UAE Launches Global Youth Initiatives for International Youth Day

The United Arab Emirates expanded its youth empowerment initiatives across sustainability, technology, and international development to mark International Youth Day on August 13, 2026. These efforts span national, regional, and international levels to provide skills and employment opportunities for young people.

Nationally, the Federal Youth Authority launched the National Readiness Programme - Ghatareef for secondary school graduates. Simultaneously, Masdar selected 50 participants for its 2026 Sustainability Ambassadors programme under the Youth 4 Sustainability initiative. On a regional scale, the Arab Youth Centre and the UAE Space Agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support Arab youth in space sciences.

Internationally, the UAE established the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Institute for Vocational Education in Senegal and launched the Jusur Al Foras initiative, which aims to provide skills and employment to 100,000 young people. Additionally, UNESCO's Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme adopted the UAE-hosted Youth4Water initiative, led by Khalifa University of Science and Technology, to manage regional hubs through 2029.