The Family Development Foundation (FDF) has concluded the second edition of the Neighbours for All Festival at the Jebel Hafeet neighbourhood park in Al Ain.
The family-oriented event aimed to improve family happiness and the quality of life of community members, encouraging them to contribute and participate in social services and activities. This initiative also endeavoured to boost relationships as well as enhance trust, satisfaction and social responsibility between the community and the foundation.
The festival included numerous family activities that brought together family and community members in an engaging and interactive environment. This is in line with the foundation’s aim to create an important social interface that enhances relationships between community members, achieves sustainable social cohesion, boosts the level of family and community wellbeing, while introducing individuals to the various FDF centres and their locations as well as highlighting their significant role in supporting and bringing stability to families.
The opening of the Neighbours for All Festival was attended by Her Excellency Mariam Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Director General of Family Development Foundation, Her Excellency Mariam Muslim Al Mazrouei, Community Services Division Director at FDF, and Wafa Al Ali, Director of the Family Counseling Department at FDF, along with several department directors, employees of the foundation, government partners and members of the community.
Her Excellency Mariam Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Director General of FDF, said: “Under the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, The Mother of the Nation, the FDF remains dedicated to implementing initiatives that positively impact individuals and families. The Neighbours for All Festival exemplifies our ongoing commitment to fostering social development and building sustainable families that reflect real-life experiences and embrace the advancements in digital technology while ensuring inclusivity across all age groups, from children to senior citizens.”
Her Excellency Mariam Mohammed Al Rumaithi stated that the Neighbours for All festival took place with the debut of the Electro Robot, an innovative electronic character inspired from Qasr Al Hosn, a prominent historical landmark in Abu Dhabi that symbolises the UAE’s architectural heritage and ancient environment.
Her Excellency Mariam Mohammed Al Rumaithi said: “The Electro Robot undertakes various tasks to enhance the quality of family life and happiness by engaging with family members and society at large through electronic means and smart applications, simulating conversations and interactions. With a smart and active personality, Electro possesses knowledge about FDF and all family and society-related aspects. It interacts with individuals of diverse personalities and age groups through writing and introductory, promotional and awareness videos, functioning as an artificial conversational entity to promote engagement and gather information.”
Her Excellency Al Rumaithi asserted that the unveiling of Electro Robot during the Year of Sustainability underscores FDF’s dedication to leveraging technology for community enrichment. By harnessing artificial intelligence and diverse communication channels, the foundation aims to streamline access to resources and promote social awareness among residents. The FDF contributes to sustainable social development by creating media content for social awareness and actively promoting its various community services, programmes and events.
Her Excellency Mariam Mohammed Al Rumaithi said: “The FDF is constantly striving to implement innovative approaches and initiatives in the community to foster family wellbeing and stability. These efforts highlight the foundation’s leading position, ensuring that community integration is achieved in line with Abu Dhabi's vision and strategy.”
Her Excellency Al Rumaithi emphasised that the three-day festival welcomed all members of the community, offered a diverse range of innovative and sustainable activities. These included family consultations, Productive Families Market, the Young Merchant, sessions to enhance the quality of family life, interactive theatre, My Family Kitchen, family games, heritage events, entertaining shows, interactive workshops, food truck offerings, diverse cultural events, as well as competitions and prizes. The festival’s activities aimed to foster essential life skills among all members of the family and society.
The second edition of Neighbours for All Festival is organised in collaboration with the Department of Municipalities and Transport, the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, the Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority and the National Ambulance.
