All About Zayed Humanitarian Work Day in the UAE

On the day of Zayed Humanitarian Work Day today, many residents woke to find their mobile carrier's name had changed to display 'Zayed Humanitarian Day'. Both iPhone and Android users were pleasantly surprised to discover the notification, and took to social media to share their support of the day and the late ruler.

Telecommunications providers du and Etisalat both applied the carrier name change for their customers across the UAE, helping to ensure most if not all UAE residents were able to acknowledge this important day in UAE history every year.

His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was born in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in 1918 to Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed, the Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1922-1926. He was the youngest of Sheikh Sultan's four sons and was named after his famous grandfather, known as ‘Zayed the Great’, the Ruler of the Emirate from 1885-1909.

Sheikh Zayed had a strong passion for anything with which a true-born Arab is identified such as falconry, riding Arabian thoroughbred camels and horses and mastering archery. His character was shaped in his early youth, while living in the city of Al Ain. Its calm and vast expanses were instrumental in developing his leadership qualities.

For more information about Sheikh Zayed's life, visit the official Year of Zayed website here.

As part of the Year of Zayed, 2018 will witness the launch of important humanitarian and charity initiatives in the name of the late ruler. These will be conducted through thousands of government and community events organised by public, private and non-governmental organisations.

Sheikh Zayed prioritised local and international humanitarian and charity issues, and the amount of aid provided by the UAE until the end of 2000, as per his instructions, totalled over AED 98 million, in the form of grants, loans and assistance.

Here's an outline of a few of his amazing humanitarian efforts:

• The Sheikh Zayed Suburb Project in Jerusalem, worth up to AED 15 million, is one of his critical projects in Palestine
• He reconstructed Jenin Camp, the Sheikh Zayed City in Gaza, Sheikh Khalifa City in Rafah and the Emirati neighbourhood in Khan Younis
• He launched hospitals, schools, health centres and centres for the disabled across Palestine in both Gaza and the West bank
• Chaired the summit that declared the birth of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 1981
• The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development provided loans to Bahrain worth AED 160 million
• Helped Yemen launch San'aa Radio in 1972
• UAE provided emergency aid worth $3 million to Yemen in the 1990s
• Numerous projects and construction in Egypt, and financial support for medical centres and hospitals
• Covered the expenses of the rebuilding of the Suez, Ismailia and Port Said in the 1970s
• Donated $20 million to revive the ancient library in Alexandria, Egypt
• Creation of the Sheikh Zayed Treatment Institution and the Mariam Children's Centre in Morocco
• Provided aid to Sudan and donated BHD 50,000 to establish the medical college and Nasser Hospital
• Gave $3 million to combat the effects of drought in Sudan
• Supporting and funding the rebuilding process in Lebanon following the war
• Supported charity and development projects in Syria

• Established Islamic centres in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar in Pakistan
• Contributed to the paving and widening of the mountain road in Kharan
• Construction of the Dali Mosque in Pakistan
• Donated $500,000 in 1982 to establish the Islamic Chamber for Commerce and Industry in Karachi
• Donated $5 million to the United States in 1992, following Hurricane Andrew that hit the state of Florida
• Donated $10 million to Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of relief efforts in the countries
• Established an Islamic printing house in Beijing, China, through a AED 3.1 million grant to support Chinese Muslims
• A relief plane flew to Greece in 1999 to help those affected by an earthquake in the country
• In 200, the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) distributed meat to refugees from Chechnya in Ingushetia
• 145 tonnes of food aid was sent to those affected by famine in the Horn of Africa
• Emergency aid worth $100,000 to those affected by an earthquake that hit Guatemala

As well as the above, Sheikh Zayed keenly supported international and Islamic organisations, and donated $50,000 after the establishment of the Union to support the activities of the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF.

SEE ALSO: Why 2018 will be known as the Year of Zayed in the UAE

The UAE donated $424,000 to the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, $100,000 to UNICEF, and $54,000 to the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR.

Sheikh Zayed also increased the capital of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Arab Economic Development to $500 million.

In 1974, the UAE provided 10 million Islamic Dinars to the Islamic Development Bank and presented an interest-free loan to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, worth $2.4 million. In 1982, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development supported the Senegal River Basin Organisation with a loan of AED 259 million.