Sultan bin Ahmed tours Palestinian refugee camp in Jordan

His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Humanitarian Envoy of The Big Heart Foundation, emphasised that responding to the escalating humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians—particularly in the Gaza Strip—requires a united mobilisation of resources to implement sustainable development projects. These must target sectors such as healthcare, education, and food security to ensure the basic needs of the Palestinian people are met. His Highness called upon charitable individuals and organisations to support these efforts, which embody the highest humanitarian responsibility towards those who are displaced, injured, or in need.

These remarks were delivered during His Highness’s visit to the Marka refugee camp in Jordan, home to over 70,000 Palestinian refugees. He led a delegation from the Emirate of Sharjah comprising senior officials and representatives from The Big Heart Foundation, as well as UAE government entities and private sector organisations. The visit aimed to study leading examples of sustainable humanitarian projects, particularly in health, education, and food security, and to rally both human and financial resources to implement similar initiatives in Gaza and in countries hosting Palestinian refugees, ensuring their sustainability and responsiveness to critical needs.

His Highness stressed that the suffering endured by the Palestinian people and their homeland is indescribable, and that offering support and consolidating all humanitarian efforts is the minimum that can be done. He affirmed that the United Arab Emirates, at both leadership and public levels, has always stood by the Palestinian cause. He also praised Jordan’s long-standing humanitarian role, having hosted over four million Palestinian and Arab refugees, providing them with the means to live with dignity despite challenging circumstances.

His Highness further noted that the Palestinian people have experienced decades of displacement and forced migration, and today the people of Gaza are enduring one of the harshest humanitarian crises due to the ongoing conflict. This has resulted in the breakdown of their social and institutional infrastructure, depriving them of fundamental rights including access to education, healthcare, and basic public services. Thus, the foundation’s humanitarian strategy is focused not only on emergency relief, but also on implementing sustainable initiatives in healthcare and education. He stated that access to healthcare builds thriving communities, while education protects future generations from the lasting psychological and physical impacts of war—even if the situation eventually improves.

Describing the current crisis as a pivotal test for the entire humanitarian ecosystem, His Highness stressed that all those who are committed to humanitarian principles must now step up and act. Despite the immense challenges, he said the mission must continue, supported by devoted individuals and organisations across the world. He added that humanitarian work is not just a moral or ethical responsibility, but a religious obligation and a fundamental right for the vulnerable and disadvantaged.

This visit comes as part of the ongoing “For the Children of Olives” campaign launched last Ramadan by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of The Big Heart Foundation. The campaign aims to provide holistic support for more than 20,000 orphans living in Gaza. It guarantees their right to education, healthcare, psychological support, nutrition, and adequate shelter.

During the visit, His Highness toured the Marka Girls Preparatory School, operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). There, he met with a delegation including UNRWA Deputy Commissioner-General Natalie Boucly, UNRWA Jordan Field Director Olaf Becker, and Engineer Rafiq Kharfan, Director-General of the Department of Palestinian Affairs at Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The discussions focused on ways to strengthen collaboration and build partnerships to support humanitarian projects benefiting Palestinians in Gaza and refugees in Jordan—particularly in the areas of education, health, and community welfare.

His Highness visited several classrooms, engaged with teaching staff and students, and reviewed the learning environment. He examined how the educational process is managed, discussed future infrastructure needs in the camp, and explored the school’s key scientific laboratories and facilities that support hands-on learning and enhance the educational experience.

His Highness also met with several male and female students representing the "Student Parliament" at Marka Camp. During the meeting, His Highness listened to a detailed presentation from the students about the educational process and the challenges they face, as well as their academic needs that would help improve the quality and efficiency of education in line with the rapid advancements across various fields.

The Deputy Ruler of Sharjah then visited the food security project run by the humanitarian organisation ANERA, which supports refugees and conflict-affected populations in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. His Highness was briefed on the project’s approach, which focuses on transforming aid into sustainable food production within refugee communities. This is achieved through year-round farming initiatives using greenhouses, enabling communities to grow their own food. The model aligns closely with the sustainable development goals of The Big Heart Foundation for Gaza, given its vital role in enhancing self-reliance among refugee and displaced populations and reducing dependency on external aid. The absence of food is often among the fastest and most devastating humanitarian consequences during conflicts and disasters.

His Highness explored the farming techniques used in the project and reviewed the main crops produced using modern methods that conserve water and soil while ensuring sustainable output. These efforts are key to securing food supplies for those affected and establishing long-term food security.

Following this, His Highness, in his capacity as Humanitarian Envoy of The Big Heart Foundation, along with the accompanying delegation, visited the Taawun Foundation—The Big Heart’s partner in the "For the Children of Olives" humanitarian campaign. The visit included a consultative meeting to discuss recent humanitarian developments concerning Palestinian refugees in Jordan and displaced persons in Gaza and the West Bank, in light of ongoing tragic conditions. The discussions also addressed ways to respond quickly and effectively to secure essential living conditions and explored future plans to provide critical services across sectors.

During the visit, His Highness and the delegation viewed a series of video materials recorded inside Gaza, depicting the painful reality and suffering of its people, who are deprived of the most basic human rights.

During the meeting, Dr Nabil Qaddumi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Taawun Foundation, delivered a speech welcoming the Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and his accompanying delegation. He praised The Big Heart Foundation’s significant efforts and the fruitful humanitarian partnership with Taawun in serving Palestinian refugees.

The Taawun Board of Directors presented the "Noor Programme for Orphan Care", which the foundation launched in Gaza. The war has left more than 39,000 children in the Gaza Strip orphaned. The delegation also listened to several recorded and live contributions from programme staff based in Gaza and the Arab Republic of Egypt.

His Highness concluded the visit with a meeting alongside the accompanying delegation, during which they reviewed the outcomes of the visits and examined the best humanitarian models currently implemented in Jordan’s refugee camps. They discussed how to adapt these experiences to benefit refugees and displaced people within the occupied Palestinian territories. His Highness noted that the world today is in urgent need of evolving humanitarian programmes and initiatives to meet the unprecedented challenges facing the region.

The Sharjah delegation accompanying the Humanitarian Envoy of The Big Heart Foundation included: Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations; Sheikh Sultan bin Saud Al Qasimi, Founder of the Barjeel Art Foundation; Major General Abdullah Mubarak bin Amer, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police; Badr Jafar, Special Envoy for Business and Philanthropy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Advisory Board Member of The Big Heart Foundation; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of the Sharjah Media Council; Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of NAMA Women Advancement Establishment and Advisory Board Member of The Big Heart Foundation; Rashid Abdullah Al Obaid, Director of Sharjah Media City "Shams"; Alya Obaid Al-Musaybi, Director of The Big Heart Foundation; along with several officials and representatives of supporting private sector companies.

The Big Heart Foundation is among the world’s leading humanitarian organisations, continuing to provide support for Palestinian families in the West Bank, Gaza, and refugee camps in host countries. The foundation delivers a broad range of development projects across vital sectors to ensure dignified living for displaced and vulnerable communities.