The Emirati School students are continuing their effective participation
in the 50x50 Initiative, which targets their engagement in the ‘Designing the
Next 50’ project recently launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid
Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,
may Allah protect him. Supervised by the 50 year Development Plan Committee
chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, the project is aimed at engaging
members of the society, both Emiratis and expatriates, in designing the future
of the UAE.
To this effect, a group of students from Mariam Bint Sultan School in Al
Ain and Khalifa School in Abu Dhabi, participated in a dedicated workshop where
they discussed the four themes of the initiative; namely, ‘Future Lifestyle’, ‘Sustainability
& Environment’, ‘Future of Emirati Values’ and ‘Future Jobs and Talents.’
The workshop raised pivotal questions, which the students at both
schools answered by proposing creative ideas based on their future foresight and
their perception of lifestyles, doing business and sports. These ideas stressed
the importance of preserving the UAE gains and achievements and trying to
publicize them globally to be in the lead by crystallizing a system of ideas and
proposals that respond to the four themes of the initiative.
The students of Khalifa A School presented a set of ideas for maintaining
a healthy, safe and sustainable lifestyle in the future. These included
focusing on increasing the physical activity of individuals and designing
electronic games that stimulate their patrons to exercise and benefit from
advanced technologies in the fields of robotics by performing some functions to
enable members of the society to be engaged in sports exercises.
The students of Mariam Bint Sultan School presented many ideas that
emerged from the themes of the 50x50 Initiative. These included the launch of
the Youth Leadership Week under the theme of ‘Future Jobs and Talents’, where outstanding
students are assigned leading tasks in federal ministries and entities to get
closer to the nature and required skills of government work. Under the theme
‘Future of Emirati Values’, the students presented a set of ideas, which included
organizing mass exhibitions to showcase the values and customs of the Emirati
society, using robots to address UAE visitors in the local dialect and
appointing a group of students to teach other students the customs and values
of the Emirati society. The students also discussed a set of ideas related to
the initiative’s ‘Environment’ and ‘Future Lifestyle’ themes.
Meanwhile, Mariam Issa Al Dhaheri, Principal of Mariam Bint Sultan
School, said: “The students’ participation in ‘Designing the Next 50’ is a
national demand and a moral duty. We are proud to participate in the project
for our students to be true partners in the comprehensive development of our
country.” Al Dhaheri praised the wise leadership’s determination and
forward-looking ideas, which see in every Emirati a source of inspiration and a
focal point for crossing the future with confidence and competence.
For her part, Amna Al Zaabi, Principal of Khalifa A School, underscored
the great belief in the students’ ability to draw a roadmap for the future,
thanks to their knowledge, skills and absolute belief that the word ‘impossible’
does not exist in the UAE dictionary. Ambition is the most important
characteristic of the Emirati society, she said, calling on students to unleash
their ideas and enrich the initiative with their suggestions.
The 50x50 initiative provides an opportunity for school students to
participate in all national efforts exerted to develop the comprehensive
development plan for the next 50 years. As part of the initiative, four themes
have been identified for school students; namely, ‘Future Lifestyle’, ‘Sustainability
& Future of Environment’, ‘Future of Emirati Values’ and ‘Future Jobs and Talents.’
These themes were designed in line with the Ministry of Education’s educational
vision aimed at qualifying students for the future and providing them with all
the necessary skills to be effective, influential and capable of sustaining the
uniqueness of the UAE in all fields.
The ‘Designing the Next 50’ initiatives supervised by the Fifty Year
Preparedness Committee and other entities are aimed at engaging all members of
the society in the development stage of the next Fifty Year Preparedness Plan
with a view to enriching the comprehensive development plan with new ideas, identifying
the challenges faced by the segments of the society and expanding the scope of
government knowledge to ensure that individuals’ expectations for the future are
met.
09/11/2020