Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation For Distinguished Academic Performance Concluded The Fourth Gulf Forum For Gifted Students In Dubai

Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Center for Giftedness and Creativity, part of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, organized the Fourth Gulf Forum for Gifted Students in Dubai. This was held concurrently with the Gulf Talent and Innovation Day, which celebrates the gifted students in the Gulf Cooperation Council by highlighting their remarkable achievements and innovations.

The forum targeted gifted students from the GCC countries in the age group of 13 to 18 years old, with the aim of exchanging scientific experiences and knowledge in their respective fields of talent. It provided an opportunity for them to discuss common issues with their peers and specialists at the Gulf level.

The forum also discussed, over the course of two days, the enhancement of personal and leadership skills among the participating students, as well as providing opportunities for communication and collaboration among them in specialized scientific fields.

The forum included numerous scientific workshops, discussion sessions, visits, and related activities, which were organized in several locations such as the Al Ittihad Museum, Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and Marmoom Conservation Reserve. The workshops and lectures were presented by a group of experts and specialists in various fields.

In his comment on the Gulf meeting for gifted students, Dr. Khalifa Al-Suwaidi, Secretary-General of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, said: “We are pleased to organize the Gulf Forum for gifted students for the fourth year in a row, coinciding with the Gulf Day for Talent and Creativity. This meeting comes as part of the objectives of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance and its continuous efforts to improve education, provide all kinds of support for the gifted, develop their skills, shed light on their innovations, sponsor them, and encourage them to move forward on the path of innovation and creativity in line with the directives of the wise leadership aimed at supporting innovation and creativity and enhancing the UAE’s position as a global leader in creativity and innovation.”

Dr. Al Suwaidi added: “Hamdan Foundation prepared the fourth edition of the Gulf Forum for students in Dubai, attended by 63 students. The forum succeeded in providing an ideal platform for talented students from all GCC countries to exchange ideas. They were also given the opportunity to explore the latest technologies and innovations through workshops, field visits, and other activities held during the forum.”

The forum included various interactive activities and events incorporating a series of training workshops on entrepreneurship, as well as scientific workshops and cultural tours. Participants also visited some of the important landmarks in Dubai, where they were introduced to the most prominent landmarks and innovations. During the forum, a visit was made to the Al Ittihad Museum, where participants were briefed on the achievements of the United Arab Emirates since the establishment of the Union on December 2, 1971. The participating students also visited the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood.

Among the visits that were part of the Gulf Forum for Gifted Students was a visit to the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is the largest single-site solar energy production project in the world. The participating students toured the Innovation Center at the park, where they learned about practical applications in various fields of clean and renewable energy.

The participating students expressed their happiness at attending the forum, which provided them with the opportunity to communicate with their peers from other Gulf countries and exchange valuable ideas, experiences, and information that they received from the workshops, discussions, and field visits. The attendees praised the well-organized events and expressed their gratitude and appreciation to Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance for organizing the fourth edition of the forum.

Hamdan bin Rashid Center for Giftedness and Creativity, which is part of Hamdan bin Rashid Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, organized the first Gulf Forum for Gifted Students with the attendance of students in Dubai in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the forum was held remotely in 2021 and 2022, with the participation of a group of distinguished students from schools and giftedness centers. The participating students included those from Hamdan Bin Rashid Center for Giftedness and Creativity, Emirates Schools Establishment, Gifted Students Center in the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Ministry of Education and Talent in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Education in the Sultanate of Oman, the Sabah Al-Ahmad Center for Giftedness and Creativity in Kuwait, and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in Qatar.

The Gulf Talent and Innovation Day is a reflection of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s keenness to support talented and creative individuals. As part of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States’ efforts in this field, the General Conference of the Bureau at its twenty-third session issued a resolution to approve a Gulf Talent Day and to designate the first week of March of each year to celebrate this day under the name ‘Gulf Talent and Innovation Day’.