Cairo: Under the patronage of the League of Arab States and the Minister of Social Solidarity of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. Dr. Nevin Riad El-Kabbaj, the closing ceremony of the fourth edition of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work was held on Wednesday, February 1, 2023. The event was organized by the Arab Voluntary Union in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in cooperation with the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of the League of Arab States and in partnership with the United Nations Volunteers program, the United Nations Population Fund, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait. The ceremony was attended by a large number of officials, prominent figures, and those interested in the field of volunteer and development work, amidst significant media attention.  

The ceremony witnessed the honoring of 18 volunteer projects from 11 countries worldwide. These projects distinguished themselves in serving the community and were distributed across six categories. In the category of health, well-being, hygiene, and clean water, the "Wareed" blood donation initiative from Morocco, the "Khatwa min Badri" project for the Kashf Breast Cancer Organization from Sudan, and the "Volunteer Business Incubator in Yanbu Industrial City (Volunteer Center)" presented by the Royal Commission of Jubail and Yanbu - Social Services Administration in Saudi Arabia won.

In the category of economic empowerment, poverty eradication, and decent work, the "Restoring Hope in Old Mosul" initiative presented by the Muthabiroun for Good Volunteer Team from Iraq, the "Tamkeen" project presented by the Namaa Association for Community Development from Jordan, and the "Technology House" project presented by the Nagaa Khamis Development and Technology Association from Egypt won.

In the category of education, illiteracy eradication, and literacy, the "Masarat" initiative for distance learning from Syria, the Sudanese Organization for the Support of Education (SUDESO) project from Sudan, and the "Kinda for Children" project from Jordan won.

In the category of heritage, culture, and arts, the "Arabic Calligraphy, a Necklace of Pride Passed Down Through Generations" project presented by the Antonian Art Foundation from Lebanon, the "Ramadan with an Arab Flavor" initiative presented by the Tunisian Association for Modern Education Technology from Tunisia, and the "Arabic Calligraphy Endowment" project presented by the Qalam Foundation for Arts and Culture from Egypt won.

In the category of environment, climate, clean energy, and life on land and water, the "Green Mosul" initiative presented by the Ain Al-Mosul team from Iraq, the "Green Workers" program presented by the Al-Jil Al-Akhdar Association from Jordan, and the "Solaire Irrigation par énergie" project presented by MOUES Imed from Algeria won.

Finally, in the category of food security, ending hunger, the "Sustainable Agriculture to Support Smallholder Women Farmers" initiative from Egypt, the "Relief for Rohingya Camps in Northern Thailand" project presented by the Rahma Charitable Association Asia in Thailand, and the "Organic Farming" project presented by Royal Green Technologies from Egypt won.

The ceremony also witnessed the honoring of a number of pioneers in Arab development work who support the civil and community work movement, including Dr. Bader Othman Malallah, Director-General of the Arab Planning Institute, Mr. Ishaq Ibrahim Ishaq, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Weightlifting Federation (BWF), and Mr. Jawad Bukhamseen, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Founder of the Bukhamseen Holding Group, in appreciation of their prominent role in serving volunteer and development work.

In this regard, Counselor Khamis Al-Busaidi, Director of the Civil Society Organizations Department at the League of Arab States, affirmed that the League's patronage of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work for the fourth consecutive year demonstrates the Arab League's keen interest in civil society organizations concerned with volunteer work and working to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. He stressed that the League of Arab States is keen to unify efforts and coordinate between Arab governments and civil society organizations and institutions to actively engage them in the joint work system that serves development issues at the Arab level.

For his part, Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, expressed his sincere gratitude to the League of Arab States for its continuous patronage of the Insignia and its hosting since its inception in 2018, as well as Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation for its continuous support for the Insignia. He also appreciated the effective partnership with the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Volunteers program, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait for their cooperation and great efforts in enhancing joint work to serve the causes of sustainable development in the world. He also congratulated the winners of the Insignia, wishing them all the best in developing their development projects.

For his part, Dr. Issa bin Hassan Al Ansari, Secretary-General of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation, congratulated the winners on the quality and innovative nature of their projects, affirming that the Insignia has been able to create healthy competition and encourage distinguished ideas and initiatives that contribute to the development of communities. He stressed that all participants in the Insignia are considered winners, as they will benefit from the participation by learning about the mechanisms for developing their projects, improving their capacities, and ensuring their sustainability to serve their communities.

Dr. Al Ansari explained that the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work in the World is one of the qualitative initiatives launched by the Foundation in light of its humanitarian and social duty towards the peoples.

On the other hand, the winners of the fourth edition of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work in the World expressed their great pride and appreciation for winning. They expressed their sincere thanks and gratitude to the Arab Voluntary Union and the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation and those in charge of the Insignia for their contribution to supporting volunteer work and highlighting it, affirming that this win represents a milestone for a new phase of development for their projects and expanding the scope of their services.

Cairo, Egypt: In preparation for a joint cooperation protocol encompassing numerous programs, projects, and activities at the Arab level, Dr. Mohamed Rafaie, Executive Director of Misr El Kheir Foundation, hosted a delegation from the Arab Voluntary Union at the foundation's headquarters. The delegation was led by Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Union, and accompanied by Mr. Anwar Saleh Buhassan, Secretary-General of the Arab Voluntary Union, and Engineer Emad Muslim Al-Saudi, Director of Media and Public Relations at the Union.

Representing Misr El Kheir Foundation were Mr. Ahmed Ali, Executive Director of Programs; Engineer Amal Mabdi, Executive Director of Resource Development; Dr. Amal Jamal Soliman, Consultant for the Quality of Life Sector; Mr. Mohamed Mamdouh, Head of the Civil Society Sector; and Mr. Magdi Moharam, Acting Head of the Quality of Life Sector.

The meeting commenced with welcoming remarks from the foundation's president, followed by an expression of gratitude from the Union's president for the opportunity to collaborate. The Union's president also highlighted the significance of this partnership, especially within the framework of the Arab Youth Year 2023. Dr. Mohamed Rafaie presented the foundation's upcoming strategy and emphasized the importance of Arab-level partnerships, as well as the need to instill a culture of volunteering among youth. He also outlined the foundation's various programs and initiatives, aligning with its vision of building character and developing individuals.

Engineer Amal discussed the role of the Resource Development Sector in attracting resources to implement numerous activities, programs, and campaigns in the fields of health, education, and debt relief, aiming to contribute to the community's development, particularly in rural areas.

Dr. Amal Jamal and Mr. Mohamed Mamdouh presented the new projects that both the foundation and the Union aim to include in a joint cooperation protocol to implement shared activities in Egypt and across the Arab world, as well as the procedural steps to incorporate the foundation into the Arab Voluntary Union. Mr. Anwar Saleh, the Union's Secretary-General, discussed the importance of partnering with Misr El Kheir Foundation and the Union's role with the Egyptian Ministry of Social Solidarity in organizing an upcoming conference, to which he hopes the foundation will contribute.

Engineer Emad Muslim presented the "Travel for Humanity" project, which supports and promotes volunteering for humanitarian causes across the African and Asian continents.

The meeting concluded with Dr. Mohamed Rafaie presenting a foundation shield to the Union's president and the accompanying delegation as a token of appreciation.

Abu Dhabi, UAE: Within the framework of coordinating and following up on the efforts of joint Arab work institutions in light of the developments and changes taking place in the Arab region, which have imposed a new reality and significant challenges that require all organizations to interact with and develop their programs and goals in order to advance the Arab reality, which also requires more solidarity between these organizations and both the public and private sectors.

The Arab Voluntary Union, represented by its Secretary-General Mr. Anwar Buhassan, participated in the meetings of the 54th session of the Higher Coordinating Committee for Joint Arab Action and the 6th session of the Specialized Arab Unions Forum, hosted by the United Arab Emirates and held in the capital Abu Dhabi from January 23 to 26 under the chairmanship of His Excellency Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States.

The main discussions focused on the topics of Arab food security, climate change, the Arab digital economy, and cybersecurity, in addition to issues related to the activities of Arab organizations and unions and the role required of them in the coming stage.

The organizing committee of the fourth edition of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work has finalized its preparations for the award ceremony, which will be organized by the Arab Voluntary Union in cooperation with the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation in Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of the League of Arab States, and in partnership with The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Union for the Mediterranean, and the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait. The ceremony will take place from January 31 to February 2, 2023.

In a press statement, Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, stated that the organizing committee has completed all preparations for the award ceremony, which will be hosted by the League of Arab States on February 1, 2023, under the patronage of the League and The Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS). The ceremony will witness the honoring of 18 voluntary projects from 11 countries that have contributed to serving their communities in various fields.

Buhazaa said, "The Insignia has achieved its desired goals in this edition, which are to encourage creative volunteer cadres to innovate ways to develop voluntary and humanitarian work. We have seen this through the number of participating voluntary projects, which reached 200 projects from various countries around the world, as well as the distinction that characterized these projects, making them a beacon for all volunteers to follow this approach."

For his part, Dr. Issa bin Hassan Al-Ansari, Secretary-General of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation, affirmed that for the second year in a row, the Foundation and the Arab Voluntary Union have been keen to make this edition international, aiming to spread and promote the concept of social responsibility in all countries of the world and encourage civil society organizations, individuals, and institutions to increase their contribution to voluntary projects to achieve comprehensive development in various countries and at all levels.

He indicated that one of the most important goals of the Insignia is to encourage participants and highlight their community volunteer projects, as well as exchange experiences and successful practices in this field.

It is worth mentioning that the Insignia is an annual award launched by the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation in Saudi Arabia in cooperation with the Arab Voluntary Union in the Kingdom of Bahrain, on the occasion of the International Volunteer Day. It is sponsored by the League of Arab States and aims to honor the creators of the best voluntary projects worldwide, and to put their experiences and projects in the spotlight among volunteers, contributing to the spread of the culture of volunteering, the development of voluntary work, and highlighting its role in the comprehensive and sustainable development of societies, in addition to strengthening the principle of effective partnership with civil society organizations, bodies, institutions, and volunteer teams, and directing them to serve their communities.

The Arab Voluntary Union has announced the date of the closing ceremony for the fourth edition of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work, which is organized by the Foundation in cooperation with the Arab Voluntary Union under the patronage of the League of Arab States and the Egyptian Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Nevine El-Kabbaj. The ceremony will be held in partnership with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Union for the Mediterranean, and the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait, on February 1, 2023, at the headquarters of the League of Arab States.

The ceremony will witness the honoring of 18 voluntary projects from 11 countries worldwide, as well as the recognition of several prominent figures who have supported the cause of voluntary and development work at the Arab level.

It is worth noting that the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work targets organizations, institutions, and civil society associations, as well as licensed initiatives and volunteer teams, government and private institutions, and commercial companies. The Insignia's fields for this year include education and the eradication of illiteracy, food security and the eradication of hunger, health, well-being, sanitation, and clean water, economic empowerment, poverty eradication, and decent work, environment and climate, clean energy, life below water, and life on land, heritage, culture, and arts.

The aim of this Insignia is to honor the creators of the best voluntary projects in the world and to disseminate their projects and experiences among volunteers, contributing to the spread of the culture of volunteering, the development of voluntary work, and highlighting its role in the comprehensive and sustainable development of societies. It also aims to strengthen the principle of effective partnership with civil society organizations, bodies, institutions, and volunteer teams, and to foster a spirit of healthy competition among associations, centers, and volunteer teams worldwide.

Dr. Karim Darwish, the Administrative Apparatus Director at the Arab Planning Institute, commended the remarkable efforts exerted by the Arab Voluntary Union and the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation in supporting humanitarian initiatives, voluntary projects, and development endeavors. He expressed his appreciation for the significant attention given by both parties to the Insignia since its launch in 2018, which has contributed to achieving its desired objectives of encouraging creative volunteer cadres to innovate ways to develop voluntary and humanitarian work, and spreading and promoting the concept of social responsibility in countries worldwide.

Dr. Karim Darwish stated, "The success achieved by the Insignia over the past four years in attracting a large number of voluntary projects from various countries worldwide reflects the extent of this award's reach and its prominent role in enhancing cooperation between governments, NGOs, and individuals in supporting and backing voluntary projects that align with development plans that meet societal needs globally, and in encouraging the owners of these projects to support government efforts in light of the changes witnessed by the world".

Dr. Karim Darwish touched upon the strategic partnership between the Arab Planning Institute and the Arab Voluntary Union, praising the support provided by the Union to the efforts of volunteers worldwide and enhancing the development process. He affirmed the alignment of the strategic objectives and visions between the two parties.

For his part, Dr. Abdelkader El Khissassi, Deputy Secretary-General of the Union for the Mediterranean, appreciated the efforts exerted by the Arab Voluntary Union and the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation in enhancing the role of government and private institutions, as well as NGOs and volunteer teams worldwide, through launching qualitative programs and global awards that contribute to encouraging them to provide innovative solutions to address challenges and serve the causes of comprehensive development in their communities. He affirmed the continued support and adoption by the Union for the Mediterranean of humanitarian and community initiatives of common interest in the Euro-Mediterranean region and globally.

It is worth noting that the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work in the World aims to highlight the role of government institutions, commercial companies, NGOs, and volunteer teams in providing voluntary projects that contribute to addressing many of the development challenges facing societies, and encouraging their contributions to providing innovative solutions to confront challenges and crises. The awards will be distributed during the closing ceremony in February 2023 at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo.

The Arab Voluntary Union has announced the winners of the fourth edition of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work, organized by the Arab Voluntary Union in cooperation with the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation in Saudi Arabia, under the patronage of the League of Arab States, and in partnership with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Egypt, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Office for the Arab States, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the Arab Planning Institute in Kuwait.

The judging committee evaluated the voluntary projects according to objective criteria that align with international standards in this field, with complete independence and impartiality. Eighteen voluntary projects were selected across six categories. In the category of health, well-being, sanitation, and clean water, the "Vein for Blood Donation" initiative from Morocco, the "First Step" project by the Kashf Breast Cancer Organization from Sudan, and the "Volunteer Business Incubator in Yanbu Industrial City (Volunteer Center)" presented by the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu - Social Services Administration in Saudi Arabia won.

In the category of economic empowerment, poverty eradication, and decent work, the "Restoring Hope in Old Mosul" initiative presented by the Muthabiroun for Good Volunteer Team from Iraq, the "Tamkeen" project presented by the Namaa Association for Community Development from Jordan, and the "Technology House" project presented by the Development and Technology Association in Naj Hamais from Egypt won.

In the field of education, eradicating illiteracy, and literacy, the "Masarat for Distance Learning" initiative from Syria, the Sudanese Organization for the Support of Education (SUDESO) project from Sudan, and the "Kanda for Children" project from Jordan won.

In the field of heritage, culture, and arts, the "Arabic Calligraphy, a Necklace of Pride Passed Down Through Generations" project presented by the Antonian Artistic Foundation from Lebanon, the "Ramadan with an Arab Flavor" initiative presented by the Tunisian Association for Modern Educational Technology from Tunisia, and the "Waqf of Arabic Calligraphy" project presented by the Qalam Foundation for Arts and Culture from Egypt won.

In the field of environment, climate, clean energy, and life below water and on land, the "Green Mosul" initiative presented by the Ain Al-Mosul team from Iraq, the "Green Workers" program presented by the Green Generation Foundation from Jordan, and the "Solaire Irrigation par énergie" project presented by MOUES Imed from Algeria won.

Finally, in the field of food security and hunger eradication, the "Sustainable Agriculture to Support Smallholder Women Farmers" initiative from Egypt, the "Relief for Rohingya Camps in Northern Thailand" project presented by Al-Rahma Charitable Association Asia in Thailand, and the "Organic Farming" project presented by Royal Green Technologies from Egypt won.

In this context, Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, expressed his great happiness for the winners of the Insignia, affirming that this win will be a milestone for them to develop their voluntary projects and expand their scope to serve their communities. He indicated that the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work now stands on a solid foundation, thanks to the high expertise of its organizers, which has made it one of the largest global awards in the field of voluntary work.

For his part, Dr. Issa bin Hassan Al-Ansari, Secretary-General of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation, congratulated the winners on their innovative projects, affirming that the Insignia has been able to create a healthy competition and encourage distinguished ideas and initiatives that contribute to community development. He emphasized that all participants in the Insignia are considered winners, as they will benefit from participation by learning about the mechanisms for developing their projects, improving their capabilities, and ensuring their sustainability to serve their communities.

Dr. Al-Ansari explained that the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work in the World comes as one of the qualitative initiatives launched by the Foundation in light of its humanitarian and social duty towards the people.

The judging committee for the fourth edition of the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd International Foundation Insignia for Best Voluntary Work has completed the process of sorting and evaluating the voluntary projects submitted for participation this year, which reached 200 projects from various countries around the world.

In this context, Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, affirmed that the high level of participation this year confirms the remarkable development achieved by voluntary work worldwide, in addition to the positive impact that the Insignia has had in stimulating the enthusiasm to interact seriously with voluntary projects that serve communities. He pointed out that the voluntary projects that participated in the Insignia covered health, education, culture, heritage, environment, and humanitarian sectors, which confirms the fundamental value of voluntary work as one of the essential components of achieving comprehensive and sustainable development in cooperation with the public and private sectors.

Buhazaa said, "There is a great interaction from government institutions, commercial companies, NGOs, as well as volunteer teams with the Insignia since its launch, confirming its importance in highlighting the role of these institutions, entities, and individuals who have made significant contributions to serving and developing their communities, and putting their projects in the spotlight, as well as promoting a spirit of fair competition".

He added that the committee was keen in this edition to develop criteria for evaluating voluntary projects based on the general objective of the project, the target groups in the community, the nature of the innovation in the project idea and its distinctive aspects, as well as the mechanisms of work and the means used to achieve its objectives and address the problem, in addition to the criterion of the possibility of developing these projects in the future. In this edition, an important criterion was added, which is the nature of community partners and volunteers, whether they are international, regional, or local organizations, volunteers, as well as financing mechanisms and obtaining support, with a focus on the sustainability axis.  

Buhazaa pointed out that most of the submitted voluntary projects meet the requirements and conditions for participation, which are that the projects must be voluntary and consistent with sustainable development plans and standards, and that the project nominated for the Insignia must have contributed significantly to serving a large segment of society.

It is worth noting that the total financial awards allocated for the Insignia in its fourth edition amount to $90,000 distributed over six categories, where the first winner in each category will receive $10,000, while the second winner will receive $5,000. Six voluntary works from different countries of the world will also be honored, as these works have distinguished themselves in serving their communities, in recognition of their role and the services they have provided. These awards will be presented during the closing ceremony in February 2023 at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo.