Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO) has signed an agreement with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) to provide employment opportunities for People of Determination. The partnership will entail conducting exchange courses between the two parties related to various activities within the available resources, convert a selected group of publications issued by the department, its projects, museums, and affiliated entities into Braille. The agreement will also involve designing a virtual map supported by audio recording through scanning the quick response code for the service of blind visitors to museums affiliated with the department, and enhancing the Talented People of Determination initiative by supporting and empowering them through educational programmes in museums.
The memorandum of understanding was signed by His Excellency Abdullah Al Humaidan, the Secretary-General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, and His Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi.
Under the agreement, ZHO will collaborate with the DCT Abu Dhabi to nominate People of Determination who have the ability to volunteer to involve them in various initiatives taking place across museums, creating products that museums can benefit from, help at cafes, bakeries, and food and beverage service providers in museums. The entities will also nominate a number of teachers, People of Determination, and their guardians to participate in the committee for People of Determination and attend sessions to understand their needs and expectations from museums and design educational programmes, provide consultancy service regarding museum websites, and hold a session with People of Determination to experience the electronic museum sites after their launch to review their ease of use and provide suggestions in case they face any challenges.
His Excellency Abdullah Al Humaidan, the Secretary-General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, said: "Zayed Higher Organization is keen on close cooperation with a range of strategic partners and key entities in the emirate, including the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi. Through this, we aim to achieve our goals in empowering People of Determination by creating a positive environment that supports their educational, employment and awareness needs. We work to contribute to their social integration and establish their positive presence and contributions in various events and activities throughout the emirate."
His Excellency Al Humaidan praised the cooperation between the organisation and the department in several areas, especially in taking various initiatives and steps aimed at enabling everyone to enjoy unique experiences and tourist attractions that cater to all needs. ZHO had previously collaborated with the DCT Abu Dhabi and several international hotels in the city to implement suitable environmental adaptations to accommodate various categories of People of Determination in several hotel facilities in the emirate. This aligns with the organisation's strategy and the ongoing efforts of the department to make Abu Dhabi a city that is easily accessible, within the framework of the emirate's vision to make Abu Dhabi the world's best city for living, working, and visiting, reflecting the wise leadership's keen interest in People of Determination.
His Excellency Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, said: "Our cooperation with Zayed Higher Organization reaffirms our commitment to empowering People of Determination and encouraging their integration into social, cultural, sports and recreational activities. Contributing to the goals of Abu Dhabi's strategy for People of Determination, which focuses on meeting their needs in all areas, we continue to adopt the highest standards of accessibility for People of Determination to hotels, landmarks and events in the emirate. In addition, we are committed to providing them with training and employment opportunities in the tourism and culture sectors, promoting values of integration and inclusivity and solidifying Abu Dhabi's position as a supportive and welcoming destination for people of determination, their families, and friends."
Both parties will collaborate on conducting orientation sessions about museums for teachers and therapists of the organisation regularly and annually, providing consultations regarding the accessibility of museums affiliated with the DCT Abu Dhabi and the services offered by visitor service teams, developing a sign language dictionary by listing words and scenarios related to a visit by People of Determination to these museums and training visitor service teams. The entities will also cooperate to conduct field visits aimed at evaluating the tourism and hotel sector in terms of its capacity to accommodate People of Determination. They will work on establishing and standardising a model for reports evaluating relevant sites, coordinating to develop a Tourism Design for All guide for tourism facilities to facilitate access, collaborating to issue a guide for the craft of weaving for People of Determination, participating in providing cultural publications for People of Determination in the tourism and hotel sectors, training sector employees to enable them to receive and interact with People of Determination efficiently, and meeting their aspirations effectively.
