Saif bin Zayed and Al Hammadi attend MoU signing at IDEX 2015

Abu Dhabi, 24th February, 2015 (WAM) -- Lt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education, attended on Monday the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Khalifa Student Empowerment Program ‘Aqdar’, and Knowledge Point Educational Constants. The MoU aims at assisting the activation and implementation of the ‘National Charter for Students’ Awareness’ that was compiled by about 50 federal and local institutions with the aim of empowering students with academic ability and advanced skills to meet the various challenges and threats. The MoU was signed on the side-lines of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference "IDEX 2015" by Major General Dr. Nasser Lakhrebani Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of the Office of HH Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Chairman of the Higher Committee of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program, and Obaid Almansouri, Group Chief Executive Officer at Emirates Advanced Investments Group. The event was attended by Major General Abdul Aziz Maktoum Al Shareefi, Director General of Protective Security at the Ministry of Interior; and Colonel Expert Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Al Dabal, General Coordinator of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program. Major General Dr. Al Nuaimi said that signing the MoU marks a significant stride towards achieving the coveted objectives of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program, notably promoting the concepts of mutual institutional work between all ministries, local and federal entities, private institutions and civil society institutions, as well as all other parties involved with students. He said: "The existing social and security problems require concerted collaborative action from all parties. Such collaboration would contribute to channelling mutual efforts towards achieving the aspired goals, fostering the proper environment to ensure optimal benefit from all available resources, with the aim of maintaining the security and stability of society, and ensuring its protection against potential dangers and threats; especially against intentional or unintentional misuse of the internet, which has become an essential component of our lives." He also noted that ensuring collaboration between all concerned parties is a national duty and a mutual responsibility. Colonel Expert Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Al Dabal, General Coordinator of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program, said: "Modern technology and the internet are becoming increasingly crucial in the economic, social, and cultural aspects of our lives." He also stressed the importance of empowering students and acquainting them with the proper methods of safe use of the internet, boosting their sense of personal security, in order to protect them against health, moral, or legal-related problems they may encounter via these technologies. "These goals represent the key pillars of the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program," he continued. Furthermore, Colonel Dr. Al Dabal stressed the important role of parents in supporting and promoting the program’s objectives in terms of raising children’s awareness of how to safely use the internet. He said: "Parents must direct their children to the safer use of the internet and new communications means. They must protect them against any misuse or exploitation by teaching their children how to protect their privacy, and the need to refrain from posting any information, data, pictures, etc. that may be misused by others." "The signing of the MoU falls in line with the efforts, continuous coordination and planning for multiple future projects, in accordance with good practices and ethical standards that reflect the culture and civilisation of the UAE," he added. For his part, Dr. Hamed Al Neyadi, Head of Knowledge Solutions Management at Knowledge Point Education Consultants, emphasised that the internet has created huge development in the world and radically changed today’s world and societies. He noted that the internet has revolutionised the way we acquire news and information and highlighted the internet’s role in streamlining interaction between individuals, especially with the widespread use of smart phones that made internet services accessible anywhere and anytime. Furthermore, he tackled the negative aspects of the widespread use of the internet, stressing the need for strict action to reduce these risks at all levels. Adding further, Dr. Al Neyadi, Head of Knowledge Solutions Management at Knowledge Point Education Consultants, lauded the valuable cooperation with the Khalifa Student Empowerment Program in the quest to achieve the common goals, and ensure optimal use of the available resources for the service of society. He particularly praised the shared rights to implement the CYBER C3 program. He said: "The Cyber C3 certification program aims to encourage a safe usage policy that lays down rules of acceptable ‘netiquette’ or behaviour that must be applied when accessing the Internet and the basic rules of cyber safety. It is especially developed and designed to produce digitally literate, smart and responsible internet users, by designing and developing educational and awareness material pertaining to the proper use of information technology tools and social media; as well as the basics of information security and other related topics, at the Government sector, the family, and in public within private schools and universities." – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/idex/1395277003510.html