Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies and the host of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), has announced the opening of registration for the 2022 Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) forum, a series of youth-led discussions taking place from January 17 – 19 as part of ADSW 2022.

The Y4S platform, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, is a year-long, youth-led program dedicated to creating awareness of the skills needed for future jobs in the green economy, and educating up to one million young people in sustainability by 2030 through a blended learning experience. By engaging youth through workshops, debates, training programs and networking opportunities, the Y4S platform prepares them to become the sustainability leaders of tomorrow.

Supported by Principal Partner Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, the 2022 Y4S Forum will be held under the theme: Building youth adaptability and resilience for a sustainable future. The three-day forum will be staged in a hybrid format, combining live and virtual events at The Hive at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).  ADSW 2022 will also feature the Y4S Hub – a dedicated space at The Hive that connects students to local organizations and innovative tools for experiential learning opportunities that educate, empower and inspire youth to become more involved in sustainability. The Y4S Hub typically attracts around 3,000 students during ADSW.

“The Department of Energy is committed to supporting the next generation of young people to play an active role in realizing Abu Dhabi’s vision for a more sustainable and prosperous future,” said  Eng. Amal Al Braiki, Strategic Affairs Executive Director at the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy. “By partnering with Youth 4 Sustainability we can engage with youth at the flagship Y4S Forum and Y4S Hub, and help to put them on the path to acquiring the skills and knowledge to be future leaders in driving forward the sustainability agenda.”

“The UAE is committed to supporting the development of young people – both here and beyond our borders,” said Dr Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director, Brand & Strategic Initiatives at Masdar. “The Y4S platform addresses a defining issue of our time – the need to empower the next generation to be the sustainability champions of tomorrow. The theme for Y4S this year is ‘skilling up youth for a sustainable future’, recognizing that advances in technology are transforming every industry and creating new ‘green jobs’ for young people. By equipping youth today with the right skills and education through quality learning opportunities, we can prepare them for the workforce of the future, and to lead the next generation towards of a thriving, more sustainable world.”

Throughout the three-day forum, youth will have the opportunity to attend keynote speeches, panel sessions and interviews, with the event featuring high-level speakers from around the world. Confirmed speakers include: HE Eng. Awaidha Murshed Ali Al Marar, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, HE Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, HE Shamma bint Suhail bin Faris Al Mazrui, UAE Minister of State for Youth, HE Salama Al Ameemi, Director General, Ma’an  - Authority of Social Contribution, Sonia Ben Jaafar, CEO, Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation for Education, Prof. Fernando Reimers, Director of the International Education Policy Masters Program at Harvard University, Najla Al-Midfa, General Manager, Sheraa,  Prof. Nihel Chabrak, CEO, UAEU Science & Innovation Park, Adan Ramirez Sanchez, CEO, Greenfluidics, Ineza Umuhoza Grace, CEO, The Green Fighter, and many more from across the sustainability, innovation and education fields.

Running alongside the Y4S Forum, the Y4S Hub will be the focal point for several interactive events including the Ecothon Innovation Challenge, where teams of young people compete to design sustainable solutions to a real-world issue using entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills. The sixth edition of the Ecothon is being held under the theme: Climate literacy - reimaging the role of education on climate change. The competition’s third and final day will see each team pitch a prototype of their product to a panel of judges in a Dragon’s Den-style format.

The full list of speakers and sessions is available upon registration. For more information and to register for the Y4S Forum, please visit www.y4s.ae.