Reflecting its commitment to expanding community participation and promoting volunteerism, the Sharjah Book Authority announced the launch of the 'Flexible Volunteering' initiative for the first time in its history, as part of the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair. The initiative aims to empower all community members over the age of 15 to contribute to the region's largest cultural event through a flexible model that allows for volunteering for a single day or a set number of hours, with a minimum of one hour, to suit participants' schedules and free time, in line with the United Arab Emirates' 'Year of the Community 2025'. Regarding the 'Flexible Volunteering' initiative, Badr Mohammad Saab, Head of Government Communications at the Sharjah Book Authority, said: 'The initiative comes in line with the UAE's direction in the 'Year of the Community 2025', which focuses on enhancing the spirit of participation and social responsibility, and establishing the values of giving and volunteerism as part of the national identity. From this standpoint, the Sharjah Book Authority has sought to open the door for participation from all segments of society, including youth, employees, and culture enthusiasts, to be active partners in the success of one of the most prominent cultural events in the world.' Saab added: 'The concept of 'Flexible Volunteering' is a practical step towards empowering individuals, especially school and university students, to contribute to cultural events in a way that suits their daily commitments, which allows them to experience a rich journey that combines community service and skill acquisition.' The initiative provides students from schools, colleges, and universities the opportunity to complete their required volunteer hours for graduation. Volunteer tasks include assisting the exhibition's operational teams in registration, reception, and surveys, serving various departments such as IT, finance, and logistics, or being present at airports and hotels to welcome guests. Volunteer hours are officially certified through the 'Sharjah Center for Volunteering' platform after approval, and participants receive certificates of participation in volunteer work. This year's edition received over 1,000 volunteer applications, 500 of which were accepted. Tasks will be distributed to them during the exhibition, which hosts 2,350 publishers and exhibitors from 118 countries, and more than 250 creators, writers, and thinkers from 66 Arab and foreign countries, presenting over 1,200 activities.
