Representatives of the UAE’s Youth Councils have emphasised that consistent support from official entities and the community are crucial to meet the ambitions and aspirations of the young generation during the Fourth Sharjah Youth Forum hosted on the opening day of the 11th International Government Communication Forum (IGCF) at Expo Centre Sharjah.
At the session titled ‘Youth Council’s Challenges and Opportunities’, representatives pointed out the importance of hands-on training for young journalists and media personnel to overcome the challenges they face in the workplace.
Khalifa Al Muheiri, former member of Dubai Youth Council, said: “Councils serve as an important channel to boost and motivate aspirations of youth and listen to their ideas. The councils, in general, add value to all members.”
“There are two types of youth – those who take the initiative to develop themselves and those who do not wish to change at all. Our role is to find solutions to encourage the second type of youth,” he added, underscoring that the Dubai Youth Council has launched a number of initiatives and organises meetings and engaging activities to enhance the knowledge of young generations with future skills.
For his part, Abdelaziz Ahmed Fikri, Chair of the third batch of Sharjah Youth Council, emphasised that over the past four years, the IGCF has served as an ideal platform to convene the UAE youth and listen to their suggestions and nurture their ambitions.
“There are many misconceptions about Youth Councils as some youth join us to seek job opportunities, but this is not our specialisation,” he added.
Maitha Ali Al Gergawi, former member of Media Youth Council (MYC), remarked that the organisation, which was formed in collaboration with several media entities, has attracted the membership of many contemporary media and TV representatives.
Al Gergawi stressed that MYC opened its doors to empower youth and facilitate their access to a host of opportunities in the media field. She added: “Some of the most critical challenges that the youth face are vocational training as media entities offer plenty of theoretical training, but graduates fail to gain hands-on expertise.”
