Abu Dhabi: There has been an overwhelming response from young Emirati philanthropists interested in establishing their successful and influential social enterprises during the second philanthropy summit, an official in the capital told Gulf News yesterday.
“There is more to be done to ensure that philanthropic capital is able to provide positive and permanent solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues. Therefore, the summit was held to inspire young people and build the next generation of GCC philanthropists,” said Maitha Al Habsi, Chief Programmes Officer at the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development.
“We have received more than 500 applications from many young talents in the UAE and GCC countries for the Emirates Award for Arabian Gulf Youth. Applicants came up with innovative ideas and creative projects to solve some social problems. One of the ideas that has impressed me personally is a mobile cosmetic salon for special needs,” Maitha said.
The Emirates Award for Arabian Gulf Youth, which is launched for the first time, is a social business competition and forum that aims to unlock the creativity of the GCC region’s young people to solve the challenges facing society through the creation of social enterprise.
“Out of 500 applicants, only 15 projects will be nominated and three winners will be announced and awarded by Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister and Chairman of Emirates Foundation. The first winner will be awarded around Dh100, 000, while the second winner will get Dh70,000 with Dh50,000 for the third winner,” she added.
“Winners will also have the chance to get involved in a one-year mentorship programme, where they get training and sponsorship for their pioneering ideas,” Maitha said.
The summit commenced with a video speech from Shaikh Abdullah and the opening remarks were made by Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority and Managing Director of the Emirates Foundation.
“The most distinguishing feature of this summit is its focus on youth, which is in line with the Foundation’s vision of investing in young people and enabling them to contribute towards building the future of the country,” Shaikh Sultan said.
“The summit will conduct panel debates in order to enable and enhance youth ability to establish successful and influential social enterprise not only in the UAE but also in the GCC. This comes as an implementation of the initiative of Shaikh Abdullah, who has launched the idea of the Emirates Award for Arabian Gulf Youth. The Foundation is organising a ceremony on November 18 to honour the young winners,” he added.
One of the sessions has focused on key characteristics young Emiratis must possess while working in the social sector and volunteering programmes.
“Young Emiratis should be passionate and able to take risks. We want to attract top talents who show positive results. We want strong leaders and decision makers. They should be motivational and use their vision to plan a good future,” Khuloud Al Nuwais, chief sustainability officer at the Emirates Foundation, told Gulf News.
“We see more and more young people interested in philanthropic ideas and investment. This is a growing trend and one we can nurture. We hope that we can all work together to create a real social impact that makes a real difference,” she added.
The two-day summit, which is organised by the Emiratis Foundation, discussed best ways to improve the philanthropy sector and gain social investment results.
The summit, which started on Monday and ends on Tuesday, will include 21 interactive panel debates with the participation of over 60 international experts and speakers from more than 50 local, regional and international organisations.
