organized an awareness and introductory session about the “Green Heart Award,” targeting senior citizens. The session aimed to raise awareness about the importance of the award and encourage their participation, in addition to introducing the application process and nomination criteria.

This initiative reflects the department’s commitment to empowering senior citizens and enhancing their integration into various aspects of life through programs that meet their needs and highlight their accumulated skills and experiences.

During the session, the objectives of the award were presented, focusing on recognizing the contributions of seniors in cultural, social, health, and professional fields, and motivating them to adopt active and positive lifestyles that enhance their quality of life and promote the concept of “active aging.”

The session also included a detailed explanation of the award categories, which include “Active Senior” and “Distinguished Senior,” along with a clarification of the electronic application steps and evaluation mechanisms, helping to facilitate broader participation among seniors in this community initiative.

Asma Al Khudari, Director of the Sharjah Age-Friendly City Office, emphasized that organizing such awareness sessions stems from the importance of strengthening direct communication with seniors and providing effective channels that encourage their community engagement.

Al Khudari stated that the Green Heart Award is one of the distinguished initiatives aimed at motivating senior citizens to continue giving and highlighting their vital role in society. She noted that previous editions of the award have contributed to enhancing their social inclusion, encouraging them to document their community and volunteer contributions, and adopt healthy and active lifestyles.

She added that the award helps diversify methods of interaction with seniors and strengthen their positive participation, in line with Sharjah’s vision as an age-friendly city and its efforts to promote social well-being for this group.

Al Khudari pointed out that these introductory sessions represent an important step toward increasing awareness of the award and encouraging seniors to participate, reflecting their experiences and success stories and helping pass these experiences on to future generations.

This initiative falls within the efforts of the Social Services Department to support senior citizens and enhance their role as active partners in the community’s development journey, reinforcing values of appreciation and giving, and improving quality of life in the Emirate of Sharjah.