Abu Dhabi — A centre to nurture and develop the talents of Arab youth was inaugurated in Abu Dhabi by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
The headquarters of the 2,000-square metre Arab Youth Centre provides youth with more than 20 creative spaces, as well as diverse resources, initiatives and programmes to develop their talents. The centre also houses a library that stocks different publications in the field of technology, business, science, literature and communication and public speaking skills.
Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Shaikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, attended the inauguration.
Shaikh Mohammad said that empowering youth and allowing them to develop their abilities is a joint responsibility, because they will be the ones who build the future.
“Our confidence in youth is unlimited. We believe in their positive energy, which throughout history, was able to achieve progress for the community. More than ever, we need Arab youth to work hard and diligently to accomplish their aspirations. We need them to be determined and dedicated in achieving their dreams because they are the leaders of positive change, and we look to them to create a better tomorrow,” said Shaikh Mohammad.
The centre was designed and developed completely by youth, some of whom are experts in engineering and business administration.
Shaikh Mansour will serve as the head of the centre that will be managed by a team of Arab youths under the age of 30 that operate in various sectors.
In a statement issued during the occasion, Shaikh Mansour said: “The Arab Youth Centre will encourage and incentivise youth to work towards serving their communities, and this embodies the vision of the leadership to qualify youth and offer them with all necessary tools to achieve their ambitions.”
Shaikh Mansour said that the centre’s inauguration conveys many messages that indicate the aspirations of Arab youth and their desire to work on building their nations, as well as shaping their future. He stressed the importance of granting youth the opportunities to innovate solutions for challenges that face them. This would eventually lead them to what they aspire for and a future that meets their needs.
Shamma Suhail Faris Al Mazroui, Minister of State for Youth, said that the opening of the centre by Shaikh Mohammad emphasised the keen attention of the UAE leadership to Arab youth, and their utmost faith in their capabilities to achieve progress and prosperity in their communities.
Al Mazroui said that the UAE presented a global role model on the empowerment of youth and the ideal utilisation of their skills and abilities so that they can be effective contributors in achieving its vision for excellence and leadership in all fields.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, was also present during the opening.
