• Global platform designed to engage 50,000 young people across the world by 2030, providing them with the education and experience to be future sustainability leaders.
  • Y4S to feature at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2020, with interactive hub spanning four days of event. 

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: 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, which was launched under the patronage of Sheikh Khalid, 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 HH Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan. “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.”

“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,” said Dr. Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director, Brand & Strategic Initiatives, Masdar. “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.”

Over the next decade, the green economy will create 24 million new jobs, according to the United Nations’ International Labour Organization. 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.

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 – 29 years old, the Youth 4 Sustainability platform is aligned with the United Nations (UN) 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 January 13-16, featuring inspirational speakers from around the world.

The opening address for the hub will be given by HE Eng Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, Chairman of the Department of Energy, with Sheikha Shamma bin Sultan bin Khalifa al Nahyan, CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability, and HE Shamma AlMazrouie, UAE 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 AlQubaisi, 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, Department of Energy (DoE) and the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi (EAD.)

-Ends- 

About Masdar

Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company Masdar is advancing the commercialization and deployment of renewable energy, sustainable urban development and clean technologies to address global sustainability challenges. Wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company, the strategic investment company of the Government of Abu Dhabi, our mandate is to help maintain the UAE’s leadership in the global energy sector, while supporting the diversification of both its economy and energy sources for the benefit of future generations. Masdar’s renewable energy projects are located in the UAE, Jordan, Mauritania, Egypt, Morocco, the UK, Serbia and Spain.

Contacts:
E-mail: press@masdar.ae
Tel enquiries in Arabic: +971 2 653 3333
Tel enquiries in English: +971 2 653 6014

For more information please visit: http://www.masdar.ae  and connect: facebook.com/masdar.ae and twitter.com/masdar

About Youth 4 Sustainability

The Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) initiative provides opportunities that enable young people to become active leaders in the world’s transition to a more sustainable future. Mentorship, engagement opportunities and educational programs are developed for students and young professionals to strengthen the talent pipeline of sustainability leaders. At ADSW, Y4S is represented by an interactive hub that attracts around 3,000 students throughout the week.

© Press Release 2020

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