Knowledge Summit 2018 To Tackle Knowledge Economy, Future Cities And Youth Empowerment For Sustainable Societies

Governments’ role in empowering the youth and establishing the knowledge economy is set to be a main topic of discussion at the Knowledge Summit 2018, organised by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) on December 5-6.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of MBRF Chairman H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, this year’s Summit bears the theme “Youth and the Future of the Knowledge Economy”.

The youth segment is a key player in Governments’ efforts to build a knowledge economy, as long as their skills are adequately developed to meet the challenges of the future labour market, build a sustainable economy and catalyse entrepreneurship.

The Knowledge Summit 2018’s agenda includes a range of important topics, including investing in knowledge; the knowledge capital, which constitutes a sustainable wealth and a magnet for foreign direct investment; the role of the knowledge economy in enabling the smart cities of the future; how to transform Arab societies from knowledge consumers to knowledge producers; and finally, the role of laws and legislation in enabling the knowledge economy.

His Excellency Jamal bin Huwaireb, MBRF’s CEO, said that advanced societies are well aware of the importance of their human resources – and the youth, in particular – and their potential to build a knowledge economy and subsequently support a robust economic growth rooted in innovation and creativity.

“Young people make up more than 65% of our region,” H.E. noted. “This segment, therefore, wields great influence, and by empowering the youth within their communities, which are undergoing grand knowledge transformations, Governments can empower them to play important roles in various fields, such as: The knowledge economy; knowledge, social, cultural, and economic development; and other fields where they can support and enable their societies to establish competitive and sustainable economies.”

The Knowledge Summit 2018 sheds light on the impact of media on the knowledge economy, as well as the new social ecosystem that adapts to advanced and emerging technologies and embraces bold innovations to create services and ensure people’s wellbeing. The Summit highlights successful entrepreneurs, pointing out the various approaches for Governments to support young entrepreneurs.

On another note, the Summit tackles the crucial role that data plays in enabling the knowledge economy, underlining ways to utilise knowledge to improve healthcare, as well as education’s role as a pillar of the knowledge economy and the entertainment industry’s role as a new player in economic development.

The Knowledge Summit also discusses the Islamic economy and its role in the knowledge economy, as well as the localisation of knowledge and its effects on space exploration. The event’s agenda also includes discussion panels about the digital and ICT economies.

The Knowledge Summit 2018 brings together more than 100 speakers including experts, decision makers and stakeholders from around the world in more than 45 sessions. Furthermore, the results of the Global Knowledge Index 2018 will also be revealed during the Summit; the Index was created in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as a measurement tool tracking knowledge around the world.

The Summit is set to include a ceremony to honour the winners of the fifth edition of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Awards (MBRKA), which seeks to recognise knowledge pioneers around the world, as well as the winners of the first round of the “Literacy Challenge” which aims to eradicate illiteracy in the Arab World by 2030.