• Gathering Exceptional Minds: Local, Regional, and International Leaders & Specialists

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week (29 October – 2 November 2024) aims to facilitate innovation and collaboration across sectors to drive advancement in early childhood development (ECD). 

Featuring an agenda anchored by the three key themes of intentional parenting, culture and identity, and sustainable and family friendly cities, the Week will include the World Early Childhood Development (WED Forum), ECD Innovation Day, ECD Research Convening, The Early Childhood Development Fair and a series of city-wide activations.

Running from 30-31 October, the WED Forum aims to enable knowledge exchange, promote collaboration and generate meaningful impact. Diverse and inclusive, the forum will feature a series of more than 30 interactive debates, panels and talks, expert-led masterclasses, collaborative workshops and roundtables led by 50 expert speakers from across 20 sectors. The two-day forum will bring participants from a diverse range of sectors together to shape actionable outcomes and drive innovation to advance the local and international ECD agenda.

Speakers at the WED Forum will include H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; H.E. Sheikha Hala Mohammed Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer of NUWAH Foundation; Sheikh Dr. Majid Sultan AlQassimi, Founding partner and CEO of Soma Mater; H.E. Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chair of WED; David G. Hunter, Harvard Medical School – Vice Chair of Promotions and Reappointments at Department of Ophthalmology, and Ophthalmologist-in-Chief at Boston Children’s Hospital; Daisy Dowling, Founder and CEO of Workparent; Irina Bokova, former Director-General of UNESCO; Jessica Lahey, author of “The Gift of Failure”; Cindy Hovington, PhD, Founder of Curious Neuron; and Michael Ungar, Family Therapist and Researcher Specializing in Resilience and Cultural Identity.

H.E. Sana Mohammad Suhail, Director General of ECA, and H.E. Dr Yousef Alhammadi, Executive Director of Knowledge and Impact at ECA, will also be speaking at the Forum.

Focused on key themes of building ecosystems, spotlighting startups and exploring emerging tech, ECD Innovation Day (29 October) will centre on strengthening startup ecosystems by bringing together startups, governments, corporate partners, academics, and investors to discuss cutting-edge innovations, reshape entrepreneurial systems, and drive global sector growth. The day will spotlight innovative startups, share insights from their founders, and feature solutions from six companies focused on families and children in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Additionally, it will unveil technological advancements that are transforming the education, sports, family healthcare, and entertainment sectors, supporting efforts to create impactful changes that enhance user experiences and outcomes. The ECD Innovation Day features keynote sessions from both Ian Hathaway, Co-Founder and General Partner of Far Out Ventures, and Co-Author of The Startup Community Way (with Brad Feld), and Todd Yellin, Head of Product at Netflix.

Running in parallel with these events, the three-day ECD Research Convening (29-31 October), an interactive platform designed to inspire researchers and strengthen cooperation and innovation between them, will welcome more than 100 researchers from the UAE, Arab region and Africa, to tackle challenges and explore opportunities to create a more representative science of early childhood development. The event will offer multiple opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing, with ten capacity building workshops occurring over the three days, with each workshop focused on driving long-term impact.

To drive further engagement and awareness, a series of city-wide activations led by key partners will also take place throughout the week. Key partners of Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week include National Academy for Childhood Development (Visionary Partner), Mubadala (Headline Partner), ADQ (Headline Partner), Aldar (Headline Partner), E& (Official Partner), MODON (Official Partner), Department of Culture and Tourism (Official Partner), ADNOC (Official Partner), Pure Health (Output Partner), Emirates Foundation (Output Partner), Department of Municipalities and Transport (Strategic Partner), Abu Dhabi Department of Health (Strategic Partner), Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development (Strategic Partner), ADEK (Strategic Partner), Abu Dhabi Media Network (Media Partner) and Erth (Event Partner). The week will also feature the second edition of The Early Childhood Development Fair (31 October – 2 November) at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi, which is sponsored by the National Academy for Childhood Development and aims to create an interactive environment for members of the community to engage with leading providers of educational and recreational programs, services, and activities.

For more information and registration, visit WED Media Registration.

For more information, please contact: WED@four.agency 

About WED:  

WED Movement, led by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), is a groundbreaking knowledge stage that takes bold action to drive collaborative, innovative, and effective work in the Early Childhood Development sector in the UAE and globally. Its network and knowledge co-creation unites global experts, visionary partners, and disruptive innovators to tackle the pressing challenges faced by Abu Dhabi and the world around young children. Through disruptive design thinking, human-centric innovation, and actionable outcomes, WED Movement aims to enhance next-generation thinking in Early Childhood Development.  

WED Movement acts as a catalyst for change by promoting key topics and raising awareness across sectors. It facilitates knowledge exchange with local and international stakeholders, encourages evidence-based decision-making, and fosters dialogue through its platform and the bi-annual Research Conference and WED Forum.  

WED Movement benefits from the support of the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi ECA and other Abu Dhabi Government entities involved in Early Childhood Development.    

About Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority:  

Established in 2019, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority is an independent government entity under the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi. It is responsible for overseeing and developing an integrated early childhood development system across four key sectors: health and nutrition, child protection, family support, and education and early care, from the early stages of pregnancy to the age of eight. The ECA works to strengthen its partners' capabilities by proposing policies, regulations, and systems, and conducting research to advance early childhood development.

About Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week:

WED Forum:

The bi-annual WED Forum, an integral part of WED Movement, serves as a platform for policymakers, experts, practitioners, and stakeholders from across sectors and regions of the world to share knowledge and exchange ideas in the field of ECD. Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week will bring together over 1,000 participants from around the globe across 70 sessions, led by over 110 experts, to position itself as a truly unique global gathering.