United Arab Emirates: His Excellency Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education, honoured the winners of the ‘Emirates Young Scientist Competition’, during the closing ceremony of the seventh National Science, Technology and Innovation (NSTI) Festival. Saif Hassan Ibrahim Muhammad Karam from the Secondary Model School for boys in Sharjah, secured first place with Mira Osama Al-Kahhala from Dubai National School – Al Barsha earning second place. The ceremony also recognised and honoured the participating students and winners from various categories of the festival’s scientific competitions.

Present during the closing ceremony were Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak Al Shamsi, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, His Excellency Dr. Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al-Asmi, Director-General of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States, His Excellency Counselor Essam Abdulamir Al Tamimi, Chairman of Al Tamimi & Company, and His Excellency Mohammed Saeed Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, along with a group of academics, educators and students participating in the NSTI Festival.

His Excellency Dr. Al Falasi praised the students’ keenness to utilise the festival's competitions to hone their skills and exchange experiences with peers from various schools in the country. He also highlighted that the innovative ideas presented over the five days reaffirmed the government's wise vision to empower youth to become the leaders of tomorrow.

His Excellency said: “This year's NSTI Festival underscored the significance of fostering entrepreneurial thinking among students, empowering them to translate innovative projects from theoretical to practical application in various scientific fields. I was delighted to see the diverse ideas generated by the young minds and their eagerness to learn from others’ experiences, leveraging expert opinions to refine their ideas using robust methodologies. I am confident that this passionate generation will uphold the country’s path of success, enhancing its competitiveness and global leadership for years and decades to come.”

Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment said: "The National Science, Technology and Innovation Festival reflects the UAE's commitment to highlighting the talents of students and unleash their innovative ideas to create a generation capable of accelerating the journey of sustainable development. As the UAE moves towards a sustainable future and serves as a global model for environmental and climate sustainability in all sectors in the country, we must strengthen the concept of sustainability and utilize the capabilities of students, researchers and innovators to find practical solutions to the challenges we face in the UAE and share them with the world."

She added: "I congratulate the winners of the festival and all participants, and emphasize that we are working with the Ministry of Education and all relevant authorities in the UAE to achieve all our common goals as one team. We look forward to further cooperation in transforming sustainability into a societal culture through which we can achieve a more prosperous future for us and future generations."

The seventh NSTI Festival witnessed strong community participation and featured various competitions where students presented promising innovative projects. For instance, the sixth ‘Emirates Young Scientist Competition’ showcased 3,966 innovative projects from Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 students in 424 schools across the UAE.

Additionally, the seventh NSTI Festival hosted the ‘KIDSPRENEUR’ competition, targeting Kindergarten and Cycle 1 students, as well as ‘The Next Founder Competition’ that targeted undergraduate and postgraduate students. The Festival also included a specialised conference featuring local and global speakers renowned in the fields of science, innovation and entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the Family Festival offered various entertainment and educational activities to enhance the overall experience.

The seventh NSTI Festival, themed ‘Powe Me: Your Equation Towards Success’, featured extensive participation from students in public and private schools nationwide. The festival aims to support and empower students in the realms of science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

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