Abu Dhabi is set to host the second edition of Aqdar World Summit this month from 26-28 November 2018 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre - ADNEC. Aqdar World Summit held under the motto Nourishing Mind, Flourishing Nations presents an international platform that discussestopics of great importance to human empowerment and sustainable development. 

This announcement came at a press conference that was held today at Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel Residences Emirates Pearl, headed by Major General Dr. Ahmed Naser Al Raisi, Chairman of the Higher Committee of Aqdar World Summit, in the presence of Dr. Abdulla Alraisi,Deputy Chairman, Chairman of the Scientific Committee, Dr. Expert Ibrahim Al Dabal, General Coordinator of Aqdar World Summit, Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman of Aqdar World Summit, in addition to a number of officials,  supporters, partners, and members of the press.

Aqdar World Summit, held under the theme The Role of human empowerment in developing stable societies: Sustainable development formsa unique convergence point that sheds the light onhumanitarian issues and the development of sustainable individuals and societies. It is organized annually in Abu Dhabi, the Capital of UAE and it is regarded as one of the biggest international forums that attract a number of local, regional, and international speakers and participantsto tackle the most pressing issues and exchange their insights and visions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.

On this occasion, Major General Dr. Ahmed Naser Al Raisi, Chairman of the Higher Committee of Aqdar World Summit, stated that: Under the directives ofLt. General HH Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Aqdar World Summit is a platform for youth to engage them in a meaningful dialogue and pave the way for thorough discussions on a number of contemporary issues and challenges in order toenhance the human potentials in building civilized societies.

 He added: The current edition of the Summit is a continuation of the approach taken to empower young people and to enhance the efforts of building and empowering human beings in sustainable development. On this occasion, I would like to thank each of the partners, sponsors, individuals and government institutions for their efforts and active participation that will contribute to the success of the Summit .

He also stressed that the summit will highlight the role and the efforts of the United Arab Emirates and the support of its leadership in empowering human. It will also feature a special session that will discuss the achievementsof the founding leader, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and his role in building a civilized country founded on the values of justice, peace, compassion, and equality.

Dr. Abdulla Alraisi, Deputy Chairman, Chairman of the Scientific Committee: we celebrate Aqdar World Summit in the Year of Zayed, the founder of the sustainable approach

Dr. Abdulla Alraisi said: Aqdar World Summit comes at the time as we mark the centennial of the birth of the Founding Father of the United Arab Emirates, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan. He was the first promoter for sustainability, which was very clear through his approach and visions of the country on both the local and international levels.

He added: In this second edition, the comprehensive agenda of the summit features a number ofthe United Nations Sustainable Development Goals set to be met by 2030. It includes 17 goals for sustainability that are distributed over the conference sessions and workshops. The conference of this year will witness the participation of 4 ministers from the UAE and abroad.

Commenting on the topics, Dr. Abdulla Alraisi said: The Scientific Committee has chosen the title Sheikh Zayed Strategies on Empowering People for the first session to focus on human development as well as educating the individuals and empower them with the required knowledge and skills to build a sustainable future. While the second session will be held under the topic Human Development for Economy Growth , Gender Parity for a Better Society as the third session, Sustainable Education for Flourishing Countries as the forth session, Sustainable Goals and Successful Partnerships as the fifth session, Smart Infrastructure for Sustainable Nations as the sixth session, while the seventh session will be held under the title Building Countries on the Foundation of Justice and Peace .

He further added: Aqdar World Summit is an international merging point that tackles serious matters facing the communities and individuals. After the conclusion of the Summit, we will shareand publish the recommendations we come out with from this summit so that the greatest amount of people can benefit from it.

Dr. Expert Ibrahim Al Dabal: dedicated workshops in the field of sustainable development and humanempowerment

From his side, Dr. Expert Ibrahim Al Dabal, General Coordinator of Aqdar World Summit, said: Aqdar World Summit is one of the most important events organized by Khalifa Empowerment Program(Aqdar) in collaboration with local and international partners, and it is a comprehensive platform for the leaders, decision makers, leading companies fromall over the world to come together and share their insights and ideas that will develop the communities through a number of scientific researches.

He added: The workshops for this edition focus onsustainable development and human’s empowerment and they are specially dedicated for those who are interested in this field. Those workshops will be carried out by a number of private and public sectors bodies, including: Ministry of Education, the National Archives, Erada Center for Treatment and Rehabilitation, Insurance Authority, among others. 

Commenting on the importance of these workshops, Dr. Expert Ibrahim Al Dabal said: The commercial and scientific workshops will help in sharpening the skills of individuals and training them to adopt to the challenges and difficulties that face them. It will also provide them with recommendations to achieve a sustainable future; one of peace and tranquility in line with the 17thSustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations.

Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani: The summit underscores the UAE's leadership in human empowerment and serving humanitarian issues

Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman of Aqdar World Summit said: Through Aqdar World Summit, we try to emphasize the role of the United Arab Emirates in serving humanitarian issues and focusing on human development as a means of developing the society as a whole. This year, the Summit will discussa number of pressing issuesthrough different topicswhich will have a strong impact in supporting societies to overcome the challenges and difficulties they face.

He went on saying: Aqdar World Summit features various topics thataim to meet the UAE Vision 2021of developing a sustainable environment that balances economic and social development and achieveglobal tolerance, peace, security and stability.

Dr. Al Madani Concluded: Under the guidance of our wise leadership, we aspire through this summit to achieve what the UAE seeks to lead and excel in the world arena by focusing on human and supporting awareness programs and initiatives.

In thesecond edition, a number of key speakers andVIPs from the UAE and abroad will participate in the summit and share their knowledge on a number of topics. The first session of the conference, held under the title Sheikh Zayed Strategies on Empowering People will feature the participation of H.E. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Minister of State-UAE, Dr. Jayanti Robin Maitra, International Historian and Researcher from India, and H.E. Afra Al Basti, Director General of Dubai Foundation for Woman and Children and Member of the Federal National Council. On the second session, H.E. Nasser Juma Al Hamli, Cabinet Member and Minister of Human Resources and Emiratization, will deliver a keynote under the title Human Development for Economy Growth , while on the third session, H.E. HessaBint Essa Buhumaid, Cabinet Member and Minster of Community Development, and H.E. Asma Hanna Khader, CEO at the SIGI and a Member of the Jordanian Senate will focus their attention on the topic titled Gender Parity for a Better Society .

The forth session that will be held on the second day under the theme Sustainable Education for Flourishing Countries will feature the participation of H.E. Dr. Faisal Mohammed Al Bakeri, Advisor to His Excellency Minister of Education-UAE, and the fifth session themed Sustainable Goals and Successful Partnerships will witness a key speech from Mr. KhamisJumaaBuamim, Chairman of Dubai Council for Marine and Maritime Industries, while Ahmed Bin Ali Alhammadi, Senior Vice President - Etisalat Group will key mark the sixth session under the title Smart Infrastructure for Sustainable Nations , and on the seventh and last session, held under the theme Building Countries on the Foundation of Justice and Peace will witness a unique participation from Dr. Dr. Anne Catherine Speckhard, Director, International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE).
It is worth mentioning that Aqdar World Summit is organized by Khalifa Empowerment Program Aqdar in partnership and cooperation with INDEX Conferences Exhibitions – a member of INDEX Holding and the support of the United Nations and a number of local and international bodies.