Abu Dhabi: The Mohammad Bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity on Saturday launched its second edition of the Global Maker Challenge in Abu Dhabi.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the 8th Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries, with the next cohort set to focus on some of the key Sustainable Development Goals. The four themes include sustainable and healthy food for all, innovation for inclusive trade, innovation for peace and justice, and finally climate change.
“The Mohammad Bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity mirrors the United Arab Emirates’ mission of seeking solutions to challenges that improve the lives of citizens around the world,” said Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness and Wellbeing, and Director General of the Prime Minister’s Office.
“The second edition of the initiative will take that mission further, enabling innovators and entrepreneurs from across the world to turn their ideas into reality and theories into solutions that can solve pressing issues that affect the lives of communities all around the world,” she added, highlighting the positive and real world benefits of the initiative.
The Mohammad Bin Rashid Initiative for Global Prosperity partnered with 10 United Nations (UN) agencies as well as MIT University’s SOLVE initiative to identify the themes and challenges for the second edition. The four themes were determined following four challenge design workshops held in Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Jordan and Russia. The workshops brought together over 250 global experts from governments, global organisations and private corporations, as well as start-ups, incubators and academic researchers.
Badr Al Olama, head of the Organising Committee for the Global Manufacturing and Industrialisation Summit, under which the global prosperity initiative is a part of, said the latest edition would help to empower communities in developing nations.
“By chartering a path towards inclusive and sustainable industrial development around the world, we can create an ecosystem that thrives on technology, creativity and community.
“I am therefore very excited to see how the second cohort approaches our new set of challenges that tackle key issues such as climate change, sustainable food, inclusive trade, peace and justice. We hope to see their energy and creativity bring new opportunities to those in communities that need it most,” he added.
“The Global Prosperity Initiative reflects the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to maximise and sustain the positive impact of innovation that empowers communities, improves wellbeing and drives progress globally,” Al Olama said.
