LONDON: The second cohort of UAE youth volunteers arrived in Al-Arish, Egypt, on Sunday to take part in humanitarian efforts aiding Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
Ten young Emiratis are taking part in the Youth Social Missions Program, which aims to prepare them for responsibilities during humanitarian crises and promote a culture of volunteerism and social responsibility aligned with UAE values.
The UAE is operating a humanitarian aid logistics center in Al-Arish, which includes a floating hospital, where volunteers will learn about the medical and humanitarian aid services offered to the injured from Gaza.
They will tour UAE desalination plants in Al-Arish to learn about water security for Gaza and visit the Rafah border crossing to observe aid delivery and coordination. The UAE humanitarian initiative is part of Operation Chivalrous Knight 3.
“Our goal in this experience is to represent the UAE in the best possible way and to convey the message that the UAE’s generosity knows no bounds,” Fatima Mohammed Al-Shehhi, a member of the second cohort, told the Emirates News Agency.
Hamid Abdullah Al-Ansari, another volunteer, said: “We are taking part in this experience to learn about the humanitarian and volunteer work provided by the UAE, and to try — even in a small way — to ease the suffering of our brothers and sisters in the Gaza Strip.”
The multi-year program was launched by the Federal Youth Authority last August to empower Emirati youth to engage in global humanitarian, developmental and cultural missions, according to WAM.
Since late 2023, Al-Arish has been a crucial hub for the UAE to provide aid to the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, facilitating land, sea and air assistance through a corridor.
