Top Arab Hope Maker to receive AED1 million for charitable work

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, will honour the most altruistic individuals from the Arab world who have dedicated their lives to helping others during an award ceremony at the culmination of the second edition of the Arab Hope Makers initiative. 

At the gala event, set to take place on May 14 at Dubai Studio City, the top Arab HopMmaker for 2018 will receive the grand prize of AED1 million to continue their charitable efforts that inspire hope.

Announcing the event via Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Building hope is vital for our lives and our civilization, and creating hope in the Arab world is the most important task ahead of us. We seek to inspire millions of young people to make a positive contribution to their communities through the Arab Hope Makers initiative.”

The second edition of the initiative, dedicated to acknowledging efforts to spread hope and improve the lives of people in the Arab world and beyond, invited the participation of individuals, groups and organizations committed to humanitarian and community work in various fields. The call received an overwhelming response with some 87,000 submissions from 15 Arab and 20 non-Arab countries, surpassing the previous year’s figures by more than 30 percent. 

The initiative recorded a notable increase in submissions from young Arabs based in western communities, especially in Europe, highlighting projects that aim to assist those in need, particularly immigrants and refugees, in rebuilding their lives. The entries also included philanthropic initiatives that seek to enhance women's contributions to society through projects in vital sectors, such as education, medicine, public health, culture, environment and charity.

The second edition of the initiative covered the most pressing societal challenges in the Arab world. Local community service initiatives accounted for 36 percent of all entries, while projects in education amounted to 12 percent and health initiatives made up six percent.  

From among the submissions, 15 candidates were selected and invited to Dubai to meet with a panel of judges that included representatives of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), as well as members of the philanthropic community and media representatives. During the interaction, candidates presented their efforts and achievements in front of the jury. The panel then shortlisted the most deserving participants based on the positive impact of their projects on communities, their role in instilling a culture of hope in the Arab world and addressing the challenges facing their societies through innovative ideas and initiatives.

His Excellency Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of MBRGI, said: “The Arab Hope Makers initiative stems from Sheikh Mohammed’s vision to make spreading hope an individual responsibility as much as a societal one. The initiative aims to establish altruism as a way of life and call upon individuals to engage in activities that touch people’s lives and give hope to others. Although truly charitable people do not expect anything in return, the UAE’s wise leaders believe such individuals are worthy of encouragement and appreciation. The award ceremony will convene under this premise.”

He added: “We all live on hope, and so all our participants play crucial roles in their communities. They lead by example in motivating others to work tirelessly in contributing to the progress of their countries. Our initiative has succeeded in instilling a culture of philanthropy in the Arab world. It has encouraged Arab youth to spread optimism and hope, and combat pessimism and despair, and is a clear proof that focusing on good deeds helps banish negative thoughts and avoid misguided practices.”

The first edition of Arab Hope Makers received a significant uptake across the Arab world drawing more than 65,000 participants, five of whom were honored for dedicating their lives to spreading hope.