The UAE government is a role model for volunteerism and community contribution

Yesterday, the activities of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2026 were launched with the participation of government leaders, policy makers, investors, entrepreneurs and leaders in the business sector, to discuss ways to employ entrepreneurship, innovation and multi-sector cooperation to drive sustainable growth in an increasingly complex global environment.

Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi stressed the importance of shifting charitable work from traditional short-term giving to influential long-term strategies that enhance the educational process, support families and health initiatives, and encourage community participation.

This came during a dialogue session entitled “Charity and Impact Investment as a New Model for Sustainable Growth in the Region” within the activities of the first day of the ninth session of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival, organized by the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center “Sheraa” at the Sharjah Technology and Innovation Park.

Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi stressed that charitable work in the UAE is a comprehensive societal strategy that extends to all members of society, noting that the UAE government plays a pivotal role in providing a role model for society through initiatives that encourage volunteerism and community contribution at the level of the family and society as a whole, citing practical examples such as supporting children in Gaza, where parents participated with their children in preparing and collecting food items to enhance the values ​​of teamwork and contribute to charitable work from a young age.

She pointed out the importance of awards and initiatives such as the Zayed Sustainability Award, which aims to support young people in presenting innovative projects that serve society, and the efforts of the wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of the Sharjah Family and Community Council, through many initiatives and programs such as the Pink Caravan for early detection of breast cancer.

At the end of her speech, she addressed her message directly to the entrepreneurs, stressing the importance of giving from the beginning and not waiting until achieving wealth, saying: “Many people and entrepreneurs think that they must be wealthy before they start giving, but the reality is that there is no need to reach this point to start giving, and do not forget those who work as simple employees, know their names and origins, be grateful to them and help them, and that integrating charitable work into the project strategy and the spirit of social responsibility makes every economic project a tool for the advancement of society. “It reflects the essence of the Emirati solidarity philosophy.”

As part of the opening ceremony, the UAE’s Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy, Badr Jaafar, delivered a keynote speech entitled “Expanding the Scope of What Makes a Difference: Entrepreneurship at the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence, Capital, and Social Impact,” during which he presented a vision confirming that entrepreneurship represents the mechanism that enables the transformation of emerging technologies, compatible capital, and strategic risk into tangible results applicable on the ground.

During his speech, Jaafar pointed out that entrepreneurship remains a fundamental pillar of this model, as the UAE has ranked first in the world in entrepreneurship for several consecutive years, and continues to be among the world’s leading economies in digital competitiveness, which reflects an advanced system based on clarity of legislation, advanced infrastructure, and effective coordination between sectors.