The "UAE Volunteers" national campaign was very popular with UAE citizens and residents alike, who competed to fulfill the call of duty by volunteering in 125 opportunities; 98 field and 27 virtual opportunities remotely. The number of volunteers enrolled in the campaign within a month of its launch reached more than 18,740 volunteers belonging to more than 132 nationalities residing in the UAE. The number of resident volunteers supporting the national efforts made by our soldiers in the first line of defense to confront the spread of "COVID-19" reached more than 13,170 volunteers residing in the UAE, in addition to 5,555 volunteers from citizens. According to the data of the National Volunteer Campaign, the Emirati volunteers topped the list with 30 percent of the attending and most participating volunteers in the "UAE Volunteers" campaign with 5,555 volunteers,. They were followed by resident volunteers of Indian nationality with a total of 2,010 volunteers, and the Egyptian community with 1,837 volunteers, and those from the Syrian nationality made up 1,319 volunteers, while the Pakistanis equaled 977 volunteers, as well as 753 Jordanian volunteers, 634 Sudanese volunteers, 564 Yemeni volunteers, 535 Palestinian volunteers and 496 volunteers from Philippines. Emirati Hamad Nasser Al-Alawi expressed his happiness on joining the "UAE Volunteers" initiative, saying, "I am a volunteer in more than one line, as I sensed that I must fulfill the call of the nation. Volunteering is a humanitarian action that serves our people and our precious society, and fieldwork reflects the reality we live in amidst these challenges. "This experience has changed many of my concepts such as the importance of health and education in our lives. I would like to thank all those in charge of this initiative as the precautionary measures imposed on ground have supported us to continue our work and united our efforts to face these challenges that we will overcome together, God willing." Sankir Srikumar, a resident of Indian nationality, said of his experience, "Volunteering in the "UAE Volunteers" initiative has allowed me to work in field hospitals and it has given me a sense of purpose since it is the ideal way to support society and the great UAE during these difficult times. Contributing to facing the current challenges is a very noble goal." Dr. Hossam Muhareb, a Syrian resident and a medical intern, stated, "I work as a volunteer doctor at surveying centers in Dubai. I was keen to volunteer to serve the community and my love for giving motivated me to do this work under these exceptional circumstances. I also wanted to return the favor to UAE. It has been a great experience in terms of coordination and precautionary standards to ensure the safety of all." The "UAE Volunteers" campaign reflects a developing success story in the framework of a national epic under the umbrella of giving and joint work among all, in order to enhance the features of social cohesion and cooperation between all individuals and groups of society, citizens and residents of different nationalities to overcome the challenges of the current situation. The campaign has achieved unprecedented accomplishments in the area of field volunteering in support of national efforts to address the repercussions and challenges of "COVID-19", and virtual volunteering, which is a development and community precedent in the UAE, as it allows everyone to have the name "volunteer" from home and be able to do so at any time and place. The activities of the national "UAE Volunteers" campaign, which was announced by the Supreme National Committee for Volunteerism during Crises, was launched in early April, under the umbrella of the "volunteers.ae" platform. It was launched in partnership between the Ministry of Community Development and the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development, and under the supervision of the National Emergency and Crisis Management Authority. The drive was put in place within the framework of its vision to unify volunteer activities at the state level and promote integration and cooperation between all governmental and private sectors and encourage community participation within the context of affirming cohesion and cooperation in the UAE, and supporting national efforts to counter the spread of COVID-19. The national campaign aims to support volunteer efforts at the state level and harness the expertise, skills and talents of community members and involve them in the volunteering process. — WAM
