Tomorrow, the UAE celebrates “Zayed Humanitarian Work Day”

Tomorrow, the UAE will commemorate “Zayed Humanitarian Work Day”, which falls on the 19th of Ramadan, the anniversary of the passing of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him.

“Zayed Humanitarian Work Day” stands out as an annual occasion that embodies the UAE’s deep commitment to the legacy of the founding leader who became a global symbol of giving and humanity. During his reign, the country became at the forefront of countries donors of humanitarian and relief aid, strengthening its position as a major supporter of those in need around the world.

In 1971, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, established the “Abu Dhabi Fund for Development”, to be the best witness to the UAE’s commitment to development and assistance in various parts of the earth. He also launched in 1992 the “Zayed Sultan Al Nahyan Foundation for Charitable and Humanitarian Works”, whose new name became the “Zayed Al Khair Foundation”, to continue its path of humanitarian giving inside and outside the country.

These efforts embody the unlimited giving of Sheikh Zayed, who left clear imprints on various levels of humanitarian work, as evidenced by facts and figures. The value of humanitarian and development aid from the UAE to the world from 1971 to 2004 amounted to about 90.5 billion dirhams.

In this context, Sheikh Zayed received many medals and medals in appreciation for his humanitarian efforts, such as the “Golden Document” from the International Organization for Foreigners in Geneva in 1985, in addition to the “Man of the Year Medal” in Paris in 1988. The League of Arab States also awarded him the “Man of Development Sash” in 1993, and the Association of Moroccan Historians “The Golden Medal for Arab History” in 1995.

Sheikh Zayed’s exploits in the field of humanitarian and relief work remain alive in everyone’s minds, as the UAE continues to follow the path of giving that he established by launching many humanitarian and charitable initiatives that include providing food aid, development projects, supporting refugees, empowering vulnerable groups, in addition to strengthening the health and education sectors in less fortunate countries.

This year, the occasion coincides with the UAE’s continued implementation of a series of prominent humanitarian initiatives during the holy month of Ramadan, which reflect Sheikh Zayed’s approach to giving, including the “11.5: End of Life” campaign to save five million children from hunger in the world, and the Ramadan programs of the Emirates Red Crescent Authority, which will benefit more than 1.5 million people within the UAE and in 44 countries around the world this year.

The UAE continues to provide humanitarian support to the Palestinian brothers in the Gaza Strip, as it announced last February, during the opening meeting of the Peace Council, an additional $1.2 billion to support Gaza through the Council.

Data from the Humanitarian Finance Tracking Service platform of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs revealed that the UAE topped the list of countries most supportive of the people of the Gaza Strip over the years 2024 and 2025, and the first weeks of 2026, with about 50% of all international aid. The value of its aid exceeded $4.2 billion.

The UAE also continues its firm commitment to ensuring that basic life-saving needs reach civilians affected by the devastating civil war in Sudan, as it recently pledged US$500 million to respond to urgent humanitarian needs there.

The UAE support is in addition to the aid provided by the country over the past decade to Sudan, worth more than 4.24 billion US dollars, including humanitarian aid worth 800 million US dollars since 2023.