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UAE calls on the global community to join efforts to instill and maintain human dignity through storytelling

  • Dignified Storytelling, an initiative led by Dubai Cares, Expo 2020 Dubai and UAE MOFAIC, upholds the UAE's vision of furthering human dignity around the world
  • Dignified Storytelling Forum to take place on 10 December 2021 at Expo 2020 Dubai, the first World Expo to be held in the MEASA region

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dubai Cares, Expo 2020 Dubai and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation (MoFAIC) have come together to launch Dignified Storytelling, an initiative with an aim of creating an ecosystem that fosters a shared understanding and practice of storytelling that maintains and upholds the dignity of all persons and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Today, thousands of stories are being told regardless of who tells them and how they are told. Many of these stories lack authenticity, transparency, or are driven by ulterior motives which serve a predetermined narrative. These are just some of the few obstacles that get in the way of honest, wholesome and dignified storytelling within development and humanitarian contexts. In order for a piece – be it visual, written or spoken – to reach an audience, it goes through a long process of filtration, revising and editing that sometimes alters the original content and makes it almost fictional. This in turn, ends up painting the wrong picture of the contributors who oftentimes are not aware of where their stories, visual or written, will be displayed and to what purpose will they be used.

Dignified Storytelling was born out of the need to unite the voices of content makers, editors, journalists, photographers, filmmakers, storytellers, and contributors and equip them with the awareness and hands–on knowledge that will enable them to capture moments and tell stories without compromising human dignity. In order to fulfill this need, Dignified Storytelling kickstarted global consultations a year ago, to solicit cross–sectoral perspectives on storytelling within development and humanitarian contexts, as well as set and agree on the Dignified Storytelling Principles that today serve as guidance and an advocacy tool for bringing together various stakeholders from around the world to form a global movement that will be a game changer in maintaining and promoting human dignity through storytelling.

These foundational principles are also guiding the consultative development of an accessible and practical Dignified Storytelling Handbook which provides "how–to' guidance and concrete best practice case studies. Cross–sectoral perspectives and insights from a diverse group of storytellers and experienced stakeholders from governments, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and civil society are currently informing this valuable framework and resource.

To truly embed Dignified Storytelling in the day–to–day policies and practices among international development agencies and various storytellers within the development and humanitarian sectors, Dubai Cares, Expo 2020 Dubai and UAE MoFAIC have established a Dignified Storytelling Alliance. The Alliance is a network of champions that provides advocacy, in–kind support, and input on program deliverables. Representation in the Alliance includes a deliberately diverse range of viewpoints from organizations, individuals and governments who are able to share best practices from their on–the–ground experiences within a range of development contexts.

Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Director General, Expo 2020 Dubai, remarked: "At a time when it is needed most, Expo 2020 will bring the world together in a spirit of hope and optimism, building bridges and inspiring action towards a brighter future for us all. This will be the ideal setting for strengthening Dignified Storytelling as we join our resources to reinforce the highest standards and increase the impact of those stories we choose to share with the world. The initiative also reflects the UAE's commitment to advancing responsible storytelling for the greater good of humankind, and its central role in international humanitarian and development efforts more widely."

Stressing on the importance of storytelling in the development context, Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares and Member of its Board of Directors, said: "Storytelling is a powerful communication tool in both development and humanitarian settings. Stories, both visual and written, provide an avenue for understanding different perspectives and can be an impetus for action. This is why it is important for us as a global community to tackle irresponsible storytelling, a practice that has been left unaddressed for far too long, which I believe is rooted in the absence of widely available and comprehensive guidance on how to best tell stories that maintain the dignity of all persons. I invite all storytellers, governments, agencies, and civil society to join us in this effort to instill an understanding and practice of storytelling that brings us together and reminds us of our shared humanity."

The initiative will include the Dignified Storytelling Forum, taking place at Expo 2020 Dubai on 10 December 2021 as part of the six–month mega–event. The Forum will serve as a powerful platform for key stakeholders "" including members of civil society organizations, governments, the private sector, and international agencies as well as advocates, activists, and storytellers "" to come together and collectively agree on a way forward in validating, adopting and integrating the Dignified Storytelling Principles. This will be achieved through a series of plenaries and an exhibition showcasing best practices in Dignified Storytelling, as well as side events including a press conference.

The Forum is part of Expo 2020's rich calendar of specialist programming, which reflects and celebrates the spirit of Dignified Storytelling all throughout. Encompassing cultural, social, economic, environmental and UAE–based themes, the program series has been curated in close collaboration with UAE entities, International Participants, Non–Official Participants, International Organisations and Commercial Partners and and seeks to garner solidarity around global challenges, spotlight areas of mutual interest and importance, and ensure the emergence of a meaningful legacy at the national, regional and international level.

Over the longer–term, Dignified Storytelling will create an environment of positivity that strengthens long–term relationships between the public, private, development and humanitarian sectors by placing dignified and ethical storytelling at the epicenter of knowledge sharing, stakeholder engagement, and capacity development to inspire and inform storytellers. To achieve this, the UAE calls on global stakeholders and partners to become advocates for this pivotal initiative by pledging towards the ten principles of Dignified Storytelling.

About Dubai Cares:

Since its inception in 2007, Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has been working towards providing children and youth in developing countries with access to quality education through the design and funding of programs that aim to be impactful, sustainable and scalable. To date, the UAE–based global philanthropic organization has successfully launched education programs reaching over 20 million beneficiaries in 60 developing countries.

Contact:
Makram Bou Kheir
makram.boukheir@dubaicares.ae
+971509345854

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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Sabin Vaccine Institute Names Richard Adegbola and Yacine Djibo to Board of Trustees

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Sabin Vaccine Institute (Sabin) announced that Professor Richard Adegbola and Yacine Djibo have been elected to the Board of Trustees. Professor Adegbola is a microbiologist, public health advocate and professor in Lagos, Nigeria. Ms. Djibo is founder and executive director of Speak Up Africa, a policy and advocacy action tank promoting public health and development based in Dakar, Senegal.

Sabin will benefit from their global health leadership, as well as their expertise creating community–led solutions to increase vaccine uptake and advance vaccine equity at this critical moment for immunization efforts worldwide, particularly in low– and middle–income countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that due to COVID–19, vaccination campaigns have been postponed in 50 countries: more than half of the affected countries are in Africa.

"As Sabin continues to meet today's changing immunization landscape, Richard's deep background in the lab developing vaccines and, on the ground, delivering them and Yacine's work developing cross–sector campaigns that spotlight the importance of vaccines and vaccine equity will be invaluable to Sabin and our work to ensure more people globally can get the lifesaving vaccines they need," said Regina Rabinovich, MD, MPH, chair of the Sabin Board of Trustees.

Professor Adegbola is a research professor at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and a consultant for Immunization & Global Health, RAMBICON. His 40–year career has focused on preventing infectious diseases, strengthening health care systems and mentoring young researchers. His dedication to making vaccines more accessible came while working in The Gambia. There, his research contributed to the widespread use of the Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccine, which had been the leading cause of meningitis in children. When given routinely, this vaccine now results in a 90 percent decrease in severe Hib infections.

Professor Adegbola's expertise has also helped shape pneumonia research at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and community–led decision making with GlaxoSmithKline. He holds a PhD in medical microbiology and bacteriology from University of Dundee (UK). "With vaccination in low– and middle–income countries, you have to start thinking from day one, how will this be sustainable? You must bring people into the process to take ownership," he said. "Sabin shares these values and I'm delighted to be joining the board."

Ms. Djibo founded Speak Up Africa in 2011 to help fill a gap in African voices and leadership contributing to global development policies and the United Nation's sustainable development goals. Today, the organization works in 10 countries in West and Central Africa driving economic sustainability through bolstering public health. In response to the pandemic, she helped form Stay Safe Africa, a platform for organizations and communities to create tangible actions that build trust around vaccines, as well as a campaign advocating for vaccine equity. Currently, only 0.3 percent of COVID–19 vaccine supply is going to low–income countries.

While pursuing a career in finance, Ms. Djibo's interest in global health began when she joined the Malaria No More's Senegal office as its country director. There, she led public and private–sector collaborations to promote malaria treatment and prevention. Ms. Djibo holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor of arts and science in international relations from Boston University. "Community engagement is key to overcoming mistrust and building confidence through actions like using proven channels of communication, engaging trusted messengers with roots in the community and working toward equitable access," she said. "I'm excited to support programs like Boost, a community dedicated to the needs of immunization professionals, in building capacity sub–nationally and then applying lessons to other places."

"Richard and Yacine are respected thought leaders, tireless advocates and innovative problem solvers who share our belief that communities and families everywhere must have equal access to the vaccines they need," commented Amy Finan, Sabin's chief executive officer.

With the appointment of Professor Adegbola and Ms. Djibo, Sabin's board consists of 14 members. Learn more at www.sabin.org/board–trustees.

About the Sabin Vaccine Institute

The Sabin Vaccine Institute is a leading advocate for expanding vaccine access and uptake globally, advancing vaccine research and development, and amplifying vaccine knowledge and innovation. Unlocking the potential of vaccines through partnership, Sabin has built a robust ecosystem of funders, innovators, implementers, practitioners, policy makers and public stakeholders to advance its vision of a future free from preventable diseases. As a non–profit with more than two decades of experience, Sabin is committed to finding solutions that last and extending the full benefits of vaccines to all people, regardless of who they are or where they live. At Sabin, we believe in the power of vaccines to change the world. For more information, visit https://www.sabin.org and follow us on Twitter, @SabinVaccine.

Media Contact:
Mary Beth Wooden
Vice President, Communications
Sabin Vaccine Institute
+1 (202) 842–5025
press@sabin.org


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