Her Excellency Shamma Bint Suhail bin Fares Al Mazroui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, affirmed that the UAE considers its youth as the most valuable asset and has deployed a slew of integrated strategies and policies to foster intellectual growth and scientific temperament among the youth. The youth armed with science and technology is the future of the nation. She pointed out that the UAE has now become a global reference point for youth empowerment by showcasing success stories of young Emirati leaders, decision makers, and industry partners as the nation moves forward to the next 50.

Her Excellency was speaking at an event held at the Dubai Creative Hub on Monday to commemorate Gulf Youth Day celebrated by the Gulf Cooperation Council states on June 6 every year. The event which was attended by HE Saeed Al Nazari is the Director General of the Federal Youth Authority, reflects the Gulf States’ focus on its youth, honoured Emirati innovators in different fields. The GCC member states have extended several initiatives to support the youth and develop their talents to help them take on the role of future leaders of their communities and their nations.

“The role played by the youth in the future of their nation will lay the foundation of the next phase of history. Developed nations celebrate their youth and hone their experiences and knowledge by providing them with the right tools to be in step with the times.  Dedicating a day to the youth reflects the focus of the GCC leaders and their vision for the progress of the region’s youth.”

“The UAE’s leadership has launched a comprehensive plan for the young, led by the young themselves. This plan comprised of policies and strategies directed at the youth has brought about fundamental changes in the youth sector. Over the past several years, the UAE has launched more than 40 initiatives to develop the nation’s youth and mobilise them to play active roles in different sectors of the nation’s economy. This is part of a comprehensive national strategy focused on investing in young people and improving their skillset to hone their talents. This also goes to show how empowering young people is a national priority for the UAE and an intrinsic part of our culture. It fulfills our aspirations and gives us a future-focused approach filled with hope and optimism for our youth.”

Her Excellency appreciated the efforts of the Gulf nations to foster talent among youth and train them to play an active role in various sectors with confidence and determination. She pointed out that the focus on youth is an investment by the GCC leaders in the future of the region considering that youth makes up the majority of our region’s population.

Honoring outstanding Emirati youth

During the event, Her Excellency honoured a group of young men and women who were nominated by the Federal Youth Authority for the years 2020-2022 for their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.

Engineer Hamad Al Eidros holds a degree in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering from Khalifa University and works as an operator for the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC). He has played an active role in the field of energy and has also contributed to Youth Councils.

Fatima Al Mamari, holds a degree in Political Science from the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) and has made active contributions to the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and others. She is being honoured for the year 2021.

Dr. Hamdan Al Ameri, who has a PhD in Economics and has active contributions in the cultural and creative fields will be honoured along with Chemical Engineer Reem Masbah, who has been very active in the field of entrepreneurship and economic development projects and is a candidate for many government positions.

Young Mohammed Baabid will be honoured in the 2022 category for his passion, love and contributions for community and youth. He has many outstanding contributions in the fields of sports, technology and others. Along with him Fatima Al Halami, will also be honoured. She holds a master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Affairs from Zayed University, a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from UAE University, and has interests in sustainability, policy development and strategy development in the field of energy and environment. She is currently working as an operations engineer with several noteworthy achievements.

The winners will be awarded a certificate issued by the Federal Youth Authority and a financial reward by the GCC for their contributions.

Dedicating a day to youth is an occasion to promote awareness about how critical youth is to the development of a nation. It highlights the efforts made by the Gulf Cooperation Council states to harness the power of the youth and overcome challenges that hamper their progress. It is a platform to highlight youth issues and find solutions to their problems and offer the necessary support through various initiatives and incentives as well as training and educational programmes, to help mobilise their contribution to the society and their nation.

Today, they will contribute to introducing the achievements of young people, highlighting their success stories through lighting and directly to many inspiring experiences in various fields of creativity, innovation, scientific research, entrepreneurship, arts and culture and other themes.