Sharjah24: Sharjah Museums Authority (SMA) will organize a virtual seminar titled “Empowering Youth in Cultural Institutions through Humanitarian Action” to mark the International Youth Day on August 12 and the World Humanitarian Day on August 19.

The session, which is held in line with SMA’s approaches for supporting youth, activating their role and enabling them to overcome challenges facing them, is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, August 17, at 12:30pm. 

With a simultaneous translation to English available, the discussion will bring together Hamed Ibrahim Bin Karam, Programs Senior Manager -Sama Dubai TV, Huda Walid Al Bastaki, President of the Community Development Authority’s Youth Council-Social Care for people of Determination, and Amna Abdullah Al Naqbi, SMA Training Coordinator.

Speakers will discuss a number of topics including humanitarian action from a youth perspective, the importance of humanitarian action, personal experience in humanitarian work and its impact on both personal and practical aspects. 

The role of cultural institutions in supporting and inspiring young people to engage in humanitarian work will also be highlighted. 

Speakers will also address challenges or difficulties faced by young people when they choose to embrace humanitarian action and the importance of motivating young people to actively participate in humanitarian work. 

The session aims to highlight the role cultural institutions can play in supporting and encouraging volunteerism and humanitarian initiatives by activating the role of youth working in these institutions. It also illustrates SMA’s unwavering efforts to enhance the youth’s role and encourage them to take the initiative in humanitarian work.

Believing in volunteerism and its role in community development, Sharjah Museums Authority has dedicated a section for volunteerism to both staff and people wishing to voluntarily work in museums. 

SMA organises numerous activities and events throughout the year, cooperates with many voluntary entities and teams, and supports volunteering youth teams.  

It has additionally launched an array of voluntary initiatives and campaigns for its staff, just to name a few the “Ramadan Aman” campaign in 2018, which was organised by Al Ihsan Charity Association. 

SMA has also took part in Sharjah Voluntary Work Exhibition at the University of Sharjah which targeted university students and those interested in voluntary activities, and the Volunteer Exhibition at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai while its staff participated in the Ramadan Iftar initiative at Old People’s Home-care.

In celebration of the International Volunteer Day in 2019 and to promote volunteer work, SMA staff members were tasked simple volunteer works through an initiative launched to mark the day. 

SMA also organizes workshops specialized in volunteering, in collaboration with its in-house volunteers and competent volunteering authorities in the country.

The International Youth Day, which was endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 1999, aims to bring youth issues to the attention of the international community and to have their voices heard. 

It also aims to recognize the outstanding initiatives and qualities of young people and include them in the development of communities around the world.

It’s also aimed at enhancing awareness about their issues and concerns and entrenching the culture of change and challenge by igniting the spirit of leadership in them and encouraging communities to provide them with the necessary support.  

The World Humanitarian Day was designated by the UN General Assembly in 2008 to raise awareness about humanitarian assistance worldwide and to inspire humanitarian action across all areas of health, science, environment, service and relief. 

It is also dedicated to pay tribute to those who risk their lives to provide assistance and support to the world's most vulnerable people.

SMA’s annual calendar includes a plethora of programs and diverse activities such as dialogue sessions, workshops, lectures and exhibitions that are coinciding with various national and global occasions, alongside its regular events organized throughout the year for all community members.