on common Arab issues, and develop proposals to continue developing youth cooperation between Egyptian and Arab youth. The program also aims to showcase available youth opportunities and stimulate the participants' intellectual and interactive engagement.

It's worth noting that the Minister of Youth and Sports attended the launch of the program, which will continue from October 7 to 18, 2023.

The Arab Voluntary Union participated in an extraordinary meeting of Arab unions to support the "Pulse of the Arabs" initiative to assist Sudanese affected by the war. The Union was represented by Mr. Anwar Buhassan, Secretary-General, and Mr. Okail Ismail, General Coordinator for Egypt, at the headquarters of the League of Arab States.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit; former Prime Minister of Egypt, Dr. Essam Sharaf; and the head of the initiative's higher committee, Ambassador Mohamed Abdullah Al-Tom, Sudan's ambassador to Cairo and its permanent representative to the League of Arab States. Also in attendance were the Deputy Chairman of the Higher Committee, Ambassador Kamal Hassan Ali; Director of the Department of Arab Organizations and Unions, Minister Plenipotentiary Mohamed Khair; President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, Ahmed Al-Jarwan; and the Executive Director of the Forum of Arab Unions at the League of Arab States.

Hassan Buhazza, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, emphasized that Volunteer Tourism Day and its conferences offer an opportunity to celebrate the social, cultural, and economic values and benefits of volunteer tourism. This event also raises awareness of the role of volunteering in the tourism sector and highlights its importance in deepening cultural communication among Arab peoples.

Buhazza added that volunteer tourism and conferences contribute to strengthening Arab ties and increasing understanding and cooperation among peoples. Their role extends beyond enjoying tourist attractions to achieving comprehensive development and building a better future for future generations.

Buhazza affirmed that in light of the challenges facing the world, tourism plays a crucial role in boosting the economy, creating new job opportunities, and promoting sustainable development in host countries.

He stated, "The Arab Voluntary Union is committed to supporting and promoting volunteer initiatives in the tourism sector, and providing the necessary framework to empower volunteers and relevant organizations to achieve their aspirations and maximize the benefits of their efforts."

Buhazza added, "We recognize the great power of cooperation and coordination among Arab countries in this field, and we strive to strengthen these ties and exchange successful experiences and practices."

Buhazza expressed deep appreciation for all individuals and organizations working in the field of volunteer tourism and participating in conferences.

He called on all individuals, organizations, and Arab institutions to engage in volunteer tourism and participate in related conferences.

Buhazza also called on Arab governments and institutions to enhance support and encouragement for volunteer initiatives in the tourism sector, and to provide an appropriate and supportive environment for volunteers and relevant organizations.

He urged Arab youth to discover the beauty of their countries and cultures through volunteering in the tourism sector and contributing to sustainable tourism development.