The Supreme Committee for the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence has held its second meeting, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Crown Prince’s Court and Chairman of the Programme’s Supreme Committee.
The meeting discussed the programme’s important role in enhancing society, based on the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and Mother of the Nation. These directives emphasise focusing on societal intelligence to address social issues and challenges to turn them into opportunities for a better future, as well as managing changes that impact society through investment in creative solutions that positively contribute to the quality of life and wellbeing of all communities.
During the meeting, HH Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed launched the interactive e-training platform, which will be supervised by the Programme. The platform aims to consolidate the concept of societal intelligence by enabling participants to turn social challenges into opportunities for development and a better future.
His Highness praised the efforts of the members of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence, highlighting that it targets creative and innovative talent from across the world, which also contributes to the emirate’s diverse and inclusive society, with the Programme’s goals in line with government’s direction to support creative individuals who produced beneficial initiatives for their communities.
The meeting was attended by HE Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development, Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence; HE Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education; HE Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development; HE Jaber Mohammed Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Crown Prince’s Court; Major General Maktoum Ali Al Sharifi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Police; and Abdullah Abdul Ali Al Humaidan, Secretary-General of the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination; HE Maryam Eid Al Mheiri, Director General of Abu Dhabi Government Media Office; HE Maryam Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Director General of the Family Development Foundation; and Ousha Salem Al Suwaidi, Senior Developer for Corporation Awards at the Family Development Foundation.
The e-training platform is the first of its kind worldwide and aims to enhance understanding of the concept of societal intelligence and a culture of innovation, by enabling participants to engage with social issues and turn them into opportunities for development and a better future. The platform offers training in Arabic at three levels. Registration is via www.hhsfbmawards.ae
HE Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development said: “The Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence is an exceptional one reflecting Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak’s keenness to activate the roles of all community members and engage them to create innovative and sustainable solutions for all challenges facing the community. It also reflects Her Highness’s keenness to enhance the principles of leadership, innovation and social cohesion and responsibility to contribute to change, locally and internationally, by leveraging the abilities of creative individuals, and to recognise their achievements and contribution and to support them for the benefit of their countries, and to enhance loyalty to their communities.
“Social innovation is the future for us to address top social challenges, and a chance to develop futuristic solutions and community empowerment,” he added.
HE Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, said: “The Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence seeks to achieve its goals through the achievements of creative individuals and corporations, and to support and recongise their contributions. The Programme also embodies the UAE’s vision and humanitarian dimension.
He added: “The Programme looks to promote the principles of societal intelligence and social leadership local and globally, to build effective partnerships, and to have standard references to measure the impact of social innovation. The Programme seeks to draw local and international competition for impactful societal works.”
HE Hessa Bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, said:
“The e-training platform of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence aims to respond to all impactful changes in society through the creative investment for all available capabilities to develop impactful solutions that contribute to enhancing quality of life and wellbeing of communities by providing easy access to training materials for the public while maintaining its knowledge value.”
HE Jaber Mohammed Ghanem Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Crown Prince’s Court, said: “The e-training platform will contribute to increasing awareness and knowledge, and strengthen the culture, of social innovation and leadership. The platform will also provide training materials that contribute to enhancing the level of societal intelligence, develop individuals’ professional skills, and enhance social responsibility, while motivating volunteerism.
“It also advances the government’s directive to empower the community and to enhance quality of life through training courses suitable for all age groups.”
Major General Maktoum Ali Al Sharifi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Police, said: “The UAE is full of energy, hands on giving, and thoughtful and creative individuals; the Programme seeks to open the way for them to produce, innovate and contribute to changing our life for the better.”
Major General Maktoum lauded the efforts of HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak to support pioneering institutions working to enhance social cohesion and stability, and quality of life. He added: “The Programme becomes a humanitarian milestone that builds on existing capabilities and opens opportunities to exert more effort and to continue to innovate in order to contribute to a competitive community environment. This aims to enhance liveability across societies, and that’s why the reward becomes a platform for creativity that brings together everyone to better serve their communities.”
Abdullah Abdul Ali Al Humaidan, Secretary-General of the Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, said the Programme was one of the leading national initiatives supporting society. He said: “The Programme covers all community groups, investing in their talents and ideas in addressing social challenges, and raises awareness of the importance of achieving multifaceted humanitarian, developmental and multicultural outcomes that will contribute to mobilising the community across all sectors.
“The Programme also strengthens the roles of entities supporting People of Determination by honouring the organisations that take the initiative to support, care for and encourage People of Determination, and to develop the capabilities of all community members, including families, youth and People of Determination in various fields, and supports them locally, regionally and internationally.”
HE Maryam Eid Al Mheiri, Director General of Abu Dhabi Government Media Office, said: “The mission of the Programme is based on excellence, creativity, innovation, social intelligence, and national responsibility. These values underline the goal of the Programme to contribute to achieving noble milestones that enhance social progress in a way that encourages members of society to participate and take responsibility in the process, while simultaneously contributing to their self-improvement, based on willingness to give and to direct their potential and tireless efforts to serving the nation.
“This is being achieved through offering community members the opportunity to become a source of inspiration to others by contributing with an initiative, a new idea, or creative work that makes a real change in society.”
HE added: “The Programme relies on building effective collaborations that support social innovation globally, and amplify a solid social ecosystem that contributes to enhancing happiness and cultivates the value of social responsibility within individuals and families for a better future for their societies and nations.”
HE Maryam Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Director General of the Family Development Foundation, said: “Abu Dhabi Family Forum, which is organised by the Family Development Foundation and the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence, celebrates a number of the winning entries. The forum seeks to strengthen the values of societal intelligence, invest in the community’s potential, and enhance social cohesion. It also introduces newly developed government services for family members and the community, facilitates access to them, and helps to build relationships based on trust, respect and credibility between family members and organisations that provide various community services. It also highlights the abilities of People of Determination, and to make use of the experience and expertise of senior citizens to serve the community, and to highlight social values.”
HE Maryam reiterated that the forum also aims to enhance Abu Dhabi’s social protection system and its sustainability by supporting the capabilities of families, and rehabilitating them to play an effective role in managing social risks. It will also support creative winners of the awards of the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence, as well as to discover creative entrepreneurs from within society.”
HE Maryam said forum’s participants included a number of government entities and non-government organisations that support the capabilities of families, are concerned with youth and childhood, and other community groups. The forum aims to empower them to be active partners in building a stable society, and enhancing families’ quality of life.”
Ousha Salem Al Suwaidi, Senior Developer for Corporation Awards at the Family Development Foundation, said: “The Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Programme for Excellence and Societal Intelligence includes three areas: individual excellence, team work, and supporting entities. This is to cater for diversity in the nature of the social development sector, to meet the Programme’s goals, and to achieve leadership in social development.
She added: “The individual excellence section is divided into seven categories of excellence: culture, arts and media; future science and technology; social responsibility; community builders; mother/father, grandfather/grandmother; the supporter; and entrepreneurs.”
“The team work section is to motivate all community members, especially the 15-35 age group, to work in organised work groups to provide innovative projects and impactful practical solutions that make a tangible societal impact in culture, arts and media, future science and technology, and social responsibility, in addition to the excellent family that cares for People of Determination, the excellent volunteering family, and the extended family.
“The section for supporting entities is to honour the organisations and people within them who support, care for and encourage all groups of the community, including families, youth and People of Determination in various fields, and to support them locally, regionally and internationally, and increasing awareness of community issues among public and private organisations.
“An honourary award honours the people who support community issues. They will be selected by HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, and will be honoured with the Mother of the Nation Medal in recognition of their pioneering role and community service.”
