Despite their diverse cultures, social and economic conditions, and despite the divergence of geographical borders, 40 young men and women from seven European and Arab cities converged in a unique way in a city that inspires thought and creativity – Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the UAE.

Brought together by Common Purpose in partnership with the Emirates Foundation, Itijah, a Venture that spurs emerging leaders to find innovative approaches and solutions for challenges that face their communities, left the participants emerging from the four-day event with a rich perspective on what is to be done today for the pressing issues of tomorrow.

Evaluating the concepts of leadership, innovation, change management and collaboration across sectors, while working within the framework of a common social challenge, the young men and women particularly discussed ways to build capacity among young entrepreneurs for creating new business models that best leverage information technology, communications and social networking channels.

It was a time to talk, it was a time to ponder and it was a time to act – threads that wove and held the Itijah Venture together for achieving more than just its primary purpose.

Drawing upon their resources of heritage, education and experience, the participants from Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Istanbul, Alexandria, Benghazi, Manchester and Amman stepped beyond the immediate to examine the larger picture. In the process, not only did they forge stronger ties among themselves as the leaders of tomorrow and as representatives of key players in the Arab and Europe power corridors, the young men and women established channels of personal communication and pledged to jointly work together for advancing their respective communities.

Itjiah is the second in the Venture series organized by the UK-based Common Purpose, which seeks to connect emerging leaders from different cities and regions. Ventures are designed to encourage participants to work in new directions and develop innovative approaches to new and existing problems. The directive purpose of Ventures has inspired the title for the events, which when translated into their relevant languages means ‘direction’.

The fact that Abu Dhabi was selected as the venue for the initiative’s foray into the Middle East speaks much about the capital city’s vision of empowering the youth in the region to play more participatory roles in nation building. Organised in partnership with the UAE-based Emirates Foundation, the event took place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre (ADNEC) from 23 – 26 April.

Mubarak Al Dhaheri, Head of Governmental Policy at twofour54, Abu Dhabi says: "I am proud that Abu Dhabi is the first Arab city to host this wonderful initiative. This places great responsibility on me to provide a positive image of young people in the UAE. Through my participation in Itijah, I have gained an understanding on the importance of teamwork, as diversity of experience and the multiplicity of backgrounds always translate into more creative and less complex ideas and opinions. I would like to thank the Emirates Foundation for hosting the Itijah project, and giving me the opportunity to be part of this rich experience that has broadened my understanding and belief in my ability to achieve challenging goals."

Alexandria-based Hadeel Al Sheik, the Marketing Manager at Credit Agricole Company, who participated for Egypt admitted to feeling an initial sense of diffidence when informed of her selection. She shares, “I was skeptical of my ability to communicate and work with people with whom I share nothing in common. But the breadth of expertise, creativity and cultural diversity was extremely inspiring. Just two days into the Venture and I realised that despite the diversity of our cultures and social backgrounds, we all carry the same fears, face the same challenges, and have similar aspirations. More importantly, the participation broke my mental block of dealing with others with a pre-conceived notion. I can confidently say that I gained a lot on a personal level and I look forward to translating the outcomes of the project in my country."

Itijah called upon participants to work in small groups in order to communicate better and acquire insights into the concept of diversity. Over a period of four days, the groups received guidance from prominent experts and innovators to help them develop fresh solutions to challenges. Featuring hands-on activities and field trips to companies to learn about work systems and the dynamics of business performance in various areas, the participants met with senior departmental heads at the Masdar City for renewable energy and sustainable technologies, Takatof Programme for Social Volunteering, twofour54 the media makers zone, O2 Network for Marketing and Communications, Zayed University and the Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development.

Ahmed Ben Moussa, Programme Officer at the UN Food Programme, says: "I pay tribute to the people behind the scenes that worked to put this wonderful initiative together. From the choice of venue to the selection of participants reflecting a colorful fabric of cultures and nationalities, every detail was meticulously looked into. This was my first close interaction with the people of the UAE and I found them to be extremely civilized and well-informed. From the Venture itself, I have taken away valuable insights and have developed a personal conviction that with determination and the right circumstance, every individual has the creativity and the ability to achieve goals."

Peter Ulan, a participant from Budapest, Romania, described the project as a bridge of cultures. He shares: "I have always believed in the importance of listening to others, and it was wonderful to listen and communicate with people from different backgrounds and beliefs. It was also surprising to see that aspirations and dreams of young people unite despite distances and different backgrounds."

Klein McLean, from Manchester says: "It was a great Venture and a different experience altogether. The beauty of the city of Abu Dhabi, the successful organizing, the efficiency of the speakers and the diversity of cultures, as well as the whole-hearted commitment of every participant – all contributed to providing the ideal environment for unleashing talent and uncovering creativity. I did not expect four days to be enough to bring real change to any individual. Itijah surprised me in this regard and has significantly impacted, if not altered, my view of things. I believe that the others have also benefited in similar ways."

Clare Woodcraft, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Foundation, believes it was a moment of pride for Abu Dhabi to be the first Arab city to host the project. She stressed that organising the Venture falls within the vision of the Foundation to empower young people and build ideal platforms that enable them to communicate, engage in dialogue and work together to find innovative solutions to today’s challenges.

We accept Guest Posts

Download the Dubai City Guide iPhone mobile app

DubaiCityGuide.com is owned and managed by Cyber Gear