Arab Youth's Optimism Gathers Momentum As They Look To Become The Next Generation Of Social Innovators In The UAE

More than 3,000 students from the UAE and other Arab countries, are taking the opportunity to become the next leading social innovators in the region by participating in ‘Tatawwar: Building Tomorrow’s Minds’, a joint program by HSBC and Potential.com.

The 3^rd edition of ‘Tatawwar’ has seen an increase in the number of participants, reflecting the youth’s growing interest to work towards a brighter future and prioritize sustainable business. This edition has also witnessed greater engagement with leading government institutions such as ministries of education and youth authorities from across the region.

Organizers are calling on schools and their teachers to register soon as the deadline nears on December 31, 2020,and benefit from the opportunity to engage their students in developing their hard and soft skills.

“Innovation plays a crucial role in enhancing the lives of people in a sustainable and efficient manner as well as in solving many of the challenges we face today. Through ‘Tatawwar’, we hope to empower students, enabling them to come up with innovative solutions.We encourage teachers as well to register and support their students through this initiative,” said Shadi Banna, Chief Empowerment Officer of Potential.com.

Recent studies have shown that nearly eight out of 10 young people in the Middle East have high levels of optimism about their future and have confidence in their capability to compete in global job markets.

Through ‘Tatawwar’, students are encouraged to develop soft skills such as creativity, collaboration, adaptability, and emotional intelligence, and use innovation and creativity to create projects that promote a sustainable future, focusing on three of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, namely climate action, human health and wellbeing, and clean water and sanitation.

As an interactive platform, ‘Tatawwar’ provides various activities for students between 15 to 18 years old to explore their skills and talents with the support of schools, parents, and the business community.

Sabrin Rahman, Regional Head of Sustainability, Middle East, North Africa and Turkey, HSBC, said: “The closure of schools and universities has affected youth across the region and has significantly changed how they live and learn during and post the pandemic. Social entrepreneurship skills can provide a greater range of options, as well as speed and agility, to a world adapting to the aftermath of COVID-19, ensuring the next generation have the right skills to adjust to the new demands of the ‘Great Reset’.”

Students, schools, parents, NGOs, and any other partners who are keen to help empower the next generation of social innovators in the region can register through www.tatawwar.com. Once registered, they will have time until January 15, 2021 to submit their innovation solutions. This gives teachers the chance to start the new term in their schools with a project-based activity that the school can submit to the program.

A panel of judges will select the top 20 projects that qualify for the final round, where students will be asked to further develop their projects with the support and extensive coaching of key industry leaders. Three prototypes will be chosen as winners and will receive cash prizes.

Since ‘Tatawwar’ has started, a total of nine winners and 30 ambassadors have already graduated from the program. These students underwent extensive mentorship to help them improve on their social entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and employability skills. As an interactive platform, ‘Tatawwar’ continues to gain prominence, considering the practicality and effectiveness of online learning.