February 1st, 2017 ― Doha: In order to promote a culture of disaster preparedness and community awareness, the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (Daam) will support Qatar Red Crescent's (QRCS) Seventh Disaster Management Camp (DMC-7), to be held at the Marine Scouts Camp, Al Khor, 3-12 April 2017. Social and Sports Activities Support Fund to Support QRCS's Disaster Management Training Camp February 1st, 2017 ― Doha: In order to promote a culture of disaster preparedness and community awareness, the Social and Sports Activities Support Fund (Daam) will support Qatar Red Crescent's (QRCS) Seventh Disaster Management Camp (DMC-7), to be held at the Marine Scouts Camp, Al Khor, 3-12 April 2017. Held under the patronage of H.E. the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, DMC-7 is coordinated with many Qatari government bodies, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations, and the Secretariat-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. Ali Hassan Al-Hammadi, QRCS Secretary-General, appreciated this generous initiative by Daam, towards building a preparedness culture in the Qatari society and enhancing the skills to deal with any emergency. "On behalf of all QRCS associates, I would like to send our best thanks to H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud Al Thani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Daam, as well as all board members and officials. We are happy with this strategic partnership. Their contribution to one of QRCS's major local programs reflects the Fund's fundamental principle of supporting humanitarian, social, and volunteering activities," said Mr. Al-Hammadi. QRCS, he emphasized, is always there to invest in people, empower the vulnerable, and build their capacity with education and training. Sultan Rashid Al-Khater, Board Member of Daam, said the contribution falls under the capacity-building portfolio that is a top priority of Qatar National Vision 2030. He sees this as one way to create a culture of preparedness and awareness of basic disaster response tools in the world. "Over the past years, Daam sponsored many educational, health, sports, and social projects, which add great value to various services and sectors. We cooperate with everyone to achieve our common goals in the best interest of society. This is our responsibility, as an integral part of this generous country," he added. Daam, Sports and Social Activities Support Fund, was established by an Emiri Decree No.44/2010 to support sports, social, cultural, and charity activities in Qatar, in line with the overall government policy and plans. Rashid Saad Al-Mohannadi, DMC Manager, stated that DMC has become a landmark program not only in Qatar, but at the regional level. "Eagerly awaited by many national and international government organizations and NGOs, DMC is widely recognized as the only Arabic-speaking specialized training of its kind. That is why many government and private entities responded well by actively supporting it. This embodies their belief in the importance of disaster management and the necessity to mobilize resources to turn it from theoretical knowledge to practice," he remarked. Mr. Al-Mohannadi commended the contribution of Daam, under the shared goal of spreading preparedness among all society members. The usual contributors to the event include the Permanent Committee for Emergency, Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), Qatar Armed Forces (QAF), Qatar Scout & Guide Association, among others. The great success of DMC-6 in April 2015 has gained wide attention from Qatari institutions, with the participation of volunteers from Arab National Societies, with a view to improving their national disaster response capabilities. This year, the Camp will be attended by 300 volunteers from Qatar and 20 GCC and MENA National Societies. Instructed by around 45 disaster management experts from Qatar and other countries, the training agenda will cover a wide range of specialized topics and concepts, such as Sphere Standards, psychological support, the International Humanitarian Law (IHL), safe access, and restoring family links (RFL).