Dubai: With its ongoing ambition to enhance the participation of youth in sustainability initiatives, the Government of the UAE has unveiled “SDG Young Leaders Program” on the sidelines of Global Goals Week at Expo 2020 Dubai.
The program which is designed and managed by the Secretariat of the National Committee on SDGs, will see CSR UAE, The Federal Youth Authority as well as the Government Leadership Program at the Prime Minister’s Office working in a partnership to offer provide youth with the knowledge, experience and skills necessary to partake effectively in supporting and leading national and international initiative and programs to achieve global sustainable development goals and build a better more sustainable future.
The launch had numerous UAE dignitaries in attendance including but not limited to;
- Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Centre
- Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the UAE Prime Minister’s Office, and Vice Chairman of the National Committee on SDGs
- Mona Ghanem Al Marri, Director-General of Dubai Media Office, Vice President of the Emirates Council for Gender Balance and Chairperson of the Global Council on SDG 5.
Addressing the attendees at the launch event, Ms. Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chairwoman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals remarked that the UAE has become a global incubator for innovative models in empowering youth and their participation in the development process. The UAE Minister further added that empowering youth embodies the directives of the UAE’s wise leadership that believes in their capabilities and energy.
The UAE is keen on expanding the role of youth and upskilling them to tackle future trends, and providing them with the tools and means that support their role in building our nation and our transformation into a knowledge-based and sustainable economy.
Ms. Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy stressed on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Mr. Abdullah Nasser Lootah added that, “The Young Leaders Program for the Sustainable Development Goals embodies the commitment of the UAE government to accelerate the implementation of the goals. H.E. added that launching the program comes in line with the nation’s directions on empowering the youth and providing them with knowledge and expertise to leverage their energy and creative potential in creating innovative solutions to global challenges, thus contributing to building a better world for everyone.”
SDG YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM
Through the initiative, the UAE National Committee on SDGs will work closely with UAE youth on various projects, programs and initiatives. The program’s alignment with the UN’s “Decade of Action” call makes it unique, gesturing the significance of focusing on implementing and accelerating impact.
The program will also emphasis on capacity building as a priority of the UAE’s national SDG implementation journey, the National Committee on SDGs will further publicize more youth driven programs to ensure inclusive capacity development and support to the future decision makers.
The initiative is an extension of the Youth Advisory Council on SDGs in its second term, as it will expand its outreach by creating various youth taskforces that focus on the different elements of the SDG file and the UAE objectives towards the fulfilment of the goals locally and globally.