The Future of Humanitarian Work’ Forum to celebrate philanthropists

Dubai UAE 

Sallam Sallam 

The World Government Summit will hold ‘The Forum for the Future of Humanitarian Work’ for the first time to foresee the future of philanthropy and develop the right mechanisms to address current humanitarian crises. 

Delegates, high-level government officials, decision makers, private sector officials and international organizations will attend the forum, which will become a main part of the summit’s agenda starting this year.

The three-day forum, to be held from February 10-12, will shed the light on successful philanthropic stories that have grown into large-scale social movements. It will also reveal the charitable and social causes that celebrities dedicated their lives to serving.

American author, life coach and motivational speaker Tony Robbins and American actor and producer Joseph Gordon-Levitt will participate in the event

The forum will host Arab hope makers including Ma’ali Al Asousi, one of the five winners in the first edition of Arab Hope Makers Initiative, who moved from Kuwait to dedicate her life to helping children in Yemen; Iraqi Hisham Al Dahabi, founder of the Iraqi House for Creativity,

that shelters homeless children and orphans and provides them with a decent living;

Sudanese Faris Ali who worked with thousands of volunteers in distributing 40 million meals and sandwiches over eight years to homeless children and pupils in schools; and Mahmoud Waheed, last year’s Arab Hope Maker,

who established a foundation to shelter and rehabilitate elderly homeless people on the streets of Egypt and unite them with their families.

His Excellency Saeed Al Eter, Assistant Secretary General of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives and Chairman of the Dubai Council for the Future Humanitarian Work, emphasized on foreseeing the future of philanthropy and adopting aid to needs of societies. He said: “Aspiring to improve and develop the right tools of humanitarian work is a noble goal that unites societies and people. Humanity doesn’t belong to a race or ethnicity, but is an instinct that individuals and corporations can practice.” 

He added: “Through harnessing and sharing its available resources with humanitarian institutions and organizations, the UAE aims to provide this sector with new mechanisms that allow philanthropists to fill gaps and address current challenges.  Thus, the new developed system will contribute to improving charitable work and alleviating people’s suffering around the world. “

Al Eter emphasized that ignorance, exclusion and hatred are key reasons behind radicalism, which can only be addressed through spreading hope and creating a culture of giving. “The Future of Humanitarian Work forum aims to bring individual philanthropic efforts that have grown to become sustainable institutional work that benefits millions of lives. We hope that real human stories, presented in the forum, will inspire individuals and restore their faith in their ability to serve humanity.”

How do We Fight Radicalism by Creating Hope?

 ‘The Future of Humanitarian Work’ forum covers three sessions. The first session titled “How do We Fight Radicalism by Creating Hope?” will address transforming individual philanthropy efforts in the Arab World to social movement that combats extremism and will discuss mechanisms needed to institutionalize sustainable philanthropy. The session will also discuss role of media in covering philanthropic awards like Arab Hope Makers, while highlighting the achievements of winners in the award’s both editions.

Speakers at the session will include Kuwaiti Hope Maker Ma’ali Al Asousi, Sudanese Faris Ali, Iraqi Hisham Al Dahabi and Egyptian Mahmoud Waheed who will share their experiences and motives that pushed them to adopt humanitarian causes and how their work impacted their personal lives and those in need. 

How celebrities can help build a better world?

Celebrities who devoted their time in charitable causes will share their stories at the third session “How celebrities can help build a better world?”

 The session will address a celebrity’s life between stardom and philanthropy and ways to use fame to serve social causes, while addressing the important question of whether fame equates influence. It will also highlight the transformative moments in their life that pushed them to take up philanthropy.

Speakers at the session will be American author and life coach Tony Robbins; American actor and producer Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is also an environmental activist and contributor to children with autism.