- Police Authorities from the seven emirates participated in annual initiative along with government and non-governmental departments and organisations
- More than 1000 volunteers, 95% nationals, distributed 212,000 meals during the Holy Month
United Arab Emirates, Dubai, January 16, 2015: The stars of last year’s ‘Ramadan Aman’ (Safe Ramadan) campaign were honoured at a special awards ceremony held last night. Hosted by the Ihsan Charity Association, the gala event paid tribute to the partners, sponsors and volunteers of the third version of the campaign, which is launched by the Association each year to reduce traffic accidents in the UAE that occur as a result of excessive speed during Maghreb prayer.
Held in the presence of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development and Dr. Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Ihsan Charity Association, the event congratulated those who had contributed to the annual initiative’s success.
During the ceremony, His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan praised the success of Ramadan Aman, which he said was a pioneering model in voluntary and humanitarian work and a fruitful collaboration between the Ihsan Association and the various police departments in the UAE. He outlined how the initiative is supported by a large number of sponsors and partners who work together to achieve safety and security for all who live in the UAE by reducing road traffic accidents during the Holy Month.
His Excellency reiterated the four key aspects of the campaign, which are firstly that it is based essentially on volunteers, giving the opportunity to the sons and daughters of the UAE to show solidarity for human welfare; secondly, that it represents pride in the UAE and its dedicated nation who have a strong commitment to humanitarian and community work; thirdly that it highlights the efforts of Ihsan Association who worked to achieve good cooperation with various parties for its success and finally, that the campaign is an authentic extension of the strong spirit and commitment towards giving, as demonstrated through the wise leadership of His Highness, the father Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.
His Excellency continued with the evening’s agenda by awarding honorary shields from the Ihsan Association to police leaders, sponsors, teams and volunteers who had participated in the initiative, including Dubai Media Incorporated (DMI), the largest media organisation in the UAE and the strategic media partner for the duration of the campaign. The total number of government agencies involved in Ramadan Aman amounted to 30 entities.
Dr. Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Ihsan Charity Association, praised the constructive cooperation between the Association and the UAE’s seven police forces who worked tirelessly to ensure the success of the campaign, which was titled: ‘Together… Ramadan without Accidents.’
"The Ihsan Association strategic vision believes in community service by preserving the lives of fasting individuals, which it achieves in conjunction with the police and with the various dedicated volunteers from across the country. We extend our sincere thanks to all government and private agencies that have combined their efforts to ensure the implementation and success of this campaign, which stresses the importance of road safety for drivers, passengers and pedestrians,” said Rashid Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Ihsan Charity Association.
Mariam Al Afridi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications, DMI said: "The Ramadan Amana campaign, carried out by the Ihsan Association during the Holy Month in collaboration with the police leadership in the seven emirates, is considered a distinguished model for the combined voluntary and community efforts among all segments of UAE society. It embodies the effective partnership between the public and private sectors to preserve lives. DMI is delighted to be able to highlight this worthy initiative."
The Ramadan Aman campaign also involved the distribution of nearly 200,000 thousand meals for drivers during the Holy Month, which were offered at major intersections and busy junctions in the streets of the seven emirates. The aim was to help reduce road accidents during Iftar, a period of the day in Ramadan that is associated with drivers exceeding the speed limit in order to arrive home and assuage their hunger. Leaflets were also given out to raise awareness of the importance of reducing speed and obeying traffic rules.
The participation of the UAE’s police forces saw Abu Dhabi Police support volunteers in the distribution of meals in the capital, providing 10 sites where the sustenance packages could be safely given to drivers. Fujairah Police identified strategic locations for the distribution of meals and awareness messages, with Dubai Police force’s participation for the third consecutive year saw them secure and patrol 16 locations for the distribution of meals. For their involvement, Sharjah Police allocated 12 locations in their emirate, ensuring these areas were covered by police and security patrols. Ras Al Khaimah Police had a particular success to report, achieving a zero percent driver mortality rate for the duration of the campaign. They also assisted the delivery of meals to the remote areas of the emirate. Umm Al Quwain Police lent their weight to the campaign for the second year in a row, while Ajman Police, who have been involved in a number of charity collaborations with the Al Ihsan Charity Association, assisted in assembling and patrolling for the initiatives taking place in their emirate.
As each year passes, the Ramadan Aman campaign is gaining increasing awareness. Last year’s initiative saw more than 1,000 volunteers participating, with 95% of these being UAE nationals. A cross section of the UAE community was involved in the month-long activity, including artists and individuals with special needs. The Ihsan Association reported that – along with the other nationalities taking part – the make-up of the campaign revealed the distinctive character of the UAE, which focuses on the interest of all classes and segments of society.
