Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Community is not built simply by living together. It forms when people contribute, show up for one another, and work towards something bigger than themselves, a senior official told Aletihad.
"When people volunteer together… when they support different causes together - they stop focusing on the differences between them and focus on how they can create an impact," Maysa Alnuwais, Executive Director of Community Engagement and Volunteering at Ma'an, told Aletihad on the sidelines of the Abrahamic Family House's latest Dialogue Series session.
Alnuwais stressed that social cohesion is not a byproduct of proximity. "It is actually created when we are able to contribute and work towards a common cause alongside one another," she said.
In the UAE, she noted, community engagement plays a particularly important role as it brings people from different backgrounds together around shared goals.
Alnuwais described volunteering as an effective instrument for building human ties, enhancing collective responsibility, and bringing about positive social change - one that extends the values learned within families into the wider community.
The family, she stressed, is where it all begins. "Family is a fundamental pillar of cohesive and thriving societies. It is the first environment in which values such as responsibility, belonging, and solidarity are nurtured," Al Nuaimi said during the session that highlighted the role of family, community, and volunteering in strengthening belonging.
"When families and communities work together, opportunities for meaningful participation and volunteerism grow, strengthening human connections and enhancing quality of life for everyone," she added.
For Alnuwais, belonging is not passive; it comes from participation. "When people feel connected, when they know that they have a role to play in society, they will keep coming to volunteer again and again because they want to see that impact grow," she said.
She also dismissed the idea that some communities could be lacking compassion. What they need, she said, are opportunities for people to contribute and make a difference.
Reflecting on the impact of volunteering, Alnuwais recalled the role the community played during the COVID-19 pandemic and severe weather events. "Volunteers become the bridge between the need and the solution," she said.
Her vision, she added, is for volunteering to become a natural part of everyday life. "I want to see more families volunteering. I want to see more young people being engaged. I want to see more partnerships between the private sector, the public sector, and the third sector," she said.
She added that building connected and inclusive communities is a shared responsibility. "The strongest communities are not defined by what they have. They are defined by how they come together and support each other."
The session is part of the Abrahamic Family House's ongoing dialogue programme promoting understanding and coexistence.
