The Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work honoured recipients of its special recognition categories during the 23rd edition celebration, paying tribute to their outstanding humanitarian and community contributions and their role in embedding a culture of giving, voluntary work and social responsibility. The awards also highlighted inspiring examples that have served society and strengthened community responsibility.
Veteran volunteerism recognised
Among those honoured was Abdul Rahim Mohammed Al Zarouni, who received the Veteran Personality in Voluntary Work award in recognition of his long-standing support for community initiatives, his notable efforts in promoting the values of volunteering and giving, and his contribution to serving society and reinforcing a culture of social responsibility.
His recognition also reflected his sustained career in charitable and voluntary work, alongside his support for humanitarian and community initiatives.
Al Zarouni is regarded as one of the UAE’s leading business figures supporting charitable work. He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Al Zarouni Group and Founder and Chairman of Dubai Sports City. He was also included in the “Pioneers in Charity” list for 2025 after donating more than $43.5 million in support of the Hamdan Bin Rashid Cancer Hospital and the “Father’s Endowment” campaign.
Sixteen blood donors honoured
As part of the special recognition categories, the award also honoured 16 blood donors in appreciation of their continued humanitarian giving, their support for healthcare efforts, and their contribution to promoting blood donation as one of the noblest forms of voluntary and humanitarian work.
The honourees were: Eyad Shahab Bshamani, Rasheed Mohammed Al Nasser, Karam Khalid Moussa, Mohammed Mubarak Khatam Ahmed, Jassim Yousef Boushim Al Ali, Abdul Salam Saleh Rasheed Mohammed, Jassim Jumaa Obaid Al Ketbi, Ahmed Musbah Mohammed Al Teneiji, Walid Ibrahim Hussein Hussein, Mohammed Noah Al Deen, Eyad Osama Shahada Amro, Ibrahim Mohammed Yousef Al Darmaki, Majid Abdullah Jaafar Mohammed, Anas Khalid Ali Abdulrazzaq, Abdul Wahed Shafie Abdulrahman Al Kamali, and Anas Mustafa Al Maqadad.
The special recognition categories form part of the Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work’s wider framework for honouring personalities, initiatives and humanitarian models that the Board of Trustees believes have made exceptional contributions to society, helped spread a culture of volunteering, and reinforced the values of sacrifice and giving, further cementing voluntary work as a civilisational value and a sustainable community practice.
The UAE as a homeland of generosity
In remarks during the ceremony, Abdul Rahim Mohammed Al Zarouni praised the efforts of the United Arab Emirates and its wise leadership in strengthening the values of humanitarian and voluntary work, stressing that the UAE was built on goodness and giving and has become a global model in serving people and supporting community initiatives.
He said the UAE is like a mother who has embraced her children and raised them on the values of generosity and benevolence, which makes it necessary to repay this gracious homeland by serving the community and taking the initiative to do good. He urged members of society to engage in voluntary and humanitarian work without waiting to be asked for help, stressing that true giving begins with taking the initiative to offer whatever one is able to do in service of others.
Honouring lasting human impact
For her part, Suad Al Shamsi, Executive Director of the Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work, said the special recognition categories reflect the Board of Trustees’ keenness to celebrate humanitarian models that have left a lasting mark on society, سواء through a long career in volunteering or through continued humanitarian initiatives, noting that this honour is a message of appreciation to everyone who has made community service a fixed part of their lives.
She added that honouring the veteran personality and blood donors reflects the award’s appreciation of different forms of giving, and confirms that voluntary work is not limited to institutional initiatives alone, but also includes individual humanitarian acts that save lives, strengthen social solidarity and inspire others to take part in serving the community.