International Youth Day 2025 Celebration: sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Honors Youth Efforts in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
In the spirit of this year's International Youth Day theme, "Local Youth Actions for the SDGs and Beyond," young people in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are making a significant impact on sustainable development.
One of the most notable initiatives is the MUSTADEEM program, a national program that equips young Emiratis with the skills to drive sustainability in agriculture and the environment. By nurturing future scientists and entrepreneurs, MUSTADEEM is focusing on food security and economic diversification.
Beyond agriculture, UAE youth are taking the lead in various areas. Climate action projects, tech and coding initiatives at community levels, and arts and creative projects addressing social and environmental themes are just a few examples of the innovative work being done.
The UAE's leadership recognises the importance of empowering young people to be changemakers. Platforms, targeted training, and policies are being provided to ensure that young people are not just inheriting the future, but designing it.
This was evident at the UN Sustainable Development Forum 2025, where the UAE led youth-driven sessions inviting global young changemakers to co-create sustainable futures. Broader initiatives supporting youth empowerment include the Digital Youth Hub platform and national policies focused on adolescents and youth development.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, has expressed his support for the youth of the UAE. He emphasised the courage, creativity, and determination of young people, stating that "when youth lead, the world moves forward."
In a quote that encapsulates the potential of youth in the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, "We must listen to, invest in, and walk alongside young people." This sentiment reflects the spirit of International Youth Day and the UAE's strategic investment in youth as essential drivers of the SDGs.
In conclusion, the UAE's youth are making a significant contribution to sustainable development through their actions, aligning with the SDGs under this year's International Youth Day theme. Their work in sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, climate resilience, social innovation, tech initiatives, arts projects, and policy dialogues underscores the UAE's commitment to empowering young people and building a better future.
- The innovative MUSTADEEM program, focused on education-and-self-development and personal-growth, equips young Emiratis with skills in agriculture and the environment, driving sustainability and fostering future scientists and entrepreneurs for food security and economic diversification.
- Political leaders like Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum recognize the importance of collaboration with the youth, encouraging them to be changemakers by providing platforms, targeted training, and policies that enable them to design the future rather than just inherit it.
- General news often showcases the creative work of UAE's youth, who lead in various areas such as climate action projects, tech and coding initiatives, arts and creative projects addressing social and environmental themes, and policy dialogues on sustainable development.
- With the support of political leaders, the youth in the UAE are designing a future that aligns with the SDGs, demonstrating their potential and making significant contributions to sustainable development through agriculture, environmental protection, climate resilience, social innovation, tech initiatives, arts projects, and policy dialogues.
