ROME, Nov. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday November 18, in the Sala Protomoteca of the Campidoglio in Rome, the United Arab Emirates, represented by Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior received an award from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) for Waterfalls, a global initiative launched by the UAE Ministry of Possibilities, aimed at building the capabilities of medical professionals around the world.

Every year, the PAM rewards an individual, organisation or institution whose actions have contributed to establishing bridges among people, thereby fostering understanding, mutual respect, socio-economic cooperation, political dialogue, confidence building, and conflict solution.

This year, the award recognised the achievements of Waterfalls, a global initiative guided by Mohamed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Waterfalls has delivered continuous education to over 1 million doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians, and specialists from 197 countries, to support front-liners across all medical and humanitarian fields during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his acceptance speech, Saif bin Zayed said:
"I thank the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, which spares no effort in its endeavors to bring people together, for this award.

We are here today to affirm our full commitment to building bridges of cooperation, and to provide assistance to all those who need it, regardless of nationality, race or religion.

These are the principles on which the UAE was founded fifty years ago, by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who followed this humanitarian approach, leading the country with his wisdom and sincere desire for world peace and coexistence."

Waterfalls is a global initiative for continuous education launched by the UAE in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, aiming to virtually deliver healthcare professionals with the continuous knowledge and upskilling their professions require.

The initiative reached worldwide scale and with the participation of 84 international scientific, medical, and academic institutions like the Harvard Medical School and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 347 well-renowned local and international speakers and lecturers delivered over 559 specialised online webinars in 15 different medical fields.

Ambassador Sergio Piazzi, the PAM Secretary General, said of Waterfalls:
"The commitment and passion behind this initiative, developed at an impressive speed, show the UAE's dedication to supporting international education.

That is why we are proud to be part of the Waterfalls program, which acts as a bridge connecting expertise and thus forming long-lasting collaborations for the benefit of all."

Ronald Lavater, CEO of the International Hospital Federation, who is also a partner to the initiative, said:
"Not only does the Waterfalls Initiative provide a strong system that trains doctors, physicians, pharmacists, technicians and specialists across the world, but it also is the main provider for online webinars presented by well-renowned local and international speakers and lecturers.

This translates the UAE's strong mission to empower all clusters of society, as it has built an impressive model that cannot be underestimated in the field of knowledge and education."

This is only the beginning of the initiative.

With the continued support of Mohamed bin Rashid and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the first Waterfalls Awards will be held in March 2022. A jury of distinguished professionals, including representatives of leading institutions such as the Red Cross and the World Health Organization, will honour 50 doctors whose exceptional contribution to the front-line fight against the pandemic deserves to be recognised. Some even paid the ultimate price and sacrificed their lives in the service of others, which Waterfalls will pay tribute to.

Facts and Figures

With the help of:

• 84 Academic and Scientific Institutes, including the International Hospital Federation, University of London, American Pharmacists Association, American Academy of Dermatology, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Singapore Medical Association, Korean Breast Cancer Society, etc.
• 347 distinguished doctors and specialists, covering 15 medical specialties including: dermatology, oncology, emergency medicine, humanitarian medicine, pharmacology, cardiology, ophthalmology, dentistry, etc.

The Waterfalls Initiative has so far delivered:

• 559 Webinars
• Attended by 1,067,803 participants
• In 197 countries