Abu Dhabi: A group of 300 young professionals on Sunday put forth their hopes and aspirations about the future as part of a Youth Declaration approved at the WorldSkills 2017 in the capital.
The declaration, which includes goals and guidelines on the development of innovation, tolerance, green economy, global citizenship, entrepreneurship and the fourth industrial revolution, was drawn up during a two-day youth forum held alongside the 44th edition of the international skills competition. The declaration will be presented to ministers and industry leaders on Monday at the start of the high-level WorldSkills conference.
“The youth who are participating are global citizens in a hyper-connected era, and we are privileged to be the most well-educated generation in history. This Youth Forum is therefore a perfect example of an event in which a young person from Japan and a young person from Morocco can co-define a common future,” said Shamma Al Mazroui, UAE minister of state for youth affairs, said at the start of the two-day youth forum.
“We are creative and entrepreneurial, as is evident by the boom in start-ups here in the UAE and worldwide, and we want to make a visible impact on the world around us and be part of the greater narrative,” she added.
The WorldSkills conference itself is expected to see ministers of education from the UAE, Jamaica, Korea and Finland, discussing key challenges and opportunities in the advancement of vocational skills. They will be joined by experts from inter-governmental organisations and multinational companies.
“For the emirate of Abu Dhabi to realise its vision of transitioning to a sustainable, diversifed, knowledge-based economy, vocational skills must play an integral role. These skills are a universal driver of thriving economies, and we recognise this,” said Mubarak Al Shamsi, director general of the Abu Dhabi Centre for Vocational Education and Training (Actvet), ahead of the conference. Actvet regulates skills-based learning in Abu Dhabi emirate, and is organising WorldSkills 2017.
A total of 110,000 visitors, including 80,000 UAE students and 10,000 international visitors, are expected to attend the event, which continues in Abu Dhabi until Wednesday (October 18).
In addition, a number of countries with prominent skill-based economies have set up pavilions at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre venue, including France, China and India. Navdeep Suri, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, inaugurated the India Pavilion on October 15.
Following the end of the competition and conference, a closing ceremony will be held on October 19 to honour the winners.
WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017
1,300 participants from 60 countries
110,000 visitors expected, including 80,000 visitors and 10,000 international visitors
105,000 square metres of competition and exhibition space
4 days of competition
51 skills categories
