As part of the announcement of the main topics and key discussion sessions for the agenda of the 2nd edition of «Mufakiru Al Emarat» forum, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the St. Regis Resort on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) held a press conference on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. The event was well-attended by representatives from various media outlets.

In an effort to introduce «Mufakiru Al Emarat», the press conference began with a video presentation about the project, which was launched in January 2022 with the blessing of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The project aims at achieving several goals: activating the contributions of national academic and intellectual expertise to the development journey of the UAE, enhancing sources of soft power, by supporting Emirati scientific research initiatives, and encouraging intellectual efforts that promote the sustainability of comprehensive development.

The project’s progress has been solidified thanks to the support of «success partners» of researchers and specialists, as well as partner institutions such as Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Media Network, United Arab Emirates University, Khalifa University, Higher Colleges of Technology, and Zayed University. This reflects the ECSSR's belief that «efforts come from everyone and for everyone».

The press conference was attended by a number of Emirati thinkers, including His Excellency Dr. Arif Al Hammadi, Senior Advisor to the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Khalifa University and Chairman of the Education and Knowledge Development Committee in «Mufakiru Al Emarat» project, and Dr. Ali Al Ghafli, Vice Dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at the United Arab Emirates University and a member of the Emirati National Identity and Personality Committee in the project.

In his speech during the press conference, where he emphasized the role of national thought in achieving the nation's centennial goals, «2071 with Emirati Minds», as the overarching framework for «Mufakiru Al Emarat» project, His Excellency Dr. Sultan Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, stated that the UAE has always been a land of exceptional projects and great ideas. This stems from the unique vision of its wise leadership, which believes that investing in minds is the most significant and genuine investment, and that every constructive and innovative idea is a new step forward for the nation and society towards a brighter future.

Dr. «Al Nuaimi» added that the «Mufakiru Al Emarat 2025» Forum, in its 2nd edition, is held under the theme «Innovative National Ideas», with the participation of a distinguished group of experts, researchers, academics, and Emirati students. The forum aims at designing ideas for a better future for the nation and upcoming generations, powered by Emirati minds.

Dr. «Al Nuaimi» explained that the forum, in its first edition, proved that Emirati thought is capable of presenting proactive and creative visions across various fields. Dr. «Al Nuaimi» stated that the 2nd edition will continue along this path, reaffirming the forward-looking vision of the nation and its leadership.

Regarding the conference themes, which reflect key priorities for the nation's future aspirations, Dr. «Al Nuaimi» emphasized that the new edition of «Mufakiru Al Emarat» forum will be a rich journey of innovative national ideas, aimed at actively contributing to the UAE's development process.

He pointed out that the forum will discuss 3 main themes: national identity and the Emirati personality, education and community development, and artificial intelligence and future technologies.

Dr. «Al Nuaimi» affirmed that «national identity is at the heart of our vision and our soft power through which we engage with the world. It encompasses not only tangible heritage but also intangible values. In the UAE, we do not separate the past from the present; our national identity does not conflict with progress and technology but rather serves as a foundation from which we envision the future».

Dr. «Al Nuaimi» added that the 2nd edition of the forum will explore ideas rooted in the desire to build a nation deeply anchored in its identity, reliant on knowledge, and connected to the world.

At the end of his speech, Dr. «Al Nuaimi» thanked the members of the Higher Committee of «Mufakiru Al Emarat» project for their efforts and effective contributions in making this edition of the forum successful. Dr. «Al Nuaimi» also thanked the distinguished teams at the «ECSSR» for their work.

Regarding the target audience of the forum, with a special focus on youth, Dr. Ebtesam Al Teneji, director of the Community Service Division at «ECSSR» and project manager of «Mufakiru Al Emarat», emphasized that it includes various groups such as decision-makers, academics, researchers, journalists, and social media influencers. Dr. «Al Teneji» pointed out that in its 2nd edition, the forum aims at actively engaging Emirati youth, giving them the opportunity to showcase their ideas and contribute to shaping the future of the UAE. Dr. «Al Teneji» added that the new edition of the forum will dedicate an important segment of its activities to discussing the issue of AI and the role of policies and small institutions in sustaining AI.

Dr. Ali Al Ghafli stated in his speech at the conference that the second edition of the «Mufakiru Al Emarat» forum would provide a valuable opportunity to mobilize ideas and form comprehensive visions regarding several vital issues related to the UAE, including the issue of national identity. This issue holds significant importance for the wise leadership of the UAE, as evidenced by the numerous initiatives launched to strengthen and instill this identity, particularly among the younger generations.

H.E. Dr. Arif Al-Hammadi noted that this edition would address a range of priority issues for community development, most notably education and its critical role in this context, the impact of social transformations on families, the challenge of balancing tradition and modernity, as well as the issue of an aging society and the importance of activating policies to address it. Additionally, it will explore «social innovation», focusing on leveraging the roles of companies and civil society organizations in generating ideas to tackle societal challenges

The second edition of the «Mufakiru Al Emarat» forum includes 14 interactive discussion sessions across key platforms such as «Trends Session», focusing on future trends and Emirati aspirations, and «Fikr Majlis», featuring dialogues with leaders, experts, and decision-makers. Other main sessions and subsidiary platforms include «Researchers' Majlis», which offers academic discussions to derive innovative ideas, «Mufakiru Al Emarat’s Lab» bringing together the Center's strategic partners, youth, and academics in interactive workshops to equip them with essential 21st-century skills, and «Through Youth Perspectives», which hosts discussions combining youthful energy with experienced insights to address youth-related issues, delivering actionable future solutions.

The forum's second edition will host 45 Emirati speakers, including experts, academics, youth, and specialists in various critical fields. It is expected to attract over 650 participants from diverse audiences, engaging them in a rich intellectual experience showcasing innovative perspectives on Emirati thought.

It is worth noting that the inaugural edition of the «Mufakiru Al Emarat» forum was held on February 7, 2024, addressing strategic issues of national importance through 18 dialogue sessions across eight interactive platforms. These focused on four main themes: education, national identity and Emirati personality; artificial intelligence and future technologies; and sustainability and the future economy. It featured 36 prominent Emirati thinkers and drew more than 650 participants.

The «Mufakiru Al Emarat» project is one of the strategic initiatives of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR). Among the Center’s intellectual projects is the «Encyclopedia of UAE Leaders “Al-Ittihad”)», launched on January 26, 2024, which aims to document the intellectual legacy of the UAE leadership and present it on an interactive digital platform, adhering to rigorous scientific standards. The encyclopedia serves as a trusted reference for researchers, scholars, and anyone interested in exploring this inspiring heritage.

About the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR)

The ECSSR is a leading think tank in the UAE, providing policymakers and decision-makers with strategic assessments and analyses of global trends. Since its establishment in 1994, the ECSSR has been delivering insights and solutions to support public policymaking while also engaging the public through its diverse intellectual products. Building on its strengths in geopolitical and traditional security programs, the Center continues to broaden its scope by launching new initiatives and programs addressing global challenges and critical issues, including energy security, climate change, artificial intelligence, and health.

About the «Mufakiru Al Emarat» project

Launched by the ECSSR in January 2022, the «Mufakiru Al Emarat» project is a pioneering national initiative aimed at supporting Emirati intellectuals and researchers through a unified platform for their contributions. The project emphasizes their societal roles, strengthens the UAE's soft power, contributes to decision-making processes through studies and research, and increases the local, regional, and global presence of Emirati intellectuals and their output.