Cairo: In a meeting that took place on the sidelines of the Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Award ceremony for the best charitable performance in the Arab world, Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, and Dr. Rasha Ragheb, Executive Director of the National Training Academy, discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two entities.

Both parties agreed on the importance of joining efforts to raise awareness about the significance of community and volunteer work, with the aim of cultivating a culture of volunteering among young people and encouraging their active participation in society.

Furthermore, they emphasized the importance of exchanging expertise and cooperation between the two institutions, contributing to the development of the volunteer work sector in the Arab world.

Cairo: In a testament to its ongoing efforts in humanitarian and charitable work, the Good Word Society has won the Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Award for the Best Charitable Performance in the Arab World, in its third edition.

The awards ceremony was held on Thursday, October 24, 2024, in Cairo under the patronage of Maya Morsy, Minister of Social Solidarity of Egypt, and in the presence of the Assistant Secretary-General of the League of Arab States and Head of the Social Affairs Sector, Ambassador Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, the Director-General of the Arab Organization for Administrative Development, Dr. Nasser Al-Qahtani, the Secretary-General of the Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Foundation for Human Development, Dr. Issa bin Hassan Al Ansari, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Egypt, Her Excellency Ms. Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal, and the Ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Egypt, His Excellency Saleh bin Eid Al-Hussaini, and the President of the Arab Parliament, Adel Abdulrahman Al Asoomi.  

This award is a recognition of the dedication and commitment demonstrated by the Good Word Society in providing support and assistance to those in need in the community. The society strives to improve the living conditions of needy families and promote sustainable development through a variety of projects and initiatives.

In a statement following the announcement of the win, Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Good Word Society, expressed his pride and appreciation for this achievement, saying: "Winning the Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Award is a crowning achievement for the dedicated team of the society who work tirelessly and believe that charitable work is a noble humanitarian mission, to provide the best services to the community."

He added: "This award is not only an honor for our society, but it is also an honor for everyone who contributed to the success of our charitable projects," thanking the Prince Mohammad bin Fahd Foundation for Human Development for this recognition.

Buhazaa affirmed that winning this prestigious award is a strong motivation for the team of the Good Word Society to continue giving and achieving more in the future and to continue working and its humanitarian service for the benefit of Bahraini society and the Arab, Islamic, and world peoples."

The ceremony was attended by a number of prominent figures from various Arab countries, where awards were presented to the best 27 Arab institutions that have made outstanding achievements in humanitarian work.

In a move aimed at strengthening cooperation and coordination among organizations working in the humanitarian and volunteer field, the Arab Voluntary Union announced the appointment of Mr. Bader Hamad Al-Mubarak, President of the Kuwaiti Association for Needy Families, as a member of its advisory board.

Manama, Bahrain: The Arab Voluntary Union, based in the Kingdom of Bahrain, in partnership with the Kuwaiti Association for Needy Families and in cooperation with the United Nations Volunteers program, concluded its innovative volunteering program on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. The three-day program, which took place from October 13-15, brought together 36 participants from Kuwait.

The program aimed to build capacities on how to develop creative and innovative volunteer ideas that contribute to enhancing volunteer practices and behaviors, creating a volunteer movement that serves empowerment and sustainability. It also aimed to innovate effective practices for planning and managing volunteer work, thus reducing effort and cost and aligning with technological advancements and digital transformation.

Dr. Khaled Hamoud Al-Azab, Deputy President of the Arab Voluntary Union and a UN training expert, delivered the training program.

In this context, Mr. Anwar Saleh Buhassan, Secretary-General of the Arab Voluntary Union, said: "The innovative volunteering program comes within the framework of strengthening partnerships and exchanging expertise with the Kuwaiti Association for Needy Families, to enhance volunteer and development work, and to support the efforts of volunteers to make positive changes that benefit their communities. The program also aims to enrich the thinking and creativity among volunteers, adopt their development initiatives, as well as enhance and develop capacities and cadres".

For his part, Engineer Bader Hamad Al-Mubarak, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Kuwaiti Association for Needy Families, said that the innovative volunteering program primarily aims to support the efforts of volunteers, including youth, in various fields, and to enhance the development process, as volunteer work has significantly transformed into development work that supports and complements the official efforts of governments.

Manama: In a move aimed at strengthening Arab cooperation in the field of volunteerism, Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, and Dr. Mohamed Rafaie, Executive Director of Misr El Kheir Foundation, signed a joint cooperation protocol at the Union's headquarters in Muharraq, Bahrain, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.

The cooperation between the two parties will cover various areas, including organizing training programs, exchanging expertise, and launching joint initiatives aimed at developing the Arab volunteer sector. The two parties will also work to strengthen partnerships with other relevant institutions and implement joint projects that serve local communities.

In this context, Mr. Hassan Buhazaa, President of the Arab Voluntary Union, stated: "We are delighted to sign this protocol with Misr El Kheir Foundation as a strategic partner in the field of volunteerism.

This cooperation represents a qualitative leap towards building more developed and prosperous Arab societies. By joining our efforts, we will be able to achieve significant accomplishments in the field of volunteering, meet the needs of local communities, and enhance the role of youth in building a better future".

The Union looks forward to achieving more joint accomplishments with Misr El Kheir Foundation in the future, through the implementation of many initiatives and programs aimed at serving local communities and meeting their needs.

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.