Held under the patronage of Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

 Several community-focused events in February will showcase the innovation spirit of Dubai as part of the first dedicated UAE Innovation Month

Dubai, UAE – In line with the UAE’s commitment to global innovation and industry leadership, the Ministry of Finance has announced a series of public events under the patronage of Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to mark Innovation Month 2018 this February.

Held between February 23rd and 28th, the events will involve all segments of the Emirate’s communities – from children and families to students and established professionals. The events will aim to foster collaboration and enrich conversations amongst innovators, entrepreneurs, students, youth, thought leaders, and entities within the private and public sector as well as academia.  

Innovation Month 2018 builds on the resounding successes achieved during UAE Innovation Week in 2017, which saw more than 1,250 innovative activities organised across the UAE, and was subsequently extended to a month-long celebration by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

His Excellency Younis Haji Al Khoori, undersecretary of Ministry of Finance, said: “The Dubai part of the UAE Innovation Month will see significant community-focused events taking place across the Emirate throughout the week, giving all residents and visitors the chance to get involved. Our collective commitment to innovation is one of the core values that makes Dubai – and the UAE – a leader on the world stage, and we look forward to celebrating with the people of Dubai next month.”

Innovation Month 2018 in Dubai is organized around an anchor event, Finovate, which will see international speakers and thought leaders exploring key themes such as innovation and fintech. The other Ministry of Finance events will focus on a range of topics – from future of work and careers, to finance and public spaces. In addition to these events, many other initiatives and events will take place across the country over the course of the month.

The Dubai event schedule is as follows:

·         Innovation Playground - Feb 23/24, Rise Dubai Creek Harbour

o   This event will see children invited to build their own robot and artificially intelligent (AI) cartoon character. Robot and AI workshops use, a DIY robotic kit that enables participants to create working robots from almost anything.

·         Dubai Pop Up and Mobile Schools - Feb 25- 28, renowned UAE schools

o   A refurbished bus converted into a mobile classroom will visit schools across the country to teach students about coding, design thinking and data analytics to inspire the next generation of innovators. The bus is equipped with materials and supplies for each of the innovative crash courses.

·         #ShapeYourFuture: Fair for Future Jobs Feb 26-27, Madinat Jumeirah, Joharah Ballroom

o   Not just an ordinary job fair, #ShapeYourFuture is a two day event which will consist of short talks from big corporates and start-ups highlighting what jobs of the future look like, and the new skills required to get these jobs.

·         Innovation Debate - Feb 27, Madinat Jumeirah, Joharah Ballroom

o   The “Innovation Debate” opens its doors to all for an exciting and intense discussion around controversial innovation topics dissecting the challenges and opportunities of each.

All Innovation Month 2018 events are open to the public and are free of charge.

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About Ministry of Finance
The UAE Ministry of Finance (MoF) was established shortly after the union of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1971, as a federal government entity. MoF is led by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance of the United Arab Emirates.

The ministry is responsible for preparing the federal budget for the UAE, as well as a number of additional tasks that include managing government cash flow, promoting fiscal planning, maintaining the international financial interests of the UAE, strengthening the UAE’s competitiveness in the fiscal and economic field and enhancing the culture of innovation in the organizational work environment.

© Press Release 2018