Department of Community Development hosts community talks to strengthen families and celebrate national identity
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Department of Community Development (DCD) has hosted a series of Community Talks, designed to bring people together for meaningful conversations around family, culture, and community values, supporting the aspirations of the UAE's Year of Community.Now in its second year, the initiative offers a platform for open discussion during Ramadan, focusing on the importance of family bonds, social unity, and national identity. It reflects DCD's ongoing mission to foster stronger, more connected communities rooted in Emirati values.The sessions bring together thought leaders, family experts, cultural advocates, and content creators with members of the public in an interactive and inclusive setting. The aim is to explore key social themes, offer practical insights, and spark conversations that support long-term community wellbeing.Among the attendees were Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of DCD, His Excellency Hamad Ali Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary at DCD, along with executive leaders, department staff, and members of the community.Sheikha Al Hosani, Executive Director of the Social Monitoring and Innovation Sector at DCD, said: 'These sessions are about more than conversation—they're about connection. They help raise awareness around the importance of building strong, resilient families and keeping our cultural heritage alive for the next generation.'The first session, The Year of the Community and Family – A Path to Sustainable Social Cohesion, took place at Nabd Al Falah Community Centre. The discussion explored the foundations of family stability, the role of social institutions in supporting families, the benefits of financial planning, and the influence of digital content in promoting positive values.The second session, Values and Heritage – Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future, was held at Bait Mohammed bin Khalifa in Al Ain. The session highlighted the essential role of Emirati values and traditions in shaping national identity, especially in a time of rapid cultural change.Cultural experts and heritage advocates joined the session to share strategies for preserving and passing on Emirati traditions. The discussion also looked at how modern platforms and digital media can be used to engage younger generations and promote a strong sense of identity in today's globalised world.
Through initiatives like these Ramadan dialogues, DCD continues to reinforce social connection and national values, building a community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. By encouraging open conversation and collaboration, DCD is helping to shape a more resilient and unified society—one that carries its heritage into the future.
Year of Community
Continue full coverage
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sharjah 24
11 hours ago
- Sharjah 24
UAE conducts 75th airdrop of aid over Gaza Strip
The shipment included quantities of essential food supplies, prepared with the support of Emirati charitable institutions and organisations, to meet the needs of the population amid the dire humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. With the completion of this airdrop, the total aid delivered by air under the operation has surpassed 4,012 tonnes of food and other essential supplies, reaffirming the UAE's unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and strengthening their resilience. These initiatives highlight the UAE's pioneering role in international relief efforts, mobilising regional and international cooperation and reinforcing the nation's approach of giving to alleviate the suffering of those affected by crises.
Sharjah 24
17 hours ago
- Sharjah 24
UAE shows 'Lifeline' water project in Khan Younis to journalists
The tour aimed to monitor the project's implementation and assess how affected families, especially children and the elderly, are benefiting from the new water supply. The new 7.5-kilometre pipeline runs from Emirati desalination plants in Egypt's Rafah to the Al Mawasi area in southern Gaza. It is expected to benefit 600,000 Palestinians, providing each person with 15 litres of fresh water daily. This will help ease the severe water shortage that has affected residents for months. The "Lifeline" project aims to alleviate the suffering of a population grappling with frequent water outages and high temperatures. By providing clean, safe drinking water, the initiative helps safeguard public health and reduces the daily burden on displaced families, who have been without access to a functioning water network for months. The project is an extension of previous UAE efforts to address Gaza's water crisis, which include building desalination plants, providing water tankers, digging wells, and maintaining water networks. The UAE has also implemented other urgent infrastructure projects to ensure sustained humanitarian support and meet the population's basic needs.
Al Etihad
18 hours ago
- Al Etihad
DCT – Abu Dhabi discovers ancient cross in latest archaeological excavation at monastery site on Sir Bani Yas Island
19 Aug 2025 15:05 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced the discovery of a cross moulded on a stucco plaque from the ancient monastery on Sir Bani Yas Island, off the coast of Al Dhafra Region in Abu find, made during the first major excavation on the island in more than 30 years, serves as a reminder of the deep rooted traditions of peaceful coexistence in the January 2025, DCT Abu Dhabi launched a new fieldwork campaign on Sir Bani Yas Island, leading to the discovery of a Christian cross moulded on a plaster plaque, an object believed to have been used by monks for spiritual contemplation. The style of the cross shows similarities with finds from Iraq and Kuwait, and is linked to the Church of the East, which has origins in ancient discovery underscores DCT Abu Dhabi's ongoing commitment to uncovering and preserving the emirate's rich cultural heritage, reinforcing the UAE's legacy of coexistence, peace, and Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, DCT Abu Dhabi, said, 'The discovery of this ancient Christian cross on Sir Bani Yas Island is a powerful testament to the UAE's profound and enduring values of coexistence and cultural openness. It stirs within us a deep sense of pride and honour and reminds us that peaceful coexistence is not a modern construct, but a principle woven into the very fabric of our region's history.'The ongoing discoveries from Sir Bani Yas Island, even after 30 years of research and excavation, underscore the magnitude of our cultural legacy and the importance of our continued commitment to its preservation and understanding. As DCT Abu Dhabi continues to uncover these valuable stories, we reaffirm our dedication to preserving, promoting, and protecting Abu Dhabi's diverse heritage, one that we are honoured to share with the world. "These discoveries deepen our connection to the past and inspire future generations to embrace the spirit of unity and mutual respect that has long defined our community.' A seventh-to eighth-century CE Christian monastery was first discovered on Sir Bani Yas Island in 1992 by the Abu Dhabi Islands Archaeological Survey (ADIAS), under the direction of the UAE's leadership. Excavations since then have uncovered a church and a monastic complex occupied at the same time as the monastery. They are currently interpreted as separate spaces, where senior monks retreated for periods of contemplation and ascetic are currently researching and exploring a group of courtyard houses near the monastery, where early Christian monks lived in Bani Yas is part of a wider group of churches and monasteries that emerged across the region around the same period, with similar sites found in Umm Al Quwain, Kuwait, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. Christianity spread and declined across the Arabian Peninsula between the fourth and sixth centuries CE. Christians and Muslims later co-existed until the eighth century CE, when the Sir Bani Yas monastery was peacefully abandoned. Today, the church and the monastery, set within nature reserves home to gazelles and hyrax, serve as a reminder of Abu Dhabi's ancient part of restoration efforts carried out by DCT Abu Dhabi in 2019, the church and monastery are now protected by Sir Bani Yas church and monastery site has reopened to the public with improved facilities, including directional signage and a small exhibition of artefacts from previous excavations, such as glass chalices, a cross-shaped stucco, and a stamp seal with a scorpion motif. A multi-faith church, inspired by the ancient site, has also been built adjacent to the visitor centre. DCT Abu Dhabi will continue excavating the courtyard houses in the coming years, which may be integrated into a wider visitor trail connecting the island's cultural landmarks.
