YSF & WLL Report United Arab Emirates
May 2018
Foreword YouthSpeak Forum
World’s Largest Lesson
AIESEC is a global youth-led organization striving to achieve peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential by activating leadership qualities in youth through learning from practical experiences in challenging environments. Together with partner organizations, AIESEC facilitates a network of cross-cultural exchanges in the form of volunteering experiences supporting the Sustainable Development Goals and professional internships. YouthSpeak Forum UAE 2018 is a premier event that brings together both young and senior leaders to form a diverse cross-sector and multigenerational space to create solutions and actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals relevant to the UAE. In this year’s edition, the 5 main SDGs were the main topics of the event’s agenda: Quality Education, Gender Equality, Affordable and Clean Energy, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Reduced Inequalities. This event will be followed by World's Largest Lesson aiming to educate 100 classrooms across the UAE about the SDGs to commemorate the 100th day of birth of the founder of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed for 1 hour on the 6th of May. This document aims to provide with an overall analysis based on the 2 initiatives that were run on the 5th and 6th of May with the purpose of empowering youth to be more involved in the 2030 Global Agenda, and 2021 UAE Agenda, and also, spreading awareness about the Sustainable Development Goals among youngsters across the United Arab Emirates. You will also find included in this document key points, mainly the speeches, workshops, and panel discussions, as well as the World’s Largest Lesson outcome. Thank you all for your support and cooperation and we look forward to meeting you again for the next edition of the YouthSpeak Forum.
Ahmed Samara CEO 1718 – AIESEC UAE
By Youth, For Youth YouthSpeak Forum The YouthSpeak Forum UAE 2018 is an AIESEC Initiative that allowed UAE youth to voice their opinion and take action on pressing Global Issues. YouthSpeak UAE 2018 as about converting youth opinion into real world impact. Understand and connect with what young people care about and help empower them to take action on issues that will create a positive impact in the UAE. The forum served as a space to convene thoughts, ideas, data-driven insights to create a space where participants are aligned on a common purpose: achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in the UAE.
The purpose of the YouthSpeak Forum The YouthSpeak Forum aims to dedicate action spaces that follow on conversations about the Sustainable Development Goals, rather than just talking about pressing global issues, we discover solutions to them during the forum.
In Numbers
3
+200
9
Global Goals
Delegates aged 14-24 years old
Partners and Stakeholders
+20
22
Pitches and Ideas to support the SDGs
Inspiring Guests and Speakers
About the Delegates School and University Students aged between 14 and 24 years old, from different parts of the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah). About the Facilitators Directors, Researchers, Lecturers and Government Officials who share the vision of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. About the Forum A full day agenda where we take our delegates through a unique and interactive framework to be Inspire, feel Engage, and Act upon the Global Goals Locally and Globally.
Partners YouthSpeak Forum
Speakers & Guests Her Exellency Amal Al-Koos Secretary General National Committee for UNESCO
Her Highness Princess Hind Al Saud Saudi Arabia
Ahmed Samara National Director – AlESEC UAE
Brigitte Dierckx Environmental & Social Responsibility Manager Engie
Lina Hourani CSR Director – Al Ahli Holding Group
Moza Al Hamadi National Coordinator – ASPNet Schools
Mariam Farag Head of CSR – MBC Group Omar Al Mutawa UAE’s Youth Representative to the UN Abubaker Eltoum Sustainability and CSR Researcher Stephen King Lecturer – Middlesex University Hanan Al Ahli Director of Secretariat to the National Committee on SDGs – FCSA Christiaan Coetzee Senior Projects Executive Strategy and future Department – FCSA
Nada Al Turifi Senior Researcher – FCSA Head – Sharjah Youth Council
Ghaya Al Midfa Projects Executive – FCSA Mashael Al Fardan Global Sustainability Officer – DP World Sarah Al Suwaidi UAE’s Youth Representative to the UN Alya Harbi Director of Statistics & Research Ministry of Health and Prevention Sara Chatila CSR Executive – MBC AL AMAL Khaled Elnems SHABAB2030 – MBC AL AMAL Hassan Albalawi SHABAB2030 – MBC AL AMAL
Ahmed AlHidiq SHABAB2030 – MBC AL AMAL
Keynote Speeches YouthSpeak Forum Her Excellency Amal Al Koos Opening Speech of Her Excellency with the role of the National Committee for UNESCO and the importance of youth involvement in the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. Ahmed Samara Opening Speech with a presentation about AIESEC UAE, the purpose of the YouthSpeak Forum and its role in linking young people to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Lina Hourani The role of CSR, Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship in building young generations that are conscious about their role in society.
Mariam Farag The role of Media in Creating Social Impact, and shedding light on real issues that should be the concern of everyone, and working on engaging youth to act upon them.
Omar Al Mutawa The youth as agents of change that hold the power to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, with some tips about how these goals can be seen in everyday life.
Hanan Al Ahli A session titled “UAE SDGs: Excellence in Implementation� to talk about the role of the National Committee on SDGs, 2030 Global Agenda and 2021 UAE Agenda.
SDG Workshops YouthSpeak Forum
Stephen King
Abubaker Eltoum
A workshop about what the Sustainable Development Goals are and their importance delivered in English and in Arabic languages.
Pictionary Game YouthSpeak Forum A game of “SDG Pictionary” was organized by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority, in both English and Arabic languages for the purpose of making the learning process of the SDGs more interactive with the young participants of the YouthSpeak Forum.
Panel Discussions YouthSpeak Forum Two panel discussions were held during the YouthSpeak Forum, first one “Youth Dialogue“ about Youth involvement in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the second one “Shabab 2030” about how youth can be empowered to pursue their passions and their dreams where panelists shared their valuable experience and thoughts with the young attendees.
YSF Workshops YouthSpeak Forum Workshop 01: SDG7 Affordable & Clean Energy by Engie For the purpose of understanding the importance of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all in the UAE, Engie held a workshop about clean energies and their role to ensure a sustainable future for the world.
Workshop 02: SDG8 Decent Work & Economic Growth by CSR Al Ahli A workshop to initiative young participants about what Social Entrepreneurship is, the role it plays in creating impact and the steps needed to create a social enterprise.
Workshop 03: SDG10 Reduced Inequalities by MBC Al Amal For the purpose of reducing inequality within and among countries, communities, and individuals. The workshop explored ways for young people to reduce inequalities among their peers.
100 Years, 100 Classrooms World’s Largest Lesson The World’s Largest Lesson is an initiative created by Project Everyone and the UNICEF that introduces the Sustainable Development Goals to children and young people everywhere and unites them in action. The YouthSpeak Forum held a session that introduced a UN Curriculum to the participants on how to teach the SDGs, thus to support the World's Largest Lesson by AIESEC UAE. This initiative aimed to educate 100 classrooms across the UAE about the SDGs to commemorate the 100th day of birth of the founder of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed for 1 hour on the 6th of May.
Why deliver the World’s Largest Lesson As AIESEC, we are committed to mobilizing young people to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. To make this happen, we start creating awareness and understanding about the importance of each individual contribution.
In Numbers
17
11
205
Global Goals
Schools across the UAE
Classrooms
+5000
3
Students aware of the SDGs
Emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah
About the Facilitators Participants of the YouthSpeak Forum that have gone through the SDG UN Curriculum training, aged between 14-24 years old. About the Students Students from the same schools as the facilitators, aged between 8-18 years old. About the Lesson In the form of a presentation, where the facilitators shared their learning points from the YouthSpeak Forum and introduced what are the SDGs and what’s their purpose with the students.
Lessons Delivery Emirates National School – Abu Dhabi
16 Classrooms, 16 Facilitators
Emirates National School – Al Ain
6 Classrooms, 6 Facilitators National Charity School, Boys - Dubai
31 Classrooms, 13 Facilitators
Lessons Delivery New Indian Model School - Dubai
24 Classrooms, 24 Facilitators
National Charity School, Girls - Dubai
43 Classrooms, 12 Facilitators
Our Own High School - Dubai
19 Classrooms, 19 Facilitators
Lessons Delivery Apple International School - Dubai
20 Classrooms, 15 Facilitators
Abu Dhabi School - Abu Dhabi
4 Classrooms, 4 Facilitators
Asian Intl School – Abu Dhabi
34 Classrooms, 10 Facilitators
Lessons Delivery Al Diyafah School – Dubai
10 Classrooms, 10 Facilitators
Islamic Institute – Dubai
14 Classrooms, 22 Facilitators
Participating Schools World’s Largest Lesson
Media Activities World’s Largest Lesson MBC Al Amal A video that resumes all moments of the YouthSpeak Forum 2018. Video Link: Here Khaleej Times An article about the YouthSpeak Forum initiative and its prominence. Article Link: Here
Testimonials World’s Largest Lesson “I attended the YouthSpeak Forum with my school colleagues and coordinators where we got the chance to learn a lot about the Sustainable Development Goals. The forum was so useful and meaningful to me as it allowed me to think about what I can do to help my community and even the world!” Ahmed Attalla – Student - NCS Dubai “YouthSpeak Forum was designed perfectly to meet our students need , It makes a difference in the lives of students, It provided them opportunity to grow and learn about Sustainable development goals, how to solve the problems facing the community in which they live.” Marwa - Happiness Officer - The Apple Intl School “The YouthSpeak Forum was a great opportunity for me to interact with an impressive number of students and quality speakers and share my experience. This type of initiative is very much needed to develop an open minded generation in the UAE.” Lina Hourani – CSR Director – Al Ahli Holding Group "YouthSpeak Forum was absolutely brilliant. We had the honour of listening to speakers of different fields all united in the spirit of giving back to the community. The workshops and the pitch competition gave us the opportunity to meet likeminded youth. Learning SDGs and sharing that with others was the best takeaway from the YouthSpeak Forum" Aalia Ahamed - Student - Manipal University
For more information, please get in touch with:
Ahmed Samara National Director 1718 – AIESEC UAE Email: ahmed.samara@aiesec.net Phone: +971 – 55136 3722