His Royal Highness Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II on Monday honoured the winners of Al Hussein bin Abdullah II Award for Voluntary Work in its first cycle during a ceremony at the Cultural Palace.

The award received 25,000 applications in the social, health, educational, and training fields, in addition to sports, art, culture, environment, tourism and innovation and entrepreneurship.

It recognised the top voluntary initiatives at the individual, group, and institutional levels.

In the individual category, Ahmad Zoubi came in first place for his educational centre initiative, followed by Basma Thaher for her initiative “Threads” and Iman Madi for her initiative to create a safe school environment, while Mohammad Khreisat’s reading promotion initiative in Salt City and Raad Smadi’s initiative to provide training on tech entrepreneurship came in third place.

In the group category, the International Federation of Medical Students' Associations won first place for their Universal Medicine initiative, while a project for voluntary design projects came in second place, followed by a humanitarian restoration initiative and a voluntary initiative in the Jordan Valley.

On the institutional level, first place went to the Gift of Life charity, followed by Zain company for a project to sustain training and education initiatives and Zaha Cultural Centre for an initiative to promote robotics training among local communities, while third place went for Shehabiya Charity Association for an educational and productive project training initiative.

Youth Minister Mohammad Nabulsi, vice chairman of the award’s board of trustees, said volunteerism promotes the role of young people as key partners in the political, economic, and administrative modernisation tracks.

The award was launched in December 2021 by Crown Prince Al Hussein in celebration of International Volunteer Day, to promote a culture of volunteerism and reinforce its values, enhance social responsibility, recognise the ongoing efforts of individuals, groups and institutions in volunteer work, and achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Acting Prime Minister Tawfiq Kreishan, Senate President Faisal Fayez, House of Representatives Speaker Ahmad Safadi, and a number of ministers, university presidents, officials, the award’s board of trustees, as well as representatives of public, international, and civil society institutions attended the ceremony.