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Dubai witnessed the Young Arab Leaders Forum as part of the preliminary day activities for the World Government Summit 2026, with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, attending sessions focused on empowering Arab youth leadership. The forum, organized under the Dubai Future Foundation, brought together prominent Arab personalities from various sectors including economy, entrepreneurship, government leadership, sports, culture, and arts.
According to official statements, Sheikh Hamdan emphasized that organizing the Young Arab Leaders Forum reflects Dubai and the UAE’s commitment to supporting and empowering Arab youth. The initiative aims to enhance their role in development and future-building through investing in human capabilities and developing leaders with the vision and skills necessary to keep pace with accelerating economic and technological transformations.
Young Arab Leaders Network Expands Across Region
The Young Arab Leaders network currently includes more than 700 young men and women from across the Arab region. The initiative focuses on launching effective dialogues and preparing young leaders capable of creating qualitative leaps in all future sectors, according to program organizers.
Additionally, Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, attended forum sessions alongside other dignitaries. The event featured 15 speakers who discussed the reality of Arab youth and promising future opportunities while highlighting current challenges and ways to overcome them.
Forum Addresses Economic and Technological Transformation
Khalfan Jumaa Belhoul, Chairman of the Young Arab Leaders Board, stated in the opening speech that launching the network over 20 years ago embodied Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s belief in empowering young leaders. He emphasized that Arab youth possess not only the courage to dream about the future but also the ability to create it and bear its responsibilities.
However, Belhoul noted that the Arab world’s future will be shaped by investing in people and creating leaders who possess vision and skills. He stressed the importance of understanding a reality witnessing economic transformations and raising fundamental questions about humanity, the meaning of life, work, and belonging.
Leadership and Technology Integration Discussed
Ahmed Galal, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Holding in Egypt, participated in a dialogue session titled “Leading Large Institutions in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” He discussed the importance of empowering Arab youth with the latest tools and future skills to keep pace with technological transformations and enhance leadership capabilities required in the future.
Meanwhile, His Excellency Abdulwahab Al Rasheed, former Minister of Finance and Minister of State for Economic Affairs and Investment in Kuwait, joined other regional experts in discussions. Rabie Ataya, President of Bayt.com, and Walid Mansour, Co-founder and CEO of MEVP from Lebanon, also participated in sessions focusing primarily on aligning sovereign capital and talent development.
Future Projects and Collaborative Initiatives
The Young Arab Leaders initiative aims to develop and implement numerous future projects and inspiring ideas in collaboration with Arab youth during the coming period. The program seeks to leverage the capabilities and expertise of its members to motivate and empower tomorrow’s young leaders across the region.
In contrast to traditional youth programs, this initiative emphasizes practical implementation and measurable impact. Organizers indicated that the forum will support launching several qualitative initiatives and projects by benefiting from participating Arab expertise, contributing to activating the role of young Arab leaders in broader fields.
The Young Arab Leaders Forum is expected to announce specific projects and partnerships in the coming months, though organizers have not confirmed exact timelines. Further information about the initiative is available at www.yaleaders.org, according to program officials.
