Emirates Foundation, the national organization set up by the Abu Dhabi Government to facilitate public-private funded initiatives for the empowerment of youth across the UAE, announced today the receipt of a generous personal endowment of AED 5 million from businesswoman and philanthropist Mrs. Muna Easa Al Gurg which will be utilized towards the Foundation’s programs towards the empowerment of youth across the UAE.
Commenting on the donation His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affair and International Cooperation and Chairman of Emirates Foundation said: “On this occasion: “In The Year of Zayed, the United Arab Emirates proudly honors the deeply held values and noble virtues established by the nation’s founding father the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, which are centered around service oriented actions, selfless giving and altruism.”
His Highness added that advancing progress and development should not be the responsibility of the public and private sectors only, but the responsibility of all individuals and institutions. His Highness praised on this occasion the donation provided by Mona Issa Al-Gurg, which he says serves as a model for others to emulate.
The AED 5 million endowment to the Emirates Foundation is the latest in a series of personal philanthropic donations made by Mrs. Al Gurg, who is also Retail Director of Easa Al Gurg Group and has been an active board member of the Emirates Foundation since 2005. The Foundation will use the endowment from Mrs. Al Gurg to support its’ portfolio of 6 programmes for youth development in the UAE, focusing on Science, Technology & Innovation, Social Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy, Volunteerism and Employability.
Mrs. Al Gurg said: “His Highness Sheikh Zayed once said that we should: ‘Use the wealth which God has provided us in the service of the nation.’ This edict should not just apply to our government, but to all of us who have been blessed with prosperity thanks to the wise leadership of the UAE. It is our duty as individuals to ‘pay it forward’ to the generations who come after us.”
In addition to her role in business and as Board member for Emirates Foundation, for the last decade, Mrs. Al Gurg has served as Chairwomen of the Young Arab Leaders, where she promotes education, entrepreneurship and youth development.
A strong advocate for women in business, within the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group Mrs. Al Gurg established Al Gurg Women's Empowerment Forum, providing a platform for women to voice their opinions to company board members. In 2015 she launched the Muna Al Gurg Scholarship at London Business School, supporting Arab female students studying on the school’s MBA and Executive MBA program. In addition, she holds a position at the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Charity Foundation, where she is responsible for strategy and initiatives both in the UAE and internationally, including primary education support for underprivileged children in Zanzibar.
Mrs Al Gurg is also a member of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Sustainability Board, which is mandated to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to refugees in the MENA region. Finally, she is a founding board member and Co-Chair of Endeavor UAE, a non-profit organization promoting high-impact entrepreneurship in emerging and growth markets.