Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the Mother of the Nation, His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Office of Development and Martyrs Families Affairs at the Presidential Court, has inaugurated the fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi Family Forum 2023 at Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi.
The forum, organised by the Family Development Foundation under the umbrella of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Program for Excellence and Community Intelligence and held with the support of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National Media Council and Deputy Chairman of the High Committee for the Program, will run until 15 December 2023.
Held under the theme Cohesive Family, Sustainable Community, the event aims to consolidate the role of families in achieving Comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals (CSDGs).
The opening ceremony of the forum featured the participation of numerous prominent personalities, including the members of the Higher Committee for the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Program for Excellence and Community Intelligence; Her Excellency Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology; and His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development.
The ceremony also witnessed the presence of His Excellency Ali Salem Obaid Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Family Development Foundation; Her Excellency Mariam Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Director General of the Family Development Foundation; His Excellency Major General Maktoum Ali Al Sharifi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Police; His Excellency Abdullah Abdul-Ali Al-Humaidan, Secretary General of the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination; His Excellency Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge; His Excellency Yasir Ahmed Al Naqbi, Director General of Government Capabilities and Competencies Development at the Department of Government Support; and Ousha Salem Al Suwaidi, Project Manager at the Family Development Foundation, as a member and rapporteur.
The fourth edition of the Abu Dhabi Family Forum places emphasis on enhancing families’ position in the society as well as identifying the challenges, issues and phenomena encountered by them. It further aims to find innovative solutions as well as mechanisms to preserve family cohesion and stability as well as empower community members by improving their capabilities in government services, especially digital services and their accessibility. This will contribute to building trust between the community members and various government and service institutions that targets children, young people, men, women, elderly, People of Determination and families.
His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan underscored the unwavering support of the wise leadership for the social sector, aiming to enhance family stability, reinforce positive values within society, and optimise investments in knowledge, human potential and exceptional talents.
His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan highlighted the invaluable contributions of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, in supporting various ambitious programmes and strategic plans. These programmes are targeted to improve the quality of life of family members and maximise their opportunities for integration into a society that embraces all its segments.
His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: “The fourth Abu Dhabi Family Forum 2023 aims to achieve the strategic objectives of improving the UAE's cultural environment, with a focus on supporting a culture of innovation, creativity and the utilisation of individuals' potential through numerous events. Additionally, these events foster a competitive atmosphere that enables families to adapt to future changes, preserves family stability and national identity, as well as improves communal quality of life. Furthermore, it also sheds light on the UAE's legacy, fosters an entrepreneurial culture among young people, and activates the role of children in society by helping them grow and expand their abilities.”
His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan further pointed out the significant role of the Abu Dhabi Family Forum in promoting happiness and raising awareness among all community members through various creative and interactive means. His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan added that it helps to foster positive communication and interaction among all societal members, enabling the active participation of people of all ages, showcasing the skills of gifted and creative entrepreneurs, investing and optimising senior citizens' life experiences, and activating family responsibilities.
His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan toured the fourth Abu Dhabi Family Forum, where His Highness noted the great progress achieved as a result of numerous innovative events and entertainment that diversify between heritage, culture and sports.
His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National Media Council, Deputy Chairman of the High Committee of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak's Program for Community Excellence and Intelligence, said: “The fourth Abu Dhabi Family Forum raises awareness of families and guarantees that People of Determination receive equal opportunities, empowering them and strengthening their societal integration. This is accomplished by fully realising their potential to overcome and thrive as well as being capable of making significant contributions to their community. We also highly value the efforts and contributions of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Mother of the Nation, in supporting the integration of People of Determination into a society that ensures their empowerment as well as a decent life for themselves and their families. This is done by adopting strategies and policies that encourage active participation of People of Determination and promote equal opportunities for all members of society.”
His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan also emphasised that the forum embodies many societal values and brings joy to the faces of young and old. His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan acknowledged the efforts of strategic partners from the public and private sectors for their crucial role in constantly ensuring the success of all forum events and enhancing the positive effects of constructive cooperation.
His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: “By promoting awareness as well as encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation in a competitive setting, these efforts also seek to solidify the concept of community intelligence by informing all forum attendees on government services, family consultations that improve their quality of life, best practices, and other relevant topics.”
The Abu Dhabi Family Forum primarily focuses on four major pillars; Sustainable Family, Entrepreneurship, Children Future, and UAE Heritage. It includes various activities, including the Happiness Hour, Abu Dhabi Volunteering Team, Supporting Partners, Small Trader, along with various interactive sessions, workshops, sporting activities, and theatre events.
The forum also entails several external events, draws, prizes, and many other surprises for its visitors, in addition to activities that promote patriotism, spread happiness among family members, support talented youth, and develop awareness among all members of society in an interactive manner.
