Rashid bin Humaid: We Are Working to Prepare Young Leaders Contributing to the Development of the Arab Media Industry
Sheikh Rashid bin Hamid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Ajman Municipality and Planning Department and Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Center, affirmed that cultivating young media leadership capable of developing content and innovating new work methods is a priority for enhancing the competitiveness and presence of Arab media. He stated, “We are working to prepare young leaders who contribute to the development of the Arab media industry, transforming their knowledge of their societies’ issues and their mastery of modern technologies into valuable content and projects. We ensure that the Center’s programs open professional pathways for youth, enabling them to participate in developing their institutions and building media experiences rooted in the needs and aspirations of their communities.”
This came during his reception of participants in the eighth edition of the “Arab Young Media Leaders” program, organized by the Arab Youth Center with the participation of 50 young men and women from 18 Arab countries, in the presence of Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Center.
The meeting covered the participants’ experiences in the program, the knowledge and skills they acquired, their professional aspirations, and their role in developing Arabic content and leveraging modern media tools to serve their communities’ issues. Sheikh Rashid Al Nuaimi added, “The United Arab Emirates provides Arab youth with the opportunity to learn from diverse institutions and expertise, and to build professional relationships that expand their options and support their ambitions. We look forward to participants translating this opportunity into scalable initiatives, with each individual deepening their expertise in a field that provides solid knowledge and the ability to make a genuine contribution. A media professional’s strength begins with their understanding of the subject they cover and is reflected in the precision of their treatment and their ability to gain public trust.”
He emphasized that the expanding use of artificial intelligence tools in media production heightens the importance of professional qualification and editorial responsibility, noting, “The greater a media professional’s reach, the greater their responsibility for the impact of what they present. We want young people to harness the power of storytelling to explain issues, highlight initiatives, and present our societies’ experiences to the world with depth and fairness. We also expect them to transfer knowledge to their peers and build on the connections formed during the program into lasting professional collaborations that yield joint works.”
The eighth edition of the program combines practical training, meetings with leaders and experts, and visits to media institutions, aiming to equip competencies that blend technical skills with awareness of media responsibilities. Its curriculum includes the use of artificial intelligence in research and production, fact-checking and source evaluation, storytelling and responsible coverage of issues and crises, culminating in the development of final media projects presented to an evaluation committee.
During the program, H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Buti Al Hamad, Chairman of the National Media Council, launched the “Smart Media Agents” challenge in collaboration with the Arab Youth Center, inviting participants to innovate solutions that address real needs in media work, support performance efficiency, content quality, and credibility. The challenge enables the transformation of ideas into scalable and applicable models, with the top three projects selected to receive awards and support, thereby linking the training to innovation opportunities and professional practice.
