Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has congratulated UAE President HH Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the people of the UAE on the occasion of Ramadan, calling on everyone to embrace the generous spirit of the month by continuing to support those in need.

"We encourage all government and private-sector entities to launch initiatives to establish the value of giving in the UAE during Ramadan. We invite everyone to launch creative and humanitarian initiatives. The month of Ramadan is an opportunity for us to consolidate the goals behind the Year of Giving, and to instil humanitarian values deep into the DNA of our people and culture," His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said.

The Year of Giving 2017 was launched by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in January. It seeks to spread the values of giving to society. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed has developed a comprehensive and integrated approach to translating the vision behind the project into a sustainable framework. The goal is to institutionalise humanitarianism in the UAE and consolidate the culture of giving in various sectors across the country.

"Spreading the spirit of giving is part of celebrating Ramadan and we hope to see new philanthropic initiatives and actions by every person in the UAE throughout the holy month this year," he added.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed also called on all local and federal agencies to initiate programmes and activities to disseminate the spirit of generosity in Ramadan, saying, "We expect our institutions in the public and private sectors to play a role in promoting a culture of giving in the UAE, and involve various sectors in the community."

He also asked the local media to intensify efforts to highlight charitable projects during Ramadan, inviting people to support, promote and participate.

Under the UAE National Strategy for the Year of Giving, over 1,400 plans have been introduced across all seven emirates. They have engaged both private and public sector entities and targeted various segments of society in the UAE. The Year of Giving includes three main pillars, which are Corporate Social Responsibility, Volunteerism, and Serving the Nation. The strategy aims to register over 200,000 volunteers and attract at least 20,000 young citizens to join the effort.

Under CSR, an annual "Corporate Social Responsibility National Index" will be adopted in order to track companies based on the percentage of their contributions to CSR activities. Also, a "Smart Platform for CSR" will be launched through an app that includes all the data related to CSR.

Under Volunteerism, several schemes are already underway, including the establishment of the "National Volunteer Platform," a database that collates information for volunteers. An incentive plan will also be introduced through which professionals will be encouraged to donate in their area of expertise.

Under Serving the Nation, the steps primarily target the youth with support from the education sector. One of the projects, "One Hundred Ways to Serve Your Country," seeks to raise awareness on institutions and development projects among the youth and guide them on ways to contribute.