Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company «Masdar», one of the world’s leading companies in the field of clean energy, launched a “Youth for Sustainability” platform, on the sidelines of the activities of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020, under the patronage and presence of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, head of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office.
His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed stressed that «the UAE is proceeding, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, in devoting the approach and vision of the founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God rest his soul, in activating the role of youth And empowering them, as the main engine to continue the path of sustainable development. ”
A leading role
His Highness stressed the pioneering role of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in supporting youth, by providing a global platform that allows them to participate in the global sustainability dialogue and contribute to building the next generation of sustainability leaders.
His Highness commended the efforts of "Masdar" in launching the "Youth for Sustainability" platform during this year’s session, in the interest of developing and refining the talents and skills of youth, and enhancing their leadership spirit to contribute to a leadership role in the efforts to confront climate change, and others. One of the pressing global challenges, besides encouraging them to communicate more with their young counterparts in the Emirates and the world.
This global platform aims to provide young people with the skills that enable them to build a career in the sustainability sector, by providing specialized workshops and practical experiences that contribute to empowering and optimally preparing young people, and the platform seeks to achieve effective and direct participation of 50 thousand young men and women around the world by one year 2030.
True wealth
For his part, the Minister of State, Chairman of the Board of Directors of "Masdar", Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Al-Jaber, stressed that "the wise leadership in the UAE considers youth the true wealth of the homeland," noting that launching initiatives, such as "youth for sustainability", are in front of the public The current global event of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, reflects the country's firm commitment to invest in people for future competition in knowledge-based economies, in parallel with building a sustainable and prosperous future for all.
Strategic initiatives
For its part, the Executive Director of the Department of Corporate Identity and Strategic Initiatives at "Masdar", Dr. Lamia Nawaf Fawaz, pointed out that "the UAE has a leading position in the world in the field of youth empowerment, aware of their important role in supporting the progress of the country." She explained that building a sustainable future represents a major challenge and an important opportunity at the same time, but achieving this desired future requires preparing a new generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, consultants and those interested in supporting sustainability efforts.
"The Youth for Sustainability platform will play an important role in preparing young people, providing them with the skills and expertise they need to succeed in their efforts, and providing opportunities for young leaders to connect with experts from the world and participate in sustainability discussions," she said.
According to the United Nations' International Labor Organization, the green economy will create 24 million jobs over the next decade. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the global renewable energy sector created 11 million jobs in 2018, compared to 10.3 million jobs in 2017. Programs targeting young people aim to attract them from an early age, to prepare them and qualify them for a future that will be based on Sustainability.
The “Youth for Sustainability” platform provides a series of programs that extend throughout the year, and aims to support students and young business leaders. It includes the “Sustainability Ambassadors” program that provides high school students with training, provides them with practical experiences, and provides them with opportunities to communicate with a group of Activities and events, as well as the "Leaders of the Future of Sustainability" program that targets university students between the ages of 20 and 25, to prepare them to be the next generation of sustainability leaders, and enrich their knowledge by allowing them to connect with global leaders, decision makers and prominent technology leaders.
1.8 billion people between 15 and 29 years old
The number of young people, between the ages of 15 and 29, is 1.8 billion people, which indicates the need to involve this group in order to achieve the goals of the United Nations for sustainable development, the goals of the national agenda for the UAE and the UAE centenary 2071.
The “Youth for Sustainability” platform will have a prominent presence within the activities of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020, through organizing an interactive center from January 13 to 16, which will witness the participation of a number of important and inspiring speakers from around the world.
The platform aims to provide young people with the skills to build a career in the sustainability sector.
The UAE has a leading position in the world in the field of youth empowerment.