Shamma bint Muhammad witnesses the signing of a partnership between… "Mohammed bin Khalid institutions" And the International Fund for Animal Welfare

ABU DHABI, 15th October, 2017 (WAM) – Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan’s cultural and educational institutions and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) signed a memorandum of understanding yesterday in Abu Dhabi, to enhance partnership in the areas of community awareness of animals and wildlife, and support conservation initiatives and protection of biodiversity within the UAE, under the patronage and presence of Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors. Institutions.

The memorandum, whose signing was attended by Ezzedine T. Downs, President and CEO of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), called for establishing a sustainable cooperation framework between the two sides based on mutual respect and integration of the message, preparing joint awareness and training programs concerned with animal welfare and protecting their natural habitats, in addition to exchanging information and experiences, and organizing local and international events that contribute to consolidating the culture of conservation among various segments of society.

The memorandum includes coordination in formulating and implementing awareness campaigns, submitting working papers and studies on best practices, conducting specialized research, and organizing educational courses and programs.

Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed expressed her happiness with this important step in supporting work on animal welfare, stressing that the wise leadership in the country has placed among its strategies the activation of legal frameworks for caring for wildlife and animal welfare and regulating the acquisition and care of animals.

She added that the role of public benefit associations and community institutions is to work to enhance that vision through community work and raise the level of awareness among community members regarding wildlife issues and animal welfare, noting that this partnership is a starting point for achieving this goal and strengthening the efforts of our wise leadership to pay more attention to the health and balance of wildlife in the country.

For his part, Ezzedine Downs said, “Together we seek to establish a culture of compassion and responsibility towards animals and nature, which are values ​​deeply rooted in the heritage and identity of the UAE. Through this cooperation, we will combine global expertise and local leadership to empower communities, enhance education, and build a sustainable future in which humans and wildlife flourish.”

It is noteworthy that the International Fund for Animal Welfare is a non-profit organization that works through regional and national offices in a number of countries to implement programs aimed at reducing the commercial exploitation of animals, protecting natural habitats, and providing assistance in emergency situations, taking into account the specificity of local cultures and their values.

This cooperation supports the mission of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Foundations to engage Emirati society in environmental issues and promote animal welfare practices.

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