Several social, charitable and humanitarian activities undertaken by individuals and institutions in the UAE have made the Eid al-Adha spirit more meaningful, said The Gulf Today.

"The release of several prisoners of various nationalities from the UAE’s penal and corrective institutions on the occasion of Eid al-Adha also highlights the leadership’s generosity and proves that the country cares for every individual. The idea is to give the pardoned prisoners a chance to start a new life, alleviate the suffering of their families, and reintegrate them into society.

"Charity adds immense strength to human values, and it is heartening that the UAE is in the forefront when it comes to benevolent activities," the paper added in its editorial on Saturday.

"Over 100,000 underprivileged individuals benefitted from the Dubai-based philanthropic organisation, the Dar Al Ber Society's, 'Adahi' project.

"The UAE Embassy in Dakar supervised the distribution of around 25 tonnes of Eid sacrificial meat in five African countries, including Senegal, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Cape Verde and Cote d’Ivoire. The meat was distributed to charity associations, orphanages, schools and municipalities to be handed out to the underprivileged in the five countries. The initiative rightly drew high appreciation from officials and beneficiaries in these countries, who expressed their gratitude to the UAE leadership and people for the generous project that coincided with a blessed occasion," the English language daily continued.

It went on to say that Syrian refugees at the Emirati-Jordanian Mrajeeb Al Fhood Camp received Eid clothing provided by the Emirates Red Crescent. The ERC covers the costs of Eid clothes on an annual basis, as well as costs for winter and summer clothing for refugees. The donations were distributed to the camp’s refugee population, estimated at 7,000.

The ERC distributed Eid sacrificial meat to the families of martyrs and those injured in Tarim in Hadhramaut, Yemen, and cash to people in remote areas, as part of the 'Zayed Legacy to Support Yemeni People' campaign, to spread happiness on the auspicious occasion, the Sharjah-based daily said, adding that the ERC also distributed Eid sacrificial meat, clothing, and food baskets in Yemen among families of the martyrs and wounded in Al Wadi and Sarwah in the Marib governorate.

"The path of benevolence has effectively been laid down by the founding father of the nation, the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. To this day, his generous legacy has been kept alive, crossing all borders and barriers to touch the hearts of people in almost every country," it concluded.