The Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) observed Zayed Humanitarian Work Day, which falls annually on the 19th of Ramadan, marking the anniversary of the death of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul in peace.

A feature of the day was the showcase of major accomplishments in HCT’s Volunteering Program. Since the commencement of the program in the 2016-2017 academic year, students have been required to complete 100 hours of volunteering and community service before graduating.

To date, HCT students have completed 2,600,000 hours of volunteering service, exemplifying the culture of Sheikh Zayed's humanitarian and charitable values.

The event began with a video presentation on "Sheikh Zayed the Humanitarian Leader," highlighting the HCT Volunteering Program’s success, which is consistent with the UAE leadership’s approach in supporting the community and humanity.

In her opening remarks, Hind Al Mualla, HCT Vice President of Employability & Knowledge Economy, emphasized the importance of the 19th of Ramadan for the UAE, when people paid tribute to the late Sheikh Zayed (may God have mercy on him) - the humanitarian leader, who immortalized in his unique model of leadership the essence of humanity and giving.

She added that Sheikh Zayed was a prominent international leader, renowned for his humanitarian principles and unwavering support for associates and friends, both close and distant, who established a human-centered philosophy that Emiratis are constantly proud of and continue to uphold as their culture and way of life.

Ms. Hind said it is not surprising to see HCT students eagerly volunteering and do good, as HCT’s Volunteering Program has evolved into a passion for many students, who often exceed the required number of hours. She commended those who contributed to the success of the Volunteering Program, including employees and the more than 700 strategic partners, from the public, semi-public and private sectors around the country.

A feature of the celebration was a panel discussion with inspiring Emirati role models in charitable and volunteer fields. It showcased Hamdan Al Hashemi, one of the young volunteers in the "Bridges of Giving" campaign in Abu Dhabi, Fatima Al Balooshi, a student of determination, as well as the family of UAE citizen Youssef Hassan Al Marzooqi, who all are active in the field of volunteering and environmental preservation and have won numerous awards. The participants shared examples of their exceptional humanitarian effort that was motivated by their passion for helping others and their belief in the importance of charitable work.

The celebration saw Ms. Hind recognizing the inspiring Emirati role models and outstanding HCT students from all HCT campuses who had completed the greatest number of volunteering hours. The highest volunteering students included:

• Hessa Ahmed Al Balooshi (1934 hours)
• Hajar Mohammed Saleh (704 hours) and
• Ieyasu Araya (515 hours)

HCT’s students of determination, who are most active in volunteering, were also celebrated, including:

• Khalifa Ahmed Al-Balooshi
• Ahmed Juma Al-Hamli
• Omar Al-Shami
• Rashid Hussein Ali and
• Hazza Al-Shehhi

In addition, HCT’s strategic partners, the stand-out volunteering campuses and graduates working in the volunteering field were also lauded for their efforts and commitment to volunteering and community service.