• Effects of technology on creativity, empathy, mindfulness debated in latest edition of Majlis series
  • Next Gen World Majlis programme enables students to discuss topics that will affect their future

DUBAI: Juggling the positive and negative impacts of technology is one of the biggest challenges of the next generation, school students from across the UAE concluded during an in-depth conversation at Expo 2020 Dubai’s second Next Gen World Majlis.

The session, titled ‘Technology with heart and mind’, featured 21 students aged 13 to 17, who discussed how humanity can embrace technology as a tool to drive positive change without impacting on the current quality of life.

Held at the Expo 2020 Visitor Centre, students from schools in the UAE were asked to consider whether humanity is at risk of becoming overly dependent on technology, and how we can embrace the benefits of innovation without compromising personal creativity or intelligence.

Expo 2020’s World Majlis series is designed to address 21st century challenges through the long-established Emirati and Arab tradition of the majlis – a highly valued meeting space where people gather to gain different perspectives and share informed opinions that help shape decisions on subjects that matter to their communities.

The Next Gen World Majlis series is part of Expo 2020’s commitment to put youth at the heart of the next World Expo.

Iman Alomrani, Deputy Chief Technology Officer – Innovation and Future Technology, Expo 2020 Dubai, who hosted the Next Gen World Majlis, said it was crucial to engage young people in discussions about the effects of technology to ensure future advancements were carefully guided.

Iman Alomrani said: “Young people have an advantageous view of how technology has affected humanity in the past and, therefore, they can better understand what needs to be done to ensure it has a positive influence on our creativity, connections and mindfulness in the future.

“This Next Gen World Majlis conversation enabled students to share their views, ideas, hopes and concerns about technology in an open, safe and inclusive environment. There were many views discussed but it was clear to me that our youth are well prepared to use technology effectively to create a better future for humanity.”

Ameera Ismail Sharif, a student from Sharjah American International School’s Dubai campus, and a participant in the Next Gen World Majlis, said: “We can either control technology or let it control us. In my opinion, technology has resulted in some of the biggest challenges we are facing today. However, it can also be used to connect minds and create the future, which is the theme of Expo 2020 and a priority for humanity as a whole.”

As well as discussing opportunities and challenges related to future technological advancements, the Next Gen World Majlis participants also acknowledged the impact that existing innovations have had on their lives.

Suffian Ahmed, a student from Pristine Private School in Dubai, said: “Our generation is unique in the sense that technology has accelerated fastest during our lifetimes. While we may struggle to adapt to the rate of change, we have to learn to live with these advancements as they become indispensable parts of our lives.

“It sometimes feels as though there is a culture of outrage against technologies such as social media, but what is seen as a negative by one person could be viewed as a convenience by someone else.”

Part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s World Majlis initiative, the Next Gen World Majlis series aims to spark meaningful conversations between young people on themes that impact their future. The ideas, questions and solutions that arise during these discussions will inform future World Majlis sessions.

In line with Expo 2020’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’, and underpinned by its three key subthemes of Opportunity, Mobility and Sustainability, the World Majlis series brings together current and future thought leaders from a range of backgrounds for conversations that matter. The initiative aims to generate new perspectives and forge connections between people and ideas, which may not have otherwise occurred.

Expo 2020 Dubai has committed to hosting 50 World Majlis sessions in the lead-up to and during the event, including six that will be youth-led. The next World Majlis conversation will be held in Kigali, Rwanda on 27 March, 2019.

To learn more about the initiative, or for additional information about previous World Majlis sessions, visit www.expo2020dubai.com/en/programmes/world-majlis.

-Ends-

About Expo 2020 Dubai

Expo 2020 Dubai is guided by the belief that innovation and progress are the result of people and ideas combining in new ways. For six months from 20 October, 2020, Expo will bring together 190 countries and millions of people to celebrate human ingenuity: ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’.

  • During the six months from 20 October, 2020 to 10 April, 2021, we expect to welcome 25 million visits
  • About 70 per cent of all visitors are anticipated to come from outside the UAE – the largest proportion of international visitors in Expo history
  • We aim to create and deliver an inclusive and global Expo with more than 200 participants, including nations, multilateral organisations, businesses and educational institutions
  • Expo 2020 also has an ambitious volunteer programme, which aims to include more than 30,000 volunteers from a wide range of ages, nationalities, cultures and backgrounds
  • The Expo site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area. It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
  • Expo 2020 Dubai is the first World Expo to take place in the MEASA (Middle East, Africa and South Asia) region

Visit: www.expo2020dubai.com

Follow: Twitter: @expo2020dubai | Facebook: @Expo2020Dubai | Instagram: expo2020dubai

About World Expos

In 1851 the Crystal Palace was the centrepiece of London’s Great Exhibition – the first World Expo. It celebrated the man-made industrial wonders of a rapidly changing world. Architecture, contents and a theme, ‘Industry of All Nations’, were combined to create a big idea of nations meeting nations in shared technological and commercial progress. In more recent years, participants in World Expos, including governments, international organisations and companies, have gathered to find solutions to universal challenges and to promote their achievements, products, ideas, innovations, their national brand, and their nations as destinations for tourism, trade and investment.

World Expos are held under the auspices of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the intergovernmental organisation responsible for overseeing and regulating international exhibitions (‘Expos’) and for fostering their core values of Education, Innovation and Cooperation. Today, four types of Expos are organised under the BIE’s auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos and the Triennale di Milano.

© Press Release 2019

Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release.

The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.