Hamdan: We are fortunate to have a wealth of creative talent and innovative youth

Dubai: Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, today attended the first edition of the Young Arab Leaders Forum, held on Monday as part of the pre-event activities for the World Governments Summit 2025.

The event was held at part of the ‘Young Arab Leaders’ initiative, launched nearly 20 years ago by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, to empower and equip the next generation of Arab leaders with the skills, networks, and opportunities to drive progress across various sectors.

Youth Empowerment

The forum featured a series of keynote speeches and panel discussions focusing on youth empowerment, leadership development, and regional transformations. The event began with an opening keynote by Khalfan Belhoul, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the ‘Young Arab Leaders’ initiative. This was followed by a keynote session with Marzouq Al-Ghanim, Former Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, who discussed the importance of preparing young leaders for the evolving challenges of the modern world.

Tweeting on the occasion, Sheikh Hamdan said: “On Day Zero of the World Governments Summit 2025, I attended the Young Arab Leaders Forum, which brought together 200 participants. During the event, I met with the board members of Young Arab Leaders and reaffirmed our confidence in their ability to enhance innovation and excellence among the youth of the region. Our goal is to attract 50,000 young Arabs to join this initiative.

Creative talent

“I also attended the fourth Arab Young Leaders Meeting organised by the Arab Youth Center, where I engaged with several Arab youth ministers and leaders in youth development. We are fortunate to have a wealth of creative talent and innovative youth across the Arab world, poised to lead the region and shape a brighter future for generations to come. This vision is shared by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who has always placed his trust in the potential of young people to achieve transformative growth.”

The 4th Arab Meeting for Young Leaders brought together Arab youth ministers, decision-makers, and prominent young innovators to discuss youth empowerment in the region.

The high-profile gathering, held under the patronage of Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Martyrs Families affairs, and Chairman of the Arab Youth Center, was attended by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, the centre’s Vice Chairman, as well as Arab youth ministers, leaders of youth empowerment organisations, and distinguished young professionals.

Sheikh Hamdan was accompanied by Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Center.

The meeting explored avenues for transforming regional challenges into opportunities by amplifying the voices of young Arabs in policy-making, fostering participation in governance, and encouraging knowledge-sharing aligned with Arab societies’ needs.

Discussions also touched on ways to strengthen cultural identity, promoting the Arabic language, and reinforcing core values of citizenship and human dignity.