The Supreme Council of Women announced the launch of the fourth session of the award of Her Highness Sheikha Hasa bint Salman Al Khalifa, volunteer youth work, which is a prize that carries in its content more than one meaning, as it does not stop at the limits of competition between young people or the culmination of their initiatives, but rather confirms the deep faith of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the value of volunteer work as a pillar of sustainable community development.
This award is receiving direct attention from Her Royal Highness Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the wife of the great king of the country, President of the Supreme Council for Women, who believes that young people are the true energy of the future, and that investing in their bids is an investment in the sustainability of society.
From this standpoint, the award aims to spread and enhance the concept of a culture of volunteer work among young people and highlight its moral value as a national and humanitarian duty, as it works to motivate young people of both sexes and groups to participate actively in volunteer work projects.
This award, which was born in 2011, and continued until today, was not just a symbolic event, but rather turned into a real platform to highlight the energies of Bahraini youth and their innovations in the service of their community. Whoever reads its goals finds that it focuses on enhancing the spirit of honorable competition, consolidating the concept of volunteering, and stimulating the qualitative initiatives that translate the national sense into concrete actions on the ground.
But the biggest challenge today exceeds the moment of victory and the rise of the platform; The initiatives offered by young people, whether individual or collective, carry in essence, national ideas that can be applicable on a larger scale. Hence, the need to embrace these voluntary talents after winning, and turning them into national projects under the supervision of the relevant government agencies, so that they do not remain just passing youth experiences, but rather turn into effective tributaries that supply the development process in Bahrain.
Converting prizes into incubators is the best way to institutionalize volunteerism, ensure its continuity, and maximize its effect on society. How much of a small youth idea that has grown to become a successful national project when I found institutional support and the incubating environment. Here, the role of the ministries and official bodies that can adopt these initiatives, each in its field, highlights the youth enthusiasm into sustainable achievements.
The Hessa Bint Salman Award for Youth Voluntary Work does not celebrate the victory in itself, but rather opens the door to a comprehensive societal partnership, which makes giving a way of life, and youth creativity is a continuous national resource. Thus, the award has moved from being a medal of honor, until she became a factory to produce national initiatives that reflect Bahrain’s bright image in front of the world.
