(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The ninth edition of the Dubai Forum for Best Government Practices concluded on Tuesday with the aim of "boosting the role of young people to transform innovation and creativity into the foundation of the architecture of government work in Dubai and the UAE."
The two-day forum, held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, gathered a host of local, regional and international experts who shared their experiences in government excellence and innovation.
Talking about the role of governments in empowering the youth, American speaker Farah Pandith, who used to work at the office of US president Barack Obama, said: "Governments (around the world) must go beyond the traditional way of appreciating the role of the youth."
"It is not enough for governments to say that the youth are the future - they are future. What is important is how the youth are engaged by giving them domestic and international opportunities," she added.
Speaking on the same stage with Pandith, Ameera Amir, who founded the social enterprise Weyakum (Arabic word for 'with you'), said: "Nothing should hinder us (youth) from giving back to the community and country."
Shaikh Theyab bin Khalifa bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, who was part of the UAE Armed Forces who recently conquered Mt. Everest, shared the same sentiments and added: "The UAE youth are ready to face the challenges - empower them and they can achieve the goals."
Meanwhile, siblings Adeeb Al Balushi, 12, and Dana Al Balushi, 10, inspired the audience with their achievements at a young age. Adeeb, who talked in the session 'Young Innovators' shared his inspirations for his inventions, which include a gadget he created for his father who was polio victim.
Dana on her part talked about her experience as the youngest Emirati to experience training at the US-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
She told Khaleej Times that she failed at her first application because she was just nine years back then but she applied again and got in to take part in NASA's technical training in robotics and aerospace engineering.
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