The United Arab Emirates plans to take generosity to another level next year.
On Saturday, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for 2017 to be the "Year of Giving," to promote a culture of giving back to the community and volunteering, according to the Emirates News Agency.
The UAE was already ranked as one of the most generous countries in the world earlier this year. In January, it was also revealed that the UAE has given the largest percentage of gross national income of any country to official development assistance in the world for two consecutive years.
But, despite how generous the UAE already is, Sheikh Khalifa wants to set the benchmark even higher in 2017.
Sheikh Khalifa laid out three key pillars for his 2017 giving plan. It encourages the private sector to serve the community and contribute to development. Additionally, the plan aims to enhance the country's spirit of volunteering and to encourage young Emiratis to serve their country.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, prime minister and vice president of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, has formed a Higher National Committee for the Year of Giving to move the initiative forward. He said that focusing on charitable works in 2017 will further affirm the country's role as one of the world’s top humanitarian donors.
In conjunction with the giving initiative, the UAE also announced the launch of the world’s first state-of-the-art mobile city for humanitarian and charitable work.
Dr. Adel Al Shameri, CEO of Zayed Giving Initiative, explained that the mobile city would be used for humanitarian training and relief locally and globally.
The city will be equipped to "alleviate the suffering of underprivileged people by providing real solutions to tackle their social and humanitarian problems," he said. He explained that it will also be used for social and economic developments.
Of course, the UAE has already been taking big steps to promote humanitarian aid and relief globally.
Following a severe hurricane in Haiti in October, Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, the wife of Sheikh Mohammed, took the royal jet and personally delivered 90 metric tons of relief supplies to those affected.
International Humanitarian City (IHC) organized the aid shipment at the instruction of Sheikh Mohammed. The organization was created by Sheikh Mohammed and is "the world's largest logistical centre for aid and has played a pivotal role in aid responses to crisis-hit areas as far afield as Gaza, Pakistan, Nepal, Haiti, Greece and Sudan," according to Princess Haya.