“One Billion Meals” Initiative Reinforces the UAE’s Values of Humanity and Global Responsibility

Written by Dr. Hamada Alantably

Since the founding of the United Arab Emirates by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan—may God rest his soul—the nation has worked tirelessly to uphold the values of humanity and social responsibility. It has not stopped there; it has also firmly established the principle of global responsibility. In every global occasion, crisis, or humanitarian situation, the UAE government is always prominently present to fulfill the duty it has imposed upon itself out of its global commitment.

Yesterday, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai—may God protect him—announced the “One Billion Meals” initiative as the largest campaign in the region to provide food support to the poor and hungry across 50 countries worldwide. Embracing the noble prophetic saying, “He is not a believer who eats his fill while his neighbor goes hungry beside him,” the initiative strongly contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2: “Zero Hunger” by 2030.

This initiative is not the first of its kind. His Highness has consistently launched humanitarian initiatives that help cement the UAE’s position as an active contributor to international efforts in addressing and overcoming humanitarian challenges. Following the resounding success of the “100 Million Meals” campaign launched by His Highness during Ramadan last year, this new initiative builds upon and invests in that success. Furthermore, this campaign was preceded just a day earlier by the provision of humanitarian aid to those affected by the war in Ukraine. Beyond this, the UAE ranks among the world’s leading donor countries across various aid levels, driven by its belief that the nation has a duty to assist peoples around the world in need of support and relief, and to aid countries suffering from disasters and crises caused by poverty, wars, or other challenges.

The initiative has also opened the door for all segments of society to contribute through donations, providing a sustainable option to support the most vulnerable and those suffering from malnutrition. Donations are open to everyone, both inside and outside the country, until the ultimate goal is achieved.

It is worth noting that the “One Billion Meals” initiative, organized by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, aims to support the world’s neediest groups by providing all forms of food support to the poor and disadvantaged, embodying the spirit of the holy month which emphasizes that the best form of charity is feeding people.

This campaign comes to combat the repercussions of hunger, malnutrition, and related diseases around the world—crises that result in a child losing their life every 10 seconds, the death of 25,000 people daily (including 10,000 children), while 800 million people worldwide go to sleep hungry every single day, and 52 million people in the Middle East and North Africa suffer from some form of hunger or malnutrition, the majority of whom are women and children.

By Dr. Hamada Alantably