Abu dhabi: The Arab Youth Centre announced its participation at the BRIDGE Summit 2025, taking place from 8-10 December in Abu Dhabi, through a dedicated pavilion designed to spotlight its impactful programmes and initiatives shaping the region's future. This presence reinforces the Centre's commitment to engaging at high-level regional and global platforms that interrogate the future of innovation, explore next-generation empowerment tools, and examine the critical role of youth in driving media, economic, digital, and creative transformation across the Arab world.
According to Emirates News Agency, the Centre marked the conclusion of the fourth edition of the Arab Youth Podcast Training Programme, in the presence of Abdulla bin Mohamed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of BRIDGE, and Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Centre. Over a three-week intensive journey, 29 participants from 16 Arab countries took part in a structured theoretical and practical curriculum aimed at equipping them with essential storytelling, voice, and production skills to launch their own podcast ventures. Participants produced original episodes in professional studios and received direct mentorship from experts at Nawah, the programme's knowledge partner.
During the graduation ceremony, Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi emphasized the importance of expanding Arab youth's creative capabilities in line with the accelerated evolution of digital content. He remarked that podcasting offers new opportunities for young people to express their perspectives and connect diverse experiences across the Arab world. The creativity demonstrated in this edition highlights the youth's ability to turn ideas into impactful stories and voices into inspiring platforms.
The Centre's participation at BRIDGE Summit reflects a strategic direction to invest in youth potential, strengthen their readiness for future economies, and integrate them into the Summit's core tracks: innovation, next-gen media, advanced technology, and sustainability. By showcasing its successful programmes, the Centre is demonstrating the role of youth as co-architects of the region's development journey.
Fatma Al Hallami, Executive Director of the Arab Youth Centre, highlighted that the Centre's presence at BRIDGE underscores the belief that young people are the engine of development in the region. The summit serves as a platform to present the Centre's impactful programmes and initiatives that empower Arab youth to build skills, expand knowledge, and contribute to the creative and digital economy.
Throughout the Summit, the Centre's pavilion offers an overview of its development programmes, media empowerment initiatives, and projects targeting emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, creative content production, and humanitarian innovation. Visitors will also meet standout youth models who have excelled through the Centre's programmes, including innovators like Hamdan Al Ali, Hassan Mohamed Hassan, and Noor Wissam Al-Asadi, who have made significant contributions in their respective fields.