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DUBAI/WAM
The UAE Year of Community 2025 has come to a close, successfully concluding its mission of inspiring everyone who calls the UAE home to contribute to building a community rooted in connection, participation, and progress.
Under the slogan “Hand in Hand,” the UAE Year of Community highlighted the importance of fostering a culture of unity, growth and giving. It brought together national entities and institutions, as well as local creatives who utilised their crafts to create meaningful experiences and members of the public who shared their skills and stories. Together, these partnerships became part of an integrated effort to strengthen the bonds that define community in the UAE.
Rauda Al Falasi, Project Lead of the Year of Community, stated, “The UAE is shaped by everyone who calls the UAE home, united in shared spaces, values, and ambitions, and enriched by diverse cultures and life journeys. Throughout the year, communities across the UAE embodied active contribution and shared responsibility, uniting in collective action and contributing to the growth of our society. Every partnership and collaboration this year reflected the story of a connected community that continues to drive progress forward.”
Building on the official UAE Year of Community slogan, “Hand in Hand”, and the symbolic role of the Arabic letter Ba “بــ” as a representation of unity, the Year of Community launched the open call Who’s the “بــ” in Your Life?. The open call transformed the slogan into everyday actions and real-life stories, inviting the public to honour every giving hand within their communities, those who never hesitate to help others, whose efforts help build communities, and who serve as a source of inspiration to those around them.
Among these stories was one shared by Ola Allouz, who reflected that when she thinks of every achievement she has reached, she always finds her twin sister, Abeer, at the heart of the picture, as her source of motivation, a spark of hope, and the steady foundation of her confidence. She added that they have faced challenges shoulder to shoulder and hand in hand, complementing one another while forging a path of their own.
Aysha Khalfan also shared her story, describing Sheikh Zayed as the “بــ” from whose hands came the first threads of unity, closeness, and compassion in the nation. She added that every thread in her submission represented his generous spirit, extending to reach everyone and bringing us together, hand in hand, as one family.
In the same vein, Fatima Al Ketbi shared that her aunt, Shamsa, is the “بــ” in her life, at whose home the family gathers and whose presence keeps them connected. She added that through her wisdom and stories of people and lives from the past, her aunt gives her what she needs to create and shape her designs.
Throughout the year, the UAE Year of Community also extended to honouring individuals who dedicated themselves to serving others and contributing to the strengthening of community values. Through collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Awards, a government initiative to honour inspiring individuals, held under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE Year of Community highlighted the contributions of award recipients whose efforts continue to enrich communities. These include Dr Fatima Alsayed Yousef Al Refaei, who dedicated her life to educating and training nurses in the UAE; Abdul Muqeet Abdul Mannan, whose idea of transforming old newspapers into paper bags inspired many to choose sustainability; and HE Klaithem Obaid Al Matrooshi, whose inspiring story helped advance inclusive access for People of Determination.
The UAE Year of Community also collaborated with Emirates Foundation, a national organisation driving social transformation and sustainable community development, through the “7 Volunteering Opportunities in 7 Emirates” initiative, which advanced volunteering, particularly specialised volunteering, highlighting community champions and expanding opportunities for meaningful volunteer participation.
Dedicated environments for creative skill-building and interaction turned shared values into tangible experiences. The partnership with MAKE Abu Dhabi, a space focused on building creative skills and making, design, engineering, and the arts, brought together makers for learning, creativity, and community-building. The collaboration with Cinema Akil, the UAE’s leading independent cinema platform, invited film lovers, storytellers, families, and friends for an open cinema night celebrating stories that unite people through the big screen.
Celebrating shared memories, the beauty of neighbourhoods, and the spirit of community, “We Archive” on the official website of the Year of Community created a growing archive of photos and memories. It brought together individuals from all seven emirates to document places, moments, and glimpses of daily life that reflect the diversity and vibrancy of the community. Contributors included Latifa Al Mazrouei, who documented the warmth of her grandmother’s presence as a living family memory. Abdullah Taher highlighted the value of gatherings and visits through a sunset moment that brought brothers together in the Al-Fahidi neighbourhood in Dubai. Also featured is Abdullah Al Ustad, who revived old Eid traditions by capturing a photo of children in the neighbourhood grocery store. These snapshots preserve the beauty of the nation’s neighbourhoods and the enduring spirit of its people.
In collaboration with Ferjan Dubai, the spirit of collective creativity was celebrated with the development of the Emirati Birthday Song. Shaped by the community, the initiative created a new melody that blended music, memory, and cultural storytelling. Individuals across the country were invited to contribute, with contributions from school students, poets, amateur singers, and musicians.
Local creatives played a central role in shaping the UAE Year of Community, bringing craft and creativity into public experience. A limited series of Risograph prints reflecting the spirit of the year was designed in collaboration with Full Special Studio, the first independent commercial Risograph studio in the UAE. Designer Noor Al Fahim, founder of The Noor Creative, produced sustainable products that reflect local traditions associated with picnics. Deenah Al Hashemi, founder of Sxill Lab, produced a soap collection of warm, distinctive fragrance notes, inspired by the memories and stories that shape community life.
As an extension of the effort to cultivate community values through innovation, the UAE Year of Community expanded its outreach to younger generations. In preparation for the launch of the “UAE Craft: Community Edition” game, a building challenge event was organised where students collaborated on design and construction to enhance teamwork and understand the UAE’s diverse environments.
“UAE Craft: Community Edition”, soon to be launched in Arabic and English, will provide an innovative educational experience for children aged 6 to 12. The game combines play and learning, reflecting the values of unity, giving, and growth through the development of an Emirati oasis and the exploration of five interactive biomes: Al Gafila (desert biome), Al Freej (village biome), Pearl Diving (marine biome), Al Jabal (mountain biome), and Al Qurm (mangrove biome).
Players will also meet a group of characters representing different aspects of Emirati heritage and environments: Suhail, the first character to welcome players to the oasis and begin their exploration and learning journey; Maitha (Conservationalist), who invites players to help protect wildlife and preserve nature; Faris (Horse Trainer), who presents educational challenges at the horse camp to strengthen practical skills and cooperation; Osha (Young Falconer), who asks for help in finding her falcons, teaching players about falconry heritage and its associated values. Throughout this journey, the children will participate in tasks and activities that foster creativity, collaboration, and community engagement, culminating in a future-oriented innovation hub that reflects what can be achieved when the community works together, providing an enjoyable learning experience.
Public participation took place in both digital and on-the-ground spaces. The Community Impact Tracker provided institutions and companies the opportunity to register initiatives, measure impact, and enhance community contribution by showcasing, documenting, and quantifying their contributions. The tracker saw an overwhelming response, with over 350 community initiatives registered across the UAE spanning cultural, educational, health, and environmental sectors, as well as heritage and empowerment programmes. These contributions highlight a diverse landscape of institutional involvement and underscore the nationwide commitment to shared responsibility and collective social impact.
As the UAE Year of Community concludes, the impact of what has been built together is reflected in a community that celebrates its diversity and invests in its people, where unity, growth, and giving are embodied as paths renewed through collaborations, stories, and initiatives, extending their influence into a strong and capable future for all.
Over the past decade, the annual UAE Year of initiatives have contributed to consolidating national values, encouraging active participation, and promoting a sense of shared responsibility, emphasising that belonging is an act that is built, shared, and renewed through community practices and actions.