The UAE Government Development and the Future Office launched the "Futureneers" initiative, a national platform that brings together young Emirati talents from various strategic fields to design ideas and solutions aiming to enhance the UAE's readiness for the future. The Futureneers initiative employs the capabilities and potential of young Emirati talents in vital sectors in order to explore opportunities, create proactive solutions to future challenges, develop innovative ideas, and engage in designing policies and initiatives that promote the country's readiness for the future. This initiative achieves the leadership's directives charted in the "UAE's 10 Principles for the Next 50 Years," a strategic road map aiming to invest in human capital as the main driver for future growth, and reflects the UAE's vision to harness skills of young Emirati talents, leverage their energy, and attend to their aspirations towards the future. In conjunction with the launch of the initiative, Ohood Bint Khalfan Al Roumi, minister of state for Government Development and the Future, held a meeting with the "Futureneers" to review the initiative's vision, mission, objectives, and the most prominent future projects that the participants will be working on over the next phase in the various fields. They further discussed development ideas, their future role, and a number of initiatives aiming at promoting the UAE's leading position as a global hub for innovation and an enabling environment for developing creative ideas. Al Roumi, emphasized the importance of investing in national talents and youth skills to enhance the country's readiness for the future. This embodies the vision of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces in empowering youth and preparing them for future development. Al Roumi said that the UAE government considers challenges and rapid changes taking place all around the world as opportunities to enable youth, employ their talents and capabilities, and engage them in designing and creating the future. This supports the government's efforts to make the UAE the most prepared country for the future, calling on participants to intensify their efforts to design solutions that enhance government readiness through "Futureneers." The initiative focuses on creating an enabling environment for a professional team of youth and enhance their participation in developing policies, legislations and initiatives, and designing innovative solutions to ensure that the UAE is the most prepared country for the future worldwide. Participants chosen for the initiative have a wide range of experiences in various fields, including Amna Bin Thaneya in the field of Development Management and Architecture; Khaled Al Mubarak in Strategy and Entrepreneurship; Fatima Galadari in Investment Banking; Alia Al Mansoori in Science and Space; and Rashid Al Suwaidi in Software Architecture. Among "Futurneers" participants were also Noora Al Saeed in the field of Astrophysics and Planetary Science; Mohammed Al Mansoori in Technology Development and Forensics Science; Maryam Al Hashimi in Economy; Maitha Al Memari in Public Policy and Education; Fatima Al Qubaisi in Law and Legislation; as well as Thani Al Mheiri in Philosophy and Political Science. Participants were selected based on specific criteria, including their ability and skills in shaping the future, diversity of knowledge, scientific and professional achievements, creativity, and ability to develop ideas that are aligned with the UAE's vision for the next 50 years. — WAM
