JEDDAH: In recognition of the outstanding achievements made by ALJCI through its diversified programs and initiatives in the Arab world in general, and Saudi Arabia in particular, the Arab Volunteering Organization (AVO) named Engineer Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, President of ALJ Community Initiatives (ALJCI), as the "Saudi Volunteer of the Year". The recognition came during the first day of the five-day 7th Arab Volunteering Organization Conference in Cairo Saturday. Organized under theme "Volunteering for a better future" and sponsored by the Arab League as the biggest Arab volunteering demonstration, the event was attended by Essam Sharaf, the Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister and Amro Musa, the Secretary General of the Arab League. Yousuf ben Ali Al Kazim, Secretary General of the Arab Volunteering Organization, said the conference is the ever-biggest event in the history of the organization. It is expected that 17 Arab states will participate in the conference, namely Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (for the first time), Sudan, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania and Jordan. Al Kazim added that the Organization is organizing the conference annually to encourage volunteering work in the Arab world, improve communication between the Arab volunteering associations and to educate the Arab public about the importance of volunteering. Al Kazim said the conference would recognize several Arab institutions and individuals for the contribution to the volunteering works. Engineer Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel expressed appreciation to the Deputy Prime Minister of Egypt and the Secretary General of the Arab League for this honor, and also for Najeeb Bin Abdul Rahman Al Zamil, the president of the Saudi delegation and chairman of the Volunteering Association, for his efforts to upgrade volunteering work in Saudi Arabia. Engineer Jameel said ALJCI is seeking to propagate volunteering work culture among the public as one of the most important tools to develop the society, saying that the recognition he received is the fruit of the cumulative efforts of beneficiaries and associates in ALJCI. Engineer Jameel announced that the initiatives and services provided by ALJCI will be developed and expanded during the upcoming period to serve more Saudi citizens. Al Zamil said the Kingdom is participating in the conference for the first time represented by the Volunteering Association and the Arab Media Center. He added that such conferences present great opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing with similar organizations, as well as introducing creative initiatives that add to the volunteering work, locally and regionally. Honoring King Khaled Charity Organization and Engineer Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel shows the extent to which the volunteering work has developed in the Kingdom, Al Zamil noted. Ibrahim Mohammed Badawood, ALJCI's Executive Director, received the recognition on behalf of Engineer Jameel. Badawood thanked Al Zamil for supporting volunteering work in the Kingdom through the Volunteering Association, and viewed the conference as an opportunity to know more about the volunteering work in the Arab world.
