"The TRENDS roundtable emphasized the significance of youth empowerment in grooming future leaders."

TRENDS Research and Advisory, along with its Youth Council, organized a roundtable titled "From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development" in celebration of International Youth Day, observed annually on August 12th.

The roundtable included two panel discussions addressing four main topics: "Youth Empowerment and Leadership", "Volunteering and Civic Engagement", "Education and Skill Development", and "Digital Technology and Youth".

Participants emphasized the need for clear strategies and plans for youth empowerment, volunteering, and community engagement to prepare a new generation of future leaders. They also stressed the importance of specialized programs and courses to develop youth skills and the significance of investing in digital technology for effective communication and sustainable learning.

Various Youth Councils, including those from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, the General Civil Aviation Authority, the Emirates Red Crescent, the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, the United Arab Emirates University, and Zayed University participated in the roundtable.

During the first session focusing on "Youth Empowerment and Leadership" and "Volunteering and Civic Participation", participants highlighted the importance of creating a supportive work environment to motivate young people and grant them full trust to develop their leadership skills.

They also emphasized that youth empowerment is a key principle in the UAE and discussed how young people can seize available opportunities to enhance their capabilities and benefit from the experiences and guidance of experienced individuals. Additionally, they mentioned three main elements of empowering young leaders: increasing knowledge, acquiring skills, and refining workplace behavior.
In the second part of the session, participants emphasized the importance of "Volunteering and civic participation." They agreed that volunteering helps young people build character, making them more responsible and enhancing their leadership abilities. Volunteering also provides youth with diverse experiences and raises their awareness of societal and global issues.

They pointed out that volunteering contributes to creating a more cohesive society by instilling values of love and respect for others in young people. It also offers an excellent opportunity for youth to apply the skills they have learned previously, thereby strengthening national cohesion and allowing volunteers to make productive use of their free time through beneficial community activities. Voluntary activities contribute to the continued development of communities and enhance volunteers’ ability to communicate effectively with others.

The second panel discussion focused on the themes "Education and skill development" and "digital technology and youth". Participants in the "Education and skill development" discussion emphasized that the educational environment helps young people discover their talents and acquire new skills. They called for the introduction of new subjects in the educational system to foster creative thinking among students and maintain a balance between Arab culture and other Western cultures.

The participants also suggested that the educational system should help young people choose their fields of specialization early by linking academic subjects with practical applications and fieldwork. They highlighted the importance of offering new learning programs and courses that focus on future needs by combining team-based activities with experimental and fieldwork activities.

In the theme on "Digital technology and youth," members of Youth Councils who participated in the TRENDS roundtable viewed technology as a double-edged sword. While it facilitates the learning process and the acquisition of new skills, if misused, it can become a destructive tool. They added that digital technology has provided significant opportunities for young people who have used them to communicate, influence, learn, and prove themselves.

The speakers noted that the rapid development of digital technologies has led many educational institutions to use digital environments as a medium for educational activities. Many countries have also employed these technologies to enhance sustainable development efforts, as was done by the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic.

They warned that despite the significant benefits of technology, its risks have increased recently, necessitating the need to raise awareness among young people, educate them about these risks, and equip them with the skills to avoid digital threats. Moreover, they stressed the importance of leveraging modern technology to support values of loyalty, belonging, and civic responsibility among youth and all segments of society.