International Humanitarian Summit 2022 Underscores Importance Of Building A Strong Humanitarian Society For A Better World

HE Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistance, UAE and Commissioner General of Expo 2020 Dubai, inaugurated the International Humanitarian Summit 2022 today (Wednesday, 30^th March) at Dubai Exhibition Centre in EXPO 2020 Dubai.

Various discussions and debates surrounding building strong humanitarian societies and tackling extreme global poverty and the post-pandemic effect amongst others were up for participations for guests that wanted to be educated on the same.

The first panel focused on the topic “Building a Strong Humanitarian Society for a Better World” where esteemed panellists, Nejeb Friji the Director at the International Peace Institute, MENA Office and

A panel discussion held on ‘Disability inclusion – protection tools for people with disabilities in dangerous contexts’ disability took place early in the day receiving a standing ovation after each speaker explained the necessities of protective gear needed for those suffering from disabilities. The discussion held in partnership with the Union Arab Chambers and UNIDO had the crowds inspired as speker, Abdelrahman Mohamed Omran Elshazily a machine learning engineer and data scientist at the University of Ottawa showed how he overcame his disability to become one of the most renowned minds in his space. “The disability is not here it’s here when your brain is working nothing can stop you”. I suffered from oxygen deficiency causing me to have a cerebral palsy and the doctors told my family that I will not walk again but my family never gave up on hope. your dreams have the power to change people’s mind. I decided to help others like me who suffer from what I suffered so I invented electrical wheelchair smart electrical wheelchair help this patient to control this achieved by brain signals. My view has been changed to becoming an innovator to becoming an entrepreneur.”

Panellists Zonwe Mandela, the Chairman of the Mandela Legacy Foundation, spoke directly to the youth to ignite them with passion.

“Our primary key pillar is job creation. Women in leadership, within our workspaces will show it on programmes and empower young people in the. if youcreate the right ecosystem to show that the keeper that grow up within these environments actually go up with the right set of skills so we’re very mindful about even a programme we develop at early childhood development,” he said.

Another well-received discussion was “Global extreme poverty, post pandemic Effect – Undernutrition as an Aggravating Death Factor”, where speakers expressed their concerns over the social issue that has been plaguing humanity for a long time. Jose Francisco Fernandez Serna, Managing director, E motion foods/ Freshko DMCC, said, “An unprecedented event like covid and it took us to the deepest global recession since the Second World War in 2020 alone the global economy contracted by 3.5% this downturn has been more pronounced in developing countries and especially in the poorest part of the world most countries accelerated that food security agendas and we cannot ignore that many of them are more food insecure as a result of the police but even more recently due to the war in Ukraine that is adding a critical pressure to the already broken food supply chain we have learned that we are all bullet able to global diseases and that this won’t be the last pandemic we have also learned that resources are limited and we will likely face other disasters and most probably related to climate change and environmental stress unless we react now we have learned that government policy matters but individual policy and individual behaviour sometimes matters more.”

Furthermore, the event played host to the unionization of multiple humanitarian agencies propagating the need to focus on humanization and helping others. Dawood Al Shezawi, Head of the organizing committee at the HIS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dr Mohamed El-Karamany, Director at Egyptian Food. The memorandum will focus on the core values and beliefs in promoting and advocating humanitarian causes especially in a period after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dr Mohamed El-Karamany Director at Egyptian Food Bank said, ”We are happy to sign this MOU and we will continue to work with IHS in the coming years to support the cause and extend our support to different vulnerable  groups across Egypt and beyond as well”.

Additionally, the HIS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mersel Foundation to widen its horizon and cooperate to work together towards noble causes.

“Mersal is a non-profit charitable organization working in the field of health. Mersal seeks to provide all types of medical care with high quality to all who all need it irrespective of their nationality or religion. Through this MOU with IHS, Mersel seeks HIS’s support and c-operation to spread the culture and medical awareness in Egypt and expand to the rest of the world,” said Heba Rashed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mersel Foundation.

The IHS endeavouring to continue its progressive reach across all humanitarian activities signed a Memorandum of Understand with Ashoka ARAB World as well, aiming to support social entrepreneurs, women and young change makers.

Dr Iman Bibars, Vice President and Regional Director of the Ashoka ARAB World said, “It is important now that we think of ourselves as Humans and encourage Humanitarian activities. His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan in the morning said we want to be a Humanitarian family and I think Covid taught us that lesson and that’s why Ashoka Arab World supports social entrepreneurs, young change makers, women in addition. For us it is very important if we want to be changemakers everybody should have empathy and humanity. For us this signing of this MOU with (IHS) is extremely important as it is a first step towards everyone being changemaker, humanitarian and empathetic not only in our region but also everyone in the world.”

The International Humanitarian Summit marks an important milestone as it expands its cooperative network for humanitarian and social causes. The international platform stands for values like neutrality, impartiality and independence and has thought leadership sessions, conferences and panel discussions all with the goal in mind to work towards a better future. The summit is a powerful platform for knowledge sharing and in-depth analysis of humanitarian issues that are abound in society today.