PR93190

ROME, Nov. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

On Thursday November 18, in the Sala Protomoteca of the Campidoglio in Rome,

the United Arab Emirates, represented by Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister

and Minister of the Interior received an award from the Parliamentary Assembly

of the Mediterranean (PAM) for Waterfalls, a global initiative launched by the

UAE Ministry of Possibilities, aimed at building the capabilities of medical

professionals around the world.

Every year, the PAM rewards an individual, organisation or institution whose

actions have contributed to establishing bridges among people, thereby

fostering understanding, mutual respect, socio-economic cooperation, political

dialogue, confidence building, and conflict solution.

This year, the award recognised the achievements of Waterfalls, a global

initiative guided by Mohamed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of

the UAE and Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme

Commander of the Armed Forces. Waterfalls has delivered continuous education to

over 1 million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians, and specialists

from 197 countries, to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian

fields during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his acceptance speech, Saif bin Zayed said:

"I thank the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, which spares no

effort in its endeavors to bring people together, for this award.

We are here today to affirm our full commitment to building bridges of

cooperation, and to provide assistance to all those who need it, regardless of

nationality, race or religion.

These are the principles on which the UAE was founded fifty years ago, by the

late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who followed this humanitarian

approach, leading the country with his wisdom and sincere desire for world

peace and coexistence."

Waterfalls is a global initiative for continuous education launched by the UAE

in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, aiming to virtually deliver healthcare

professionals with the continuous knowledge and upskilling their professions

require.

The initiative reached worldwide scale and with the participation of 84

international scientific, medical, and academic institutions like the Harvard

Medical School and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of

Humanitarian Affairs, more than 347 well-renowned local and international

speakers and lecturers delivered over 559 specialised online webinars in 15

different medical fields.

Ambassador Sergio Piazzi, the PAM Secretary General, said of Waterfalls:

"The commitment and passion behind this initiative, developed at an impressive

speed, show the UAE's dedication to supporting international education.

That is why we are proud to be part of the Waterfalls program, which acts as a

bridge connecting expertise and thus forming long-lasting collaborations for

the benefit of all."

Ronald Lavater, CEO of the International Hospital Federation, who is also a

partner to the initiative, said:

"Not only does the Waterfalls Initiative provide a strong system that trains

doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists across the world,

but it also is the main provider for online webinars presented by well-renowned

local and international speakers and lecturers.

This translates the UAE's strong mission to empower all clusters of society, as

it has built an impressive model that cannot be underestimated in the field of

knowledge and education."

This is only the beginning of the initiative.

With the continued support of Mohamed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed,

the first Waterfalls Awards will be held in March 2022. A jury of distinguished

professionals, including representatives of leading institutions such as the

Red Cross and the World Health Organization, will honour 50 doctors whose

exceptional contribution to the front-line fight against the pandemic deserves

to be recognised. Some even paid the ultimate price and sacrificed their lives

in the service of others, which Waterfalls will pay tribute to.

Facts and Figures

With the help of:

- 84 Academic and Scientific Institutes, including the International Hospital

Federation, University of London, American Pharmacists Association, American

Academy of Dermatology, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs,

Singapore Medical Association, Korean Breast Cancer Society, etc.

- 347 distinguished doctors and specialists, covering 15 medical specialties

including: dermatology, oncology, emergency medicine, humanitarian medicine,

pharmacology, cardiology, ophthalmology, dentistry, etc.

The Waterfalls Initiative has so far delivered:

- 559 Webinars

- Attended by 1,067,803 participants

- In 197 countries

Source: Waterfalls Initiative