DUBAI, 27 December 2004 — Sheikh Mohammed ibn Rashid Al-Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai and UAE defense minister, has donated one million dirhams to the Young Arab Leaders (YAL) initiative to help the community in its efforts to develop a youth leadership base in the Arab world.
Sheikh Mohammed stressed the importance of supporting all initiatives aimed at developing young leadership base in the Arab region as it is a vital step in the development of the region.
He called on YAL to intensify its efforts in order to support young leaders and launch programs and initiatives which build open and healthy channels and networks among members to ensure cooperation across Arab borders and galvanize Arab youth to work for change.
The donation was welcomed by the Young Arab Leaders. “We are grateful to him for his continuing support and his commitment to make our plans a fruitful reality. This support comes at a time when the organization is preparing a series of initiatives and programs which aim to develop the potential and skills of young leaders so that they can play a stronger role in the region’s development process,” said Mohammed Al-Gergawi, chairman of the executive committee of YAL.
YAL has developed a multipronged strategy to provide the initial impetus to the search and development of future leaders, explained Hakam Kanafani, vice chairman of YAL. “We hope to send the message of Young Arab Leaders to all corners of the Arab world and to seek out potential leaders from all streams of life,” Kanafani added.
The organization’s agenda for the coming year includes a knowledge exchange program that aims to leverage the expertise and knowledge found in the region by coordinating internships for young people. It will hold an action-oriented conference in March to bring together the top performers in every sector across the region to work together on the organization’s objectives.
YAL is also embarking on a major membership drive. The idea is to widen membership base to include 500 under-45s from across the Arab region, who are champions and potential leaders and who will strive for a new and brighter future for the Arab world.
