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The Higher National Committee for the Year of Giving initiative on Wednesday held its first meeting to discuss the outline of its work programme and form sub-committees for implementing the initiative. The meeting followed the declaration of 2017 as the Year of giving by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and reflected the directives of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for developing a comprehensive framework for the initiative. The Year of Giving is an opportunity for all organisations in public and private sectors to mobilise efforts and present proposals, ideas and initiatives to meet the expectations of people, said Mohammad Bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and The Future and Chair of the Higher National Committee for the Year of Giving initiative. The UAE Food Bank was also launched on Tuesday by Sheikh Mohammed as part of the initiative. It is also an opportunity to promote giving back to the nation among the young generation, Al Gergawi added. “The committee will work to realise the leadership’s vision through work programmes, and institutionalise the value of generous giving in the society of the UAE,” he said. Co-operation among all government and private organisations, public-benefit agencies and media organisations will generate hundreds of ideas, the minister noted. The Year of Giving focusses on three main pillars - creating a sense of community responsibility in the private sector, enhancing the spirit of volunteering and encouraging specialised volunteer programmes, and instilling loyalty and commitment in the future generations to serve their country. During the meeting, the Higher National Committee discussed ways of achieving the goals of the initiative and three sub-committees were formed for this purpose. Among these, a committee for promoting community responsibility will be chaired by Minister of Economy Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri. Another committee responsible for promoting volunteerism will be chaired by Najla Bint Mohammed Al Awar, Minister of Community Development. The third committee, responsible for instilling loyalty and commitment in the next generations to serve their country, will be headed by Shamma Bint Sohail Faris Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs. A committee to handle media affairs was also created today and will be chaired by Dr. Sultan Bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Director of National Media Council (NMC).  It will support and project all relevant initiatives, projects and campaigns while encouraging media organisations to respond to the initiative by using New Media as an innovative platform, and ensure effective and wide interaction with all social segments, thus serving the nation. The website for the Year of Giving initiative will be launched soon, the committee said. It initiated preparations for holding a retreat for the Year of Giving and also for forming local committees in each emirate to co-ordinate efforts for carrying out the initiative. The Secretariat of the Year of giving was also formed during the meeting.  It will be affiliated with the Public Diplomacy Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and The Future, and will be chaired by Saeed Mohammad Al Eter, Director-General of the office and the rapporteur of the committee. The members of the Higher National Committee for the Year of giving are Al Gergawi; Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy; Reem Bint Ibrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Co-operation; Najla Bint Mohammed Al Awar, Minister of Community Development; Dr. Sultan Bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of the Board of Director of National Media Council, NMC; Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness; Shamma Bint Sohail Faris Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; Dr. Ahmed Mubarak Al Mazroui, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi; Abdullah Abdul Rahman Al Shaibani, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai; Sultan Ali Bin Butti Al Muhairi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Sharjah; Saeed Saif Al Matrooshi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Ajman; Dr. Mohammed Abdul Latif Khalifa, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Ras Al Khaimah; Humaid Rashid Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Umm Al Qaiwain; Mohammed Saeed Al Dhanhani, Director of the Fujairah Emiri Court, and Saeed Al Eter, Director-General of the Public Diplomacy Office at the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and The Future.