Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in the presence His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Office of Development and Martyrs Families Affairs at the Presidential Court and President of the Arab Youth Center, and His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Ajman Planning and Municipality Department and Vice President of the Arab Youth Center, the Young Arab Diplomatic Leaders Program’s graduation ceremony took place at the Arab Youth Center in Abu Dhabi. The ceremony honoured 41 graduates who were presented with their diplomas.
The ceremony was also attended by Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Community Development, and Vice President of the Arab Youth Center; and Her Excellency Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, UAE Minister of State.
The programme is a collaboration of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), and Harvard University. In recent weeks, programme leaders have organised several specialised sessions and virtual workshops featuring a distinguished panel of experts and specialists in regional and international diplomatic affairs. The aim is to afford Arab youth the opportunity to gain valuable skills and insights from leading Arab and international diplomatic institutions, empowering and enabling those interested in pursuing opportunities in Arab diplomacy, and driving Arab participation in key international forums.
His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan emphasised the importance of supporting young talent and harnessing their capabilities to advance development within their countries and societies. His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed commended the commitment of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, noting his steadfast support for programmes and initiatives dedicated to nurturing core competencies of young Arab talent, and supporting their countries’ drive for progress and prosperity.
His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed also expressed his admiration for the commitment of the young graduates to projecting a positive image of human values within Islamic and Arab societies, evidenced in their engagement in international representation and development work. His Highness encouraged the graduates to continue developing their skills to participate in strategic areas of discussion, such as climate negotiations.
His Highness Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Vice President of the Arab Youth Center, underscored the need to continue to support Arab youth and establish an environment that equips them with tools for the skills of tomorrow, such as those that support environmental protection. This is of particular importance as the UAE prepares to host the Conference of the Parties (COP28) in late November 2023, presenting the country and the Arab world with a platform to support the amplification of young opinion leaders, engaging them in the future of climate action.
The graduating class included an elite group of young Arab diplomats working in diplomatic institutions in nine Arab countries: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Oman, Morocco, and Kuwait. Courses are focused on climate change and governance, the art of negotiation and influence, financing and advanced diplomacy in climate change. Graduates also received instruction on the basic principles and modern trends in climate diplomacy.
In launching the Young Arab Diplomatic Leaders Program, the Arab Youth Center aims to enhance communication between young diplomatic talents at Arab and international levels, providing an effective network for joint youth diplomacy work. The centre hopes to motivate new generations to choose careers in diplomacy and international cooperation to build a better future for the region.
