The ENOC Group and the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children have collaborated to launch an arts programme for minors and orphans in the UAE, as part of their ‘A Gesture of Goodwill’ campaign that was begun earlier last year.

The agreement was signed at the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children in the presence of Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO of ENOC, and Dr. Mona Al Bahr, Executive Director of the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, along with representatives from both groups.

This initiative is regarded as one of the leading programmes that seek to support the development of underprivileged children through arts and crafts. The ENOC Group will assist the Centre by offering children a diverse array of workshops that have been designed in cooperation with members of ‘A Gesture of Goodwill’ campaign.

These workshops focus on reorienting children’s psychological and emotional needs. Through several art workshops, children will reflect on their personalities, while reinforcing fundamental concepts, such as family and a sense of belonging.

"The Year of Giving 2017, launched by UAE President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, emphasises the values of giving in our daily lives and highlights the importance of helping the underprivileged. Through our collaboration with the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, we pledge to support and transform the lives of young children to ensure their ability to achieve long-term success and help in shaping a well-rounded character," Al Falasi said.

Commending ENOC for its role in supporting the UAE economy, Dr. Mona Al Bahar said, "Today we are facing a real challenge about the future, especially since many societies are falling apart because they have not worked on reinforcing fundamental values that the UAE has embodied, which is investing in human capital and building social awareness through educating individuals. At the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children, we pride ourselves for being the first specialised body to give children this opportunity of knowledge through arts.

"We have been able to accommodate the needs of many underprivileged children, orphans and minors through our ‘A Gesture of Goodwill’ initiative, which has received positive reinforcement and support from numerous leading figures, government institutions and organisations in the private and public sectors. We noticed the need to establish programmes that incentivise the youth to express their feelings and emotions through art. As a purely artistic entity, we collaborated with organisations that specialise in the field of education through arts to design technical workshops, in accordance with its specific criteria," she continued.

Al Bahar explained that the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children seeks, through its community initiatives, to create a solid and strong infrastructure of knowledge for children, irrespective of their social circumstances, believing that every child has the right to learn and express themselves, regardless of their circumstances.

"The model provided by ENOC with this contribution has enabled us to launch a unique programme at the level of technical education for orphans and minors. Through this experience, we call on all members of society to give children space for their interests and their gifts, because the effort we are making today with this will benefit our society in the future," she concluded.