Gulf News -International Youth Day 2022: Workshops, youth councils, discussions, internships mark celebrations in UAE

Bal Krishen Special to Gulf News Agust 12, 2022

Dubai: The UAE on Friday joined the world in marking International Youth Day (August 12) with a series of talks and workshops focusing on further developing the talent of young women and men in the country.

Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice President of the Arab Youth Centre (AYC), said in the UAE, “every day is a youth day”.

She explained: “The UAE’s wise leadership listens to the youth and knows their aspirations and ambitions, under the framework of the culture of coherence and close community within Emirati society. The country is keen to turn the ideas of the youth into distinguished projects that will help strengthen local and international development processes.”

“The UAE also empowers the youth worldwide, becoming a preferred destination for talented young people. And we will continue the same approach to attracting young ambitious talents to the UAE, as well as enhancing the country’s stature as a preferred destination for life and work for the youth,” she added.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY

International Youth Day is an awareness day designated by the United Nations to draw attention to a set of cultural and legal issues surrounding youth. It is observed annually every August 12. The first IYD was observed on August 12, 2000. This year’s theme is “Intergenerational solidarity: Creating a world for all ages”. Foundation of a nation

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, said “investing in young people, empowering them, and enabling them to make meaningful contribution for their countries and communities, is the foundation of a nation’s development.

“Youth are the real capital and the main tool in our growth journey to build a sustainable future. In order to prepare them for future leadership positions, it is imperative to include them in key decision-making roles today,” she underlined.

Al Kaabi noted: “The National Strategy for Cultural and Creative Industries, is an example of a strategy which enables the UAE to invest in young talents, and helps nurture creativity and harness their energy to work towards a sustainable future. The UAE has also launched initiatives and found specialised organisations that caters to youths’ needs, among them is establishing the Federal Youth Authority (FYA), that is yet another example of how the UAE empowers youth in the country.”

Sustainable development

Meanwhile, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)’s Youth Council has organised a series of events and panel discussions on investing in youth to advance sustainable development.

More than 100 young men and women attended the event and several local and corporate youth councils also participated, including the Dubai Youth Council, Du Youth Council, Microsoft Youth Council, RTA Youth Council and Emirates Global Aluminium Youth Council.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA, said: “We celebrate the young generation that supports our efforts to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 per cent of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. DEWA adopts an integrated strategy to qualify young people to participate in various areas of national work. Youth human resources at DEWA include 3,397 employees between 18 and 35 years old, comprising 30 per cent of the total workforce. It includes employees from 36 nationalities, while 63 per cent of them are Emiratis.”

Inter-generational solidarity

The Youth Council of the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) also joined the world in celebrating International Youth Day. A dialogue session shed light on the theme, ‘Intergenerational Solidarity: Creating a World for All Ages’, where the role of intergenerational activities in strengthening social cohesion and solidarity was discussed.

Dr Rashed Esmaeil Al Hashmi, chairman of MoHAP Youth Council, noted: “The UAE leadership has always believed in young people and their potential to significantly contribute to the nation’s sustainable growth and ongoing efforts to safeguard the public’s health.

Meanwhile, Century Financial launched campaigns in support of International Youth Day.

Top on the list is an internship programme which provides exposure on various aspects of the business to the interns who have joined the company. The second initiative is EducateNow, which is aimed at aligning educational institutions with industry-led sustainable practices, and the ‘Free-Clutter’ Friday programme.

Bal Krishen, CEO of Century Financial, said: “The youth of today, must be encouraged to adopt a life-course which embraces mutual respect for diversity and inclusiveness for all age groups. Our world needs to leverage the full potential of all generations… Empowering the youth also reinforces our commitment towards inter-generational solidarity thus aligning ourselves to the core values of care, synergism, heritage, education, ambition, simplicity and innovation for generations and beyond”.