Arab youth innovations map a bright world future

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Arab Youth Centre, under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Theyab Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has unveiled members of the second edition of the ‘Young Arab Pioneers’ initiative on International Youth Day. These members reflect honourably on Arab youth around the world through their accomplishments, leaving a positive mark in communities and fields such as scientific research, engineering, technology innovation, entrepreneurship, medicine, healthcare sciences, media, youth empowerment, and community development.

These achievements support the enhancement of Arab youth connection to the Arabic language and identity, good citizenship, and the reputation of Arab youth on various fronts. The announcement was made during a ceremony organised by the Arab Youth Centre in Abu Dhabi. The event was attended by Shamma Al Mazrui, Minister for Community Development, Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Centre, and Majid Al Nuaimi, responsible for youth leadership at the Ministry of Culture and Youth. Also present were participants from various programmes and initiatives of the centre from across the Arab world.

The list of Arab Youth Pioneers includes members from various Arab countries, including Oman, Palestine, Tunisia, Morocco, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and the UAE. These individuals are distinguished by significant positive impacts on their societies. In the field of scientific research, Alia Al Mansoori from the UAE is the youngest space researcher in the UAE and the world. Dr. Abboud Al Sabbagh from Syria, recognised in Forbes' ‘30 Under 30’ list for 2021, completed his PhD before the age of 27 with a ground-breaking thesis on how the human brain processes information through eyes. Ali Al Yami from Saudi Arabia revolutionised the treatment of carbon dioxide by reducing emissions by 1 million kg to date.

He aims to further reduce it by 5 million kg by the year-end. Miyad Alsayel from Saudi Arabia established ‘ByTech’, an initiative aiming to create a sustainable ecosystem centred on artificial intelligence. She has empowered and trained numerous young women in the field of technology and data. The list further includes Butti Al Muhairi from the UAE, who was elected President of the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change. He successfully leads efforts to enhance youth contribution to climate action and awareness of technological and practical solutions.

Engineer Yusuf Ammoura from Jordan has been selected for his contribution to the world of technology by establishing ‘Al-Saqer for Drone Services’. He has laid the digital infrastructure for managing and operating drone systems, automating their activities, and developing policies and regulations to be implemented in the Arab region. ‘Al-Saqer for Drone Services’ focuses on employing, training, and creating job opportunities for numerous young individuals in the professional drone piloting field, aiming to reduce emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and provide innovative solutions for environmental protection. Saif Al Deen from Morocco stands out for his work in promoting environmental transition, particularly in plastic waste recycling.

Coin Mena

In the entrepreneurship domain, Mustafa Abdul Lateef from Egypt founded ‘EYouth’, an educational and employment platform for Arab youth. Talal Al Tabbaa, from Jordan the founder of ‘Coin Mena’, has worked to educate the public on digital currencies, legislative research, and youth engagement in this sector. Mariam Al Nuaimi from the UAE, founder and chairperson of ‘Salama Healthcare’ and the first Arab businesswoman in the Middle East's business outsourcing sector, has provided employment opportunities for youth and served as an inspirational model for women in entrepreneurship. In the field of medicine and healthcare sciences, Farah Al Qaysiya from the UAE initiated the ‘UAE Stutter’ project in 2013, which helps provide support to those suffering from speech impediments.

Tisneem Al Barhumi from Sudan established the ‘Tisneem Al Barhumi Centre for Psychological Rehabilitation’, providing extensive services to 1,500 young women annually. Dr. Ola Anabtawi from Palestine, head of the Nutrition and Food Technology Department at Al Najah University, raises awareness about the importance of healthy nutrition and research-based approaches among youth. In the media sector, Khalid Makshati from Morocco has received over 25 international awards for his contribution to innovation, technology, and business, portraying an inspiring image of Arab youth to the Western world.

Ghaith Sandoq from Syria founded the online platform ‘Albuaabuaa’, dedicated to addressing bullying, mental health annd bullying in student and youth communities. Serene Abidi from Tunisia, a social projects leader, digital journalism trainer, and podcast producer, seeks to improve the lives of students and entrepreneurs through innovative and interactive projects in entrepreneurship. Mustafa Al Naeem from Sudan founded the ‘Youth Cinema Group’ in 2013, the first youth initiative for cinema in Sudan. Amar Kamal from Sudan started as a social media content writer in 2013, transitioning his impactful content and ideas into an audio podcast in 2014, establishing himself as one of the earliest Arabic podcast creators on digital platforms.

In support of youth empowerment and community development, Maram Al Qasimi from Bahrain shines as an educator and graduate researcher in Arabic language and literature. She is passionate about the Arabic language, enriching meaningful Arabic content, and raising awareness about sustainable development goals. She won the training programme for Arab Youth Podcast with their channel titled "Educational Highlights," the first of its kind. She also received numerous local awards in public speaking and rhetoric, contributing to enhancing Arabic language skills among youth.

ECOMan initiative

Aisha Safwan from Oman is a distinguished social entrepreneur who launched the ‘2010 ECOman’ initiative to empower youth in environmental protection, natural resource conservation, climate change mitigation, and sustainable living. This initiative won ‘best scientific research and youth project’ in preserving the Omani environment, earning third place nationally. She was also selected to represent Omani youth at the United Nations summit. Noura Al Aazaibi from the UAE, a student at New York University Abu Dhabi, is an active entrepreneur.

She was chosen as an ambassador for the Harvard EASEL lab's Inclusive Minds programme in the 2023 Special Olympics in Berlin. She also served as a youth ambassador for the ‘Blue’ organisation, highlighting the importance of preserving the UAE's beaches and marine environment. The initiative celebrates outstanding, creative, and innovative Arab youth who contribute positively and work towards a brighter future for the Arab world, creating solutions to serve communities and achieve progress in all fields.

Five years of investing in youth energies

The new 5-year strategy of the Arab Youth Centre focuses on four main pillars: capacity building and skill enhancement, positive citizenship, strengthening the connection to Arabic language and identity, and developing the youth work sector in the Arab region. This is achieved through capacity building, training programmes, specialised forums, events, celebrating innovators, joint projects, and emphasising the promotion of positive citizenship. This includes instilling an active sense of citizenship in Arab youth within their societies and raising awareness of their responsibilities towards their future and homelands.

In its first edition, the initiative united 100 young men and women from various Arab countries, organising meetings and workshops that provided opportunities to actively contribute to shaping innovative solutions for a better future in key sectors of society. Discussions about various future-oriented issues and active contribution to the advancement and development of communities were held.