SAVW opens registration for its 23rd edition

Promoting community service initiatives

Dr Jasim Mohammed Al Hammadi, the award's Secretary-General, noted that the new edition continues the award's aim of encouraging a culture of volunteering and supporting community service projects that embody the ideals of generosity and social responsibility. He highlighted that the award has become a popular forum for recognising outstanding volunteers in the UAE.

Al Hammadi stated in the previous edition that there was widespread participation from various segments of society, indicating a rising awareness of the value of volunteer labour and its role in sustainable development. He noted that the 23rd edition will have updated evaluation criteria and judging methods to reflect recent advancements in both institutional and individual volunteerism.

Furthermore, he stated that the 22nd edition, in 2024, honoured 41 of the 105 participants. This came after 16,901 volunteers completed 254,760 hours of volunteer labour across 73 different opportunities, and the prize totalled AED 595,674.

Empowering volunteers

The Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work (SAVW), led by Executive Director Suad Al Shamsi, serves as a model for recognising the excellent achievements of individuals and groups across all disciplines. This in turn empowers volunteers. She went on to explain that the award's commitment to embracing participants from all walks of life and age groups is demonstrated by the fact that the Board of Trustees has approved the addition of one more category, bringing the total number of award categories to fifteen.

Award categories

The categories include Best Organisation Creating Volunteer Opportunities. The categories also include Outstanding Supporter of Volunteer Activity and Finest Volunteer Initiative. Record the most volunteer hours. The university student recognised as a "Volunteer Knight" has the highest level of volunteer participation. The awards include the Authenticity Award for the best senior volunteer efforts, the Himmah Award for the finest engagement by persons with determination, the Best Community-Based Organisation award, the Finest Volunteer Team award, the Best Young Leader of Volunteer Teams award, the Exemplary Volunteer award, recognition for the best neighbourhood for volunteer work, and awards for excellence in social responsibility and specialised volunteerism.

In keeping with Sharjah's vision and commitment to improving long-term humanitarian initiatives, the award invites all UAE entities to participate in this year's edition, which will serve to develop a culture of giving and volunteerism.