H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, attended today the global launch by Masdar of the Youth 4 Sustainability, Y4S, platform.

The global platform, launched under the patronage of Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed, is designed to equip young people with the skills needed to pursue careers in the sustainability industry, combining tailored workshops and real-world experience to empower youth and give them the skills they need to excel.

The platform aims to directly engage 50,000 young people across the world by 2030. Masdar is one of the world’s leading clean energy companies.

"The UAE government places great importance on the role and empowerment of youth, who hold the responsibility of ensuring the welfare of our future. Through structured programmes such as Youth 4 Sustainability, we can prepare them so they are able to tackle the challenges that our world currently faces," said Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed. "With the launch of the global platform, we can reach young leaders around the world, creating an even larger network of empowered and informed youth."

Over the next decade, the green economy will create 24 million new jobs, according to the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation. The global renewable energy sector employed 11 million people in 2018, compared with 10.3 million in 2017, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency. Youth programmes are designed to engage youth from a young age to prepare them for a sustainability-focused future.

For her part, Dr. Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director of Brand and Strategic Initiatives at Masdar, said, "The UAE has established itself as a global leader in the empowerment of youth, recognising that their contribution is integral to the country’s development. Delivering a sustainable future presents a great challenge and a great opportunity, requiring a new generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, consultants and sustainability advocates."

"The global Youth 4 Sustainability platform will play a crucial role in preparing young people with the skills and experience they need to succeed, as well as connecting youth leaders around the world to kick-start a global conversation about sustainability," she added.

Y4S provides a year-long series of programmes aimed at supporting students and young entrepreneurs, including the Sustainability Ambassadors programme, which offers high-school students skills training, work experience and networking skills through a number of events. The Future Sustainability Leaders programme is designed for university students aged 20 to 25, empowering them to become the next generation of sustainability leaders, while enriching their knowledge through engagement with global leaders, policy makers and technology pioneers.

The new global platform will build on the aforementioned youth initiatives that Masdar has implemented over the last four years, continuing to engage young people from the UAE, and around the world.

With 1.8 billion people around the world aged between 15 and 29 years old, the Youth 4 Sustainability platform is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the UAE’s National Strategy and the UAE Centennial Plan.

Y4S will have a strong presence at the 2020 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, with an interactive hub running from 13th to 16th January, featuring inspirational speakers from around the world.

The opening address for the hub will be given by Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, Chairman of the Department of Energy, with Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability, and Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, also delivering inspirational talks on day one.

Other highlights from the first day will include a presentation by Amna Al Qubaisi, the first female Emirati racing-car driver, on succeeding in a male-dominated environment. Joe Kaeser, Group CEO, Siemens, will talk to attendees about preparing for the future of work and the pivotal role of the private sector in developing youth skills. A full agenda of speakers and workshops is attached.

The hub is expected to host more than 3,000 young people throughout the week.

The interactive hub is supported by Y4S’s dedicated partners, AD Power, Mubadala, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy and the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi.

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