Understanding between Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination and China Disabled Persons’ Federation

Towards the Abu Dhabi Vision in the Service of People of Determination

Areas of Collaboration Include Education, Employment, Rehabilitation, Culture, Arts, Sports, and Social Services

The first initiative of the strategic partnership is the launch of a unified Emirati and Chinese Sign Language dictionary.

Toward achieving the vision of the United Arab Emirates and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the service of people of determination, and in order to extend bridges of cooperation and exchange of experiences with all relevant authorities at local, regional and global levels, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination has signed a memorandum of understanding with China Disabled Persons' Federation. Terms of the memorandum include collaborative development and knowledge sharing between the two entities in matters of all services provided to people of determination, including education, employment, rehabilitation, culture, arts, sports and social services, as well as the promotion of mutual understanding and friendship between the two entities, in a manner that serves to benefit the development of services provided to people of determination in both the United Arab Emirates and the People's Republic of China.

During the ceremony, which was held through video conference, in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri, the country's ambassador to the People's Republic of China, His Excellency Mr. Nia Jian, the Chinese ambassador in Abu Dhabi, and Her Excellency Mme Zhang Haidi, Chairperson of China Disabled Persons' Federation, the memorandum of understanding was signed exchanged by His Excellency Abdullah Abdulalee Al Humaidan, Secretary General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, and by His Excellency Mr. Zhou Changkui , President of China Disabled Persons' Federation. The cooperation launching ceremony was attended by leadership from both the organization and the federation.

His Excellency Dr. Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri, the country's ambassador to China, expressed his happiness in witnessing the cooperation between Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination and the Chinese Federation for the Disabled, saying that the United Arab Emirates and the People's Republic of China share a comprehensive and distinctive strategic partnership based on shared human values and mutual respect, and an appreciation of the unique skills, merits, and culture of each country. He stressed that the cooperation between Zayed Higher Organization and the Chinese Federation will serve as a representation of the close and distinctive relationship between the two countries, especially in the humanitarian field.

During his speech at the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony, he added: “The UAE government strongly supports education and learning services for people of determination. The strategy of the UAE Ministry of Education is to adapt public schools to facilitate education for people of determination, and accordingly, afford all people of determination the right to enroll in any school, through the Department of Special Education, which protect the rights of people of determination and ensures their access to the same educational opportunities as students in the mainstream education system".

His Excellency Dr. Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri explained that there are many governmental and private institutions, centers and clubs in the country that provide rehabilitation and services for people of determination, highlighting that Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination is the primary government center for people of determination and is an umbrella entity for all existing and future humanitarian agencies, social services and institutions established in Abu Dhabi to achieve humanitarian goals for people of determination.

His Excellency Abdullah Abdulalee Al Humaidan, Secretary General of Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination, welcomed the signing of the memorandum of understanding with China Disabled Persons' Federation, which is responsible for representing and ensuring the rights and interests of people of determination, has extensive experience and an excellent reputation, and works to improve mechanisms to ensure the interests of people of determination, and eliminate discrimination. The federation focuses on respecting and guaranteeing the rights of people of determination, improving their well-being, enhancing their capacity to self-improvement, as well as ensuring their ability to participate in the country's development process, meaning that Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination now has the opportunity to benefit from the wealth of knowledge of China Disabled Persons' Federation.

He stressed that the signing of the memorandum of understanding is an embodiment of the successful strategic partnerships that link a number of UAE entities and their counterparts to the People's Republic of China in several fields and represents a practical response to the directives of leaders in the two countries on the need to strengthen cooperation in all areas, including those areas represented in the memorandum of understanding.  The UAE welcomes collaboration with all countries of the world, toward intensifying bilateral cooperation on issues of common interest, in order to achieve common goals, and to enhance the nation's role in the service of UAE and Chinese societies.

He thanked all officials of China Disabled Persons' Federation for their cooperation with Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination and stressed that the organization seeks to build bridges of communication with all agencies and institutions at both local and international levels, to serve its people of determination affiliates in order to empower them and ensure their social inclusion.

His Excellency the Secretary General stated that Zayed Higher Organization aims, through its signing of the memorandum of understanding, to open new areas for cooperation in various fields with China Disabled Persons' Federation, and the organization is working hard to attain the vision of the United Arab Emirates and the vision of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the service of people of determination, which includes encouraging social development that enhances economic and social development at the local level, he praised, in this context, the endless support provided for people of determination by all state entities, which invaluably contributes to the advancement and progress of our dear homeland, the United Arab Emirates.

HE Ambassador Nia Jian, the Chinese Ambassador in Abu Dhabi, on behalf of his country's embassy in the UAE, offered his warmest congratulations on this occasion, and expressed his happiness at attending the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding between the Chinese and Emirati authorities specialized in the affairs of people of determination, saying: “The memorandum marks a new milestone for the implementation of shared goals between the leadership of the two countries on strengthening bilateral relations, in a way that opens a new field for Chinese-Emirati cooperation, and adds a new dynamic to humanitarian and cultural cooperation between the two countries".

In his speech during the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony, he added: “We are currently witnessing the growth and development of comprehensive strategic relations between the two countries, creating future opportunities for in-depth cooperation in support of people of determination. This year marks the centenary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, as well as the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the United Arab Emirates, making the signing of this memorandum of understanding especially significant. I hope that bilateral cooperation for the benefit of people of determination in both countries will be conducted in a balanced and continuous manner, adding new elements to the comprehensive strategic relations between the two countries".

H.E. Mme Zhang Haidi, Chairperson of China Disabled Persons' Federation, stated that China and the United Arab Emirates enjoy good bilateral relationship. The UAE is an important partner of the Belt and Road Initiative, and an active participant of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination has played a leading role in protecting the rights and interests of persons with disabilities in the UAE, and China Disabled Persons' Federation looks forward to carrying out cooperation with Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination in rehabilitation, education, accessibility, employment, etc. of persons with disabilities and jointly advancing their inclusive development in the two countries.

Dictionary of Chinese and Emirati Sign Languages

During the signing ceremony of the joint memorandum of understanding, an initiative was announced to launch a unified dictionary for Chinese and Emirati sign language, "The Emirati-Chinese Sign Language Dictionary Project", the first strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation initiative between Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination and China Disabled Persons' Federation, aims to embody a portal for cultural exchange and to achieve social and cultural communication between hearing impaired people of determination in the two countries. The initiative comes in support of initiatives to implement the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination.

The project is a representation of both parties' commitment to social responsibility, as well as their keenness to provide the highest standards of services while facilitating efficiency and flexibility. The dictionary contains 100 common sign language words for Chinese Sign Language and their Emirati Sign Language synonym, serving as a cultural portal for hearing impaired people of determination in the two countries. The dictionary has been designed to be compatible with Chinese search engines to ensure its usage in China.