By Emmanuel Maijo
DUBAI – Young leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers from 35 countries gathered in Dubai this Friday for the opening of the Future Youth Leadership Summit, a global forum focused on strengthening youth leadership, promoting international collaboration and advancing sustainable solutions to global challenges.
The summit, organised by the Future Youth Global Network, opened with a call for greater youth participation in shaping the future through responsible leadership, ethical innovation and the strategic use of artificial intelligence.
Welcoming delegates, summit host Amal Tatay said the event reflects the growing influence of young people in driving meaningful change across the world. She noted that 70 percent of participants are between the ages of 18 and 30, while women account for 62 percent of attendees.
Tatay said young people are no longer simply the leaders of tomorrow, but are already making significant contributions to solving today’s global challenges through innovation, entrepreneurship and community leadership.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Future Youth Global Network, Abdallah El Saad, reflected on the organisation’s journey since its establishment in Saudi Arabia in 2009, describing how it overcame numerous challenges, including the postponement of the summit, to become an international youth platform.
“Our journey began with a strong belief in the power of young people to create meaningful change. Today, representatives from 35 countries are united around a shared vision built on leadership, innovation and collective action for a more sustainable future,” El Saad said.
He explained that the initiative started as a small youth-led movement committed to creating social impact despite prevailing social restrictions at the time. With the support of families and community leaders, the organisation expanded its programmes, initially focusing on children aged between four and 13 years, providing leadership and skills training to more than 1,000 young people, particularly orphans and underprivileged children.
El Saad highlighted one early success story in which an eight-year-old participant won second place in a photography competition, describing it as an example of the programme’s commitment to nurturing young talent.
Over the past five years, the organisation has shifted its focus towards empowering Generation Z through annual leadership and personal development programmes designed to promote civic engagement, innovation and entrepreneurship.
The network has since expanded internationally, establishing a presence in the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Morocco, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom before launching the Future Youth Global Network as a global platform serving people aged between 16 and 45.
This year’s summit is being held under the theme “Foundation & Strategy,” with discussions centred on leadership development and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into business, government and community initiatives.
Among the featured sessions is “Human Leadership in an AI-Driven World,” which examines how artificial intelligence can strengthen human capabilities, encourage ethical innovation and support future policy development.
Delegates are also participating in discussions on sustainable entrepreneurship through environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, responsible innovation and the role of young leaders in building more inclusive and accountable institutions.
Organisers say the summit aims to strengthen global partnerships and create opportunities for collaboration among emerging leaders committed to delivering lasting social and economic impact in their communities and beyond.
