Dubai staged the first edition of the Young Arab Leaders Forum on February 10, 2025 — a flagship pre-event for the World Governments Summit 2025, held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The gathering brought together more than 200 promising leaders from across the Arab world for a full day of keynotes, expert panels, and dialogue sessions focused on youth empowerment and regional transformation.
About the Young Arab Leaders Initiative
The forum is a cornerstone of the Young Arab Leaders initiative, founded nearly 20 years ago by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to equip young Arab talent with skills, networks, and development resources for driving progress across sectors. The initiative has set a long-term target of 50,000 participants and is overseen by a board of directors drawn from 11 Arab nations.
High-Profile Speakers and Key Sessions
The opening keynote was delivered by HE Khalfan Belhoul, Chairman of Young Arab Leaders, who described the forum as "a platform for meaningful conversations aimed at empowering Arab youth."
Other headline speakers included:
- HE Marzouq Al-Ghanim, former Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, who addressed preparing today's youth for modern leadership demands. - HE Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance of Bahrain, who spoke on the role of young Arab leaders in shaping the region's economic future. - HE Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt's Minister of Planning, who presented on youth readiness and leadership in senior governance positions. - HE Omar Ghobash, UAE Ambassador to the Holy See, who examined the future of Arab diplomacy and the role of young leaders within it.
The closing keynote was delivered by Nasser Al Khater, CEO of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, who drew on lessons from organising one of the world's largest sporting events.
Entrepreneurship, Sports, and Culture Spotlights
The forum dedicated sessions to three dynamic tracks:
Arab Leaders in Entrepreneurship featured insights from Mohamad Ballout (CEO, Kitopi), Mahmoud Adi (Founding Partner, Shorooq Investments), Hosam Arab (CEO, Tabby), and Mona Ataya (Founder, Mumzworld). Hussain Sajwani, Founder and Chairman of DAMAC Properties, also spoke on youth-driven economic transformation.
Arab Sports Leadership brought together Saudi football legend Sami Al-Jaber, Emirati football star Ismail Matar, and Iraqi footballer Nashat Akram to explore how sports can serve as a platform for youth empowerment and regional collaboration.
Arab Leadership in Arts and Culture featured contributions from Tunisian artist El Sayed, Saudi musician Mishaal Tamer, Egyptian architect Shahira Fahmy, and chef Mohamad Orfali of Orfali Bros Bistro.
Bridging Youth and Governance
The forum reinforced Dubai's position as a hub for Arab youth leadership ahead of the World Governments Summit 2025. For more information, visit www.yaleaders.org.
