Sharjah Children Shura Councillors Learn the Value of Goodwill through UN Icon

The Sharjah Children Shura Council (SCSC), an initiative by the Sharjah Children Centres – a subsidiary of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation (Quarter of a Century) for Creating Leaders and Innovators – recently hosted Emirati community activist and UN Goodwill Ambassador, Yusra Baqi at the Al Heera Children’s Centre in Sharjah, to speak on the values of voluntary and humanitarian work.

The session aimed to introduce the young council members to influential personalities in the community and understand their motivation and methods of putting philanthropy into practice. Baqi showcased her own experience as a UN Goodwill Ambassador, addressing the concept of ‘happiness’ and the importance of living in its purest sense.

In line with SCSC’s aims to educate its members on parliamentary life in the UAE and the values of giving and participation in their communities, Yusra shared details of her professional career, starting with her roles in business and banking, and explained how her passion to help other people led her to a calling of voluntary and humanitarian work.

In 2016, she was honoured with the ‘Woman Knight Award’ in banking by the ‘Goodwill Club’ in Cairo, as one of the top influential Arab women. She also received many accolades relating to her humanitarian efforts on both local and international levels. She is widely acknowledged as an outstanding and honourable role model for Emirati women.

“Happiness is a way of life, based on peace, love, nobility and ethics, as we learned from the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Founder of the UAE. Happiness for ourselves and for others has become our priority, and we will make it a way of life, harnessing it through individuals, organisations and public and private entities. At a global level, my role as a UN Goodwill Ambassador is to highlight the goals of the UAE to bring positivity, comfort and joy to all its residents and visitors,” she said.

She stressed that her personal interest in the Sharjah Children Centres and SCSC stems from their core philosophy and mission to create a talented generation with inspirational abilities and ambitions, who will build upon the successes of the UAE for an even brighter future.

Baqi pointed out that by engaging with members of the SCSC, which aspires to establish principles based on respecting the opinions and freedoms of others, as well as instilling important Islamic values, such as selflessness and serving the community, she could help them to gain insights to understand the reality of the world around them and face future challenges.

For her part, Aisha Ali Al Kaabi, Acting Director of Sharjah Children Centres, said: “Through the Sharjah Children Shura Council, we are dedicated to introducing our members to influential personalities who can inspire them and provide essential skills to develop and grow. Such iconic members of the community play a pivotal role in creating a generation which is committed to the values of generosity and kindness and believes in contributing to society.

“Children are easily influenced by those around them. If these personalities can reinforce compassion and solidarity, they will play a crucial role in building children’s characters and making them decent and compassionate individuals,” Al Kaabi added.

The Sharjah Children Shura Council also recently organised a discussion panel for its members, conducted by Ramez Muhieddine Ali, Arabic Teacher and Cultural Supervisor at Sharjah Children Centres. The panel addressed the advantages and disadvantages of social media sites and their part in disseminating positive ideas and expertise that can benefit the community, while avoiding the potential to violate the privacy of others.