Reem Al Hashimy at 1 Billion Followers Summit: Creators can drive humanitarian action

DUBAI, 10th January, 2026 (WAM) — Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation, stressed the importance of the role content creators play in strengthening the global humanitarian response by transforming crises from numbers and statistics into human stories that sustain attention and drive effective, lasting action.

This came during a fireside chat at the 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 in Dubai titled “Taking Aid to the World: Turning Attention into Action,” where she explained that, amid escalating crises and conflicts, the challenge is not only delivering aid but also keeping the world engaged with the human reality of those affected.

“The crises we talk about are not theoretical,” she said. “People need to see this reality, and creators can shed light on suffering in a way that makes it impossible to ignore.”

Al Hashimy noted that humanitarian response is a demanding journey that requires partners who keep public focus on people not headlines by bridging the gap between data and lived experience and delivering responsible, credible content that reflects facts and respects the sensitivities of affected communities.

She highlighted the UAE’s humanitarian approach, based on sustaining access and activating practical mechanisms to deliver support, including field hospitals, bakeries, evacuation of the injured, and providing medical treatment in the UAE. She said UAE assistance to Gaza has exceeded US$2 billion, reflecting the country’s commitment to continued humanitarian support and protecting the most vulnerable during crises.

She also affirmed that Sudan represents an urgent humanitarian situation that does not receive sufficient coverage, stressing the importance of building coordinated partnerships involving governments, multilateral organisations, the private sector and content creators to broaden attention and mobilise support for affected communities.

On the perceived sensitivity of addressing crises from a humanitarian perspective, she said, “When we talk about human suffering, there is nothing political about that. Focusing on the humanitarian reality simply shows what life looks like on the other side.”

The 1 Billion Followers Summit 2026 is organised by the UAE Government Media Office and is being held from 9th to 11th January at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), and the Museum of the Future, under the theme “Content for Good.”