|
Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi,
Wife of His Highness The Ruler of Sharjah,
Chairperson of the Big Heart Foundation,
Chairperson of the NAMA Women Advancement Establishment
The emirate of Sharjah will be hosting the 'Investing in the Future' Conference under the theme ‘Building the Resilience of Women and Girls in the Arab Region’, on October 19-20. It is the chance to put forward not just visions, but hopefully solutions to critical issues.
Investing in the future is to invest in human beings, their competence, values, culture and involvement in their social surroundings. It is investing in the shared values to alleviate humanity's suffering, enabling and inspiring their creativity in science, arts, knowledge and economic and social work.
The last 10 years have seen sweeping changes in the economy as well as in international and regional stability. These changes marked a new phase in human history that has prompted us to think deeply about how to overcome their repercussions. We must understand the mechanisms and tools that should be used to shape a better future in order to meet the ambitions and aspirations of everyone, wherever they may be.
Such rapid upheavals have led to a collective global thinking about how we can invest in the future through learning from our past. We must examine the causes and effects that created the financial crash, regional conflicts and worldwide crises and now fuel a common fear for future generations, especially girls and women.
In the UAE, we soon realised that the relationship between development and stability is conditional. There is no stability without development, and no development without stability. To achieve the desired development and ensure its sustainability, human resources must work to optimise assets and introduce new values and concepts.
The empowerment of a society, including young people, women and children, is the key to shaping a better future for all. This can only be achieved by promoting the civic responsibilities, with gender balance and equal rights under an updated legal and legislative system for a future shaped by both men and women. This is vital to a future where partnership is favoured over partition, accord over acrimony and collaboration over conflict. And the efficiency of these resources is a reflection of world class education, the community’s progressive culture and society’s outlook towards women.
The future we crave involves a concerted and consistent effort to develop all human capacities and unleash the creativity that encourages us all to play our roles in establishing the values of sustainable development. Here we mean all, foremost of which are children and women. Investing in the future also means cooperation with regional and international partners to end conflicts and social disintegration. This has dominated the region for years and we must try to eliminate negative consequences on women and children who make up one of the most important engines for the development and direction of the future.
The first edition of the conference focused on the protection of children and young refugees in the Middle East, and as a global humanitarian charity that is a top priority at The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF). The damage caused to this age group as a result of conflicts and displacement leaves deep scars on their emotions and their personalities. It also promotes negative values, hostile tendencies and as a result of uprooting them from their social environment and placing them under inhumane conditions, instils a sense of exclusion. Therefore, our interest in this category comes in line with our keenness and concern for the fate of an entire generation that may develop false values and beliefs through living under such harsh conditions.
We are closely following the recommendations of the previous edition of the conference, and seek to achieve a vast global partnership to rally support for the protection of this generation. The ultimate goal is to relieve their cruel refugee status and support all efforts to end conflicts and pave the way for refugees to return to their homes as a non-negotiable and natural right.
Naturally, this mission is not easy, it interlinks with many, many factors resulting from ongoing conflicts and disputes. However, we remain confident that our efforts and those of our partners will put this issue under the spotlight and draw more attention to its grave consequences and contribute to ending its root causes. It is our aim that these actions will also contribute to activating international laws on the protection of this age group not just during conflicts but in their aftermath, from such horrors as exile, injury and loss of family.
In order to achieve this strategic goal, we seek through The Big Heart Foundation, under the guidance of His Highness.Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to lend a helping hand through a range of projects and initiatives that can at least partially relieve some of the suffering endured by refugee children.
Sharjah has a vast experience in regional and international humanitarian work and we consider the first edition of "Investing in the Future" (IIFMENA) conference as culmination of years of this involvement. It is also an interpretation of the culture established by the guiding principles of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. These principles, which include all aspects of social, economic and cultural life enrich the emirate's cultural heritage, whether through Sheikh Sultan’s interest in reading, theatre, fine arts, or through his directives that an individual should be the focus of development and its main engine.
There is a great natural harmony between these cultural components and the emirate’s long standing international relationships that were always focused on alleviating peoples suffering in difficult circumstances. The culture of goodness cannot have credibility unless it truly results in benevolence. Similarly, arts and literature, embraced by Sharjah, cannot have their real human dimension if they are not reflected in the emirate's policies.
|
New
Review
Sharjah International Airport - 41°F
