The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) concluded the activities of the virtual brainstorming workshop “With your ideas, we design the UAE future for the next 50”, by discussing 39 innovative ideas presented by the participants. The ideas varied to serve the sectors of education, health, economy, food security, youth, sports, culture, tourism and entrepreneurship.
The workshop is in line with “Designing the Next 50” project, which aims to involve community members in shaping the UAE future, and to develop the pillars and components of the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan, the comprehensive development plan for the UAE for the next 50 years, announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, at the beginning of 2020. A group of competitors in the previous editions of the UAE Hackathon "Data for Happiness and Wellbeing", participated in the workshop as well as creative and innovative community members.
On its second day, the workshop discussed the projects and ideas presented by the participants, their strengths and weaknesses, and how to develop them in line with the UAE Future Foresight Strategy, which aims to anticipate early opportunities and challenges in all vital sectors in the country, analyze them, and develop long-term proactive plans at all levels to achieve qualitative accomplishments to serve the UAE’s interests, to be included in the digital platform for shaping the future of the UAE.
The education sector had the largest share of the ideas presented, as the participants presented 11 inspiring ideas aimed at developing the educational process in the country, which reflects the great awareness of the UAE community about the importance of education and its development in order to create an educated generation capable of dealing with and leveraging latest technologies to achieve the UAE goals and visions.
Speakers in the workshop exchanged views with the participants on key points that can be developed to make these innovative ideas applicable and become successful projects that contribute to achieving the UAE visions for the next fifty years, by taking leveraging progress of the ICT sector and the innovative projects provided by the government, such as UAE Pass, Bashr and the UAE space projects, and adopting solutions based on artificial intelligence and big data.
Commenting on this event, H.E. Salem Al Housani, Acting Deputy Director General for Information & E-Government Sector, said: “The workshop, which was held over two days, demonstrated the great creative energies of the Emirati community, and the keenness of all community members to participate in shaping the bright future of our country. Through the ideas presented by the participants, we discovered their great capabilities in envisioning the future and how to take advantage of modern technologies to develop projects and ideas that contribute to achieving sustainable development and more civilizational gains for our beloved country.”
Al Housani stressed that the UAE believes that all people, regardless of their job, are capable of creativity and innovation if the appropriate conditions are available for them. He said: “In the UAE, we have learned from our wise leadership to listen to all members of society. Every individual in the UAE has a duty to contribute to strengthening the position of the country, and the right to present ideas and opinions. Accordingly, TRA has been keen to attract all ideas and opinions, and study and develop them. Whether through e-participation initiatives such as the Sharik portal, or through creative initiatives such as this workshop, the UAE Hackathon and others.”
“Designing the next 50” project, is supervised by the Supreme Committee of “2020: towards the next 50”, headed by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of Presidential Affairs. It aims to involve all community members in designing the UAE comprehensive development plan that defines the features of the UAE’s next 50 years, from 2021 to 2071.