Hundreds of Emirati students from across the United Arab Emirates gathered at Zayed University October 16 for the annual Youth Forum hosted by Mubadala, the Abu Dhabi based investment and development company.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates delivered the keynote closing address.
Addressing the Youth Forum, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, said: “I believe that the true value of life lies in work, diligence and innovation. After all, work is the essence of humanity.”

A tremendous example of this is Maitha Al Kaabi, a student at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology whose research focuses on water treatment and desalination. Her passion for a subject that is essential to the long term sustainability of the UAE is a lesson to us all.

The Youth Forum offered students the opportunity to interact with Emirati business leaders and role models as they consider the varied career opportunities at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s economic development.

Bringing together Emiratis between the ages of 17 and 24, the event aimed to spark the imagination of young people by highlighting the range of vocational prospects in both Public and Private sectors that are available to future graduates. The forum focused on high-growth sectors including metals, energy and aerospace that will be calling for graduate employees as they develop into major global platforms.

Homaid Al Shemmari, Executive Director of Mubadala Aerospace, was interviewed by three university students, answering questions on his experiences and personal journey.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Mr Shemmari said: “It’s an honour to be able to share my career stories from my days in the UAE Armed Forces, right up to running Mubadala’s aerospace operations. I look forward to following the progress of some of these students and, hopefully, we will see them in technical fields including engineering, aviation and manufacturing – three key areas of the fast growing Aerospace sector in the UAE.”

Other highlights of the day included a panel discussion on the career opportunities in Abu Dhabi’s emerging industries, an animated debate between representatives from the Public and Private sectors and a discussion on juggling career and family in the modern UAE.

Mohammed Saeed Hareb, Chief Executive Officer of Lammtara and creator of the successful Emirati animation program Freej also spoke about bringing his famous character to life citing the cartoon as an opportunity to reinforce the culture and heritage of the UAE to youth.

Commenting on the Youth Forum, Mubadala’s Head of Community, Amina Taher said: “We are delighted to bring together the UAE’s next generation and leading figures from the Public and Private sectors for such an open and engaging debate. As economic diversification creates long term opportunities for all UAE citizens, so it is essential that Emirati youth understand the vital role they must play in driving the nation forward.”

The Youth Forum also provided the opportunity for Mubadala to officially launch its youth initiative, Weyana, a comprehensive youth program that pursues various initiatives and partnerships that seek to support and guide young people as they determine their future pathways. The program focuses on a number of key areas including education, culture and well-being.