Youth is known to be the period between childhood and maturity; which is the early period of existence, growth and development.
The Arab world has the largest population of young people in the world. Statistics show that young people (aged 14 to 25) represent 52.9 % of the population of the United Arab Emirates.
The plans of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, reflect the basic objectives of the strategy of the UAE government, which grant special importance to young people, being a major catalyst of development. The strategy also emphasizes the need to focus on creating awareness, the preservation of national identity and the development of leadership skills and capabilities.
Upon revealing the structure of the ministry's new strategy, HE Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development said: “One of the Ministry’s key objectives emphasizes the importance of preserving the national identity by encouraging young people to actively participate in upholding their country’s cultural heritage."
The Ministry’s major initiatives addressing young people include:
▫ providing the necessary tools to promote creativity and encourage young people to contribute to the pursuit of excellence.
▫ spreading cultural values. Culture is known to add leverage and perspective to the national economy.
▫ raising awareness about the country’s rich cultural heritage among young people, and strengthening their ties with their roots.
▫ allowing young people to participate to all development plans.
▫ developing the necessary programs, which support and promote investment and the potential of young people.
▫ developing a model for Emirati citizen, based on national values and identity, together with a system to measure the extent of success in strengthening the national identity.
▫ undertaking field research and surveys and generating data that serve cultural and youth projects within the context of community development.
▫ attracting organizations and institutions and persuading them to conduct research and surveys.
▫ conducting and organizing research that support and encourage talented young people and pondering the importance of establishing organizations dedicated to communal awareness and development.
▫ searching for new distinctive cultural services and pondering the feasibility and usefulness of strategic projects and initiatives in accordance with the best standards, while taking into account the need for community development and the role of the state.
▫ preparing dedicated foreign scholarship programs supported by scientific institutions.
▫ conducting the surveys needed for development and modernization and contributing to research on the development of facilities in educational institutions cultural and youth associations.
▫ promoting the values of cultural investment so that culture becomes one of the productive sectors of the national economy.
▫ promoting support for the education of young people through the audio-visual and print media, preparing a research encyclopedia and committing to issues related to culture, youth and community development.
The website of the Public Authority for Youth Welfare and Sports.