Zayed Humanitarian Work Day celebrated in UAE

ISLAMABAD, Jun 4 (APP):The United Arab Emirates Monday celebrated the annual Zayed Humanitarian Work Day which coincided with the death anniversary of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
These celebrations will be followed by the launch of important humanitarian and charity initiatives through thousands of government and community events organised by public, private and non-governmental organisations, WAM reported.
Sheikh Zayed prioritised local and international humanitarian and charity issues, and the amount of aid provided by the UAE till the end of 2000, as per his directives, totalled over AED98 billion, in the form of grants, loans and assistance.
Sheikh Zayed Suburb Project in Jerusalem, worth nearly AED15 million, is one of Sheikh Zayed’s critical projects in Palestine. His other projects include the reconstruction of Jenin Camp, the construction of Sheikh Zayed City in Gaza, Sheikh Khalifa City in Rafah and the Emirati neighbourhood in Khan Younis.
He also launched many hospitals, schools, health centres and centres for the disabled in Palestinian villages, camps and cities, in both Gaza and the West Bank.
His charity and social work towards Muslim countries can be witnessed through his projects in Yemen, Morocco and Egypt.
Under Sheikh Zayed’s directives, the UAE provided emergency aid worth $3 million to Yemen to reduce the effects of floods in the 1990s.
Sheikh Zayed established numerous projects, including the construction of tourist and residential villages and cities, cultivating agricultural land, and providing financial support to medical centres and hospitals.
He also aimed to strengthen the ties between the UAE and Morocco by projects such as Sheikh Zayed Treatment Institution and the Mariam Children’s Centre, as well as the construction of integrated residential units.
In Pakistan, the cities of Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar are home to three Islamic centres that were established by Sheikh Zayed to promote Islamic and Arab culture among Pakistanis.
He also contributed to the paving and widening of the mountain road in Kharan, the construction of the Dali Mosque, the digging of water wells, and the launching of schools and houses.
Sheikh Zayed donated $500,000 in 1982 to establish the Islamic Chamber for Commerce and Industry in Karachi and provided medical aid, scholarships and urgent assistance to earthquake and flood victims.
Emirati charity projects during the era of Sheikh Zayed were not limited to Arab and Islamic countries but they also covered the developed world.
He has been providing assistance to international organisations such as Red Crescent and UNICEF. He donated $50,000 after the establishment of the Union to support the activities of the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF.
The UAE donated $424,000 to the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, $100,000 to UNICEF, and $54,000 to the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR.
Sheikh Zayed also increased the capital of the Abu Dhabi Fund for Arab Economic Development to $500 million.