The Giving Retreat was held under the patronage of UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Dubai Ruler Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The retreat included the largest brainstorm of its kind in the UAE, bringing together over 100 experts, stakeholders, officials and humanitarian workers in an interactive dialogue that identified the challenges and opportunities for humanitarian and charitable advancement in the UAE.
Dubai Ruler said on this occasion, "The Year of Giving, under the wise leadership of UAE President Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and the support of our people, will consolidate the UAE’s position as the world’s most giving nation."
"Consolidating the culture of giving in the UAE is a shared responsibility; all individuals and institutions will play a vital role and contribute to making giving a part of our national agenda.", he added
Sheikh Mohammed expressed his pride at the enthusiastic responses that he received on the #YearofGiving hashtag on Twitter saying "We received thousands of responses, creative ideas and suggestions, proving once again that our people are wired to make a positive impact on their communities and give. The eagerness of the responses heartened and assured us that because of our generous people, the future of our country is bright; the people’s ideas will soon be a reality, and everyone will play a role in embedding the value of giving even further in Emirati culture."
The one-day Giving Retreat focused on around six main areas - promoting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), as well as partnerships between public and private sector entities, Volunteerism and the development sector; the role of the media in the Year of Giving, the development of a legislative system supporting the Year of Giving objectives and serving the nation.