The first edition of the Human Capability Initiative (HCI) is scheduled to take place during the period Feb. 28-29, 2024 in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The HCI, which aims to empower the human capability, is being held under the patronage of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman, who is also the chairman of the Human Capability Development Program Committee, one of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 Realization Programs, The first edition of the initiative, under the theme of "Future Readiness", will bring together, at King Abdulaziz International Convention Center in Riyadh, over 6,000 experts, decision makers, and more than 150 international keynote speakers from government, private and non-profit entities, and think tanks from over 50 countries. All of those experts, decision makers, and speakers will come together in order to explore impactful dialogues, create synergies and seize opportunities for human capability development worldwide. HCI will focus on how to strengthen the human capability development ecosystem, promote innovative policy design and creative solutions, and showcase success stories of human capability development and its impact on economic growth. This collective effort will contribute to a sustainable global agenda that pioneers solutions for human capabilities across all age groups, and sparks initiatives that proactively anticipate the challenges of tomorrow and help shape a promising future for all. Commenting on the announced event, the Minister of Education, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Human Capability Development Program, Yousef Al-Benyan, said: "The conference is the first of its kind global cooperative platform to catalyze international collaboration, enrich global dialogue in human capability development, and contribute to the development of human skills and a prosperous global economy.". He added: "The conference will discuss challenges facing human capabilities development in light of global changes, and the most important skills required in the future global labor market, in addition to the impact of rapid developments in the digital and economic fields on human capabilities". "Topics addressed at HCI are of vital importance in driving new conversations on shaping policy, collaboration, and private-public-third sector partnerships and investment at a global level in developing human capabilities," Al-Benyan said. The Saudi education minister noted that the HCI will contribute to building strong and flexible economies to meet future challenges. — SG
