International Youth Day 2024: Harnessing The Limitless Potential Of Young Innovators Across The MENA Region There are three areas where youth drive progress in leaps and bounds--identifying previously unexplored areas of growth, championing sustainable approaches, and tackling potential roadblocks to success.

It was 2016 when the UAE appointed its first Minister of State for Youth and the world's youngest one at the time. All of 22, H.E. Shamma Al Mazrui assumed the cabinet position with a spirit and ambition unlike any other, ready to drive change and prove to her peers that nothing is impossible in the UAE. Eight years since, the role of youth has grown in importance, be it within the government or in the private sector. Industries are now including youth across all operational facets.

Young people have also contributed to transforming several businesses and institutions and are at the forefront of the technological revolution. Today, the UAE has a clear National Youth Agenda 2031 that aims to empower the young generation to contribute to economic development, give back to society, drive positive change, master future skills, and enjoy high quality of life. In addition, the UAE Centennial 2071 highlights the need to provide excellent education, particularly in entrepreneurship and innovation, to boost the national economy and elevate the country's position in global rankings.

Moreover, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced the launch of its Youth Development Strategy earlier this year to support the youth in their national aspirations as part of its broader Vision 2030 framework. Egypt too, has its dedicated Ministry of Youth and Sports, while Kuwait has its own Ministry of State for Youth Affairs.

For me, there are three areas where youth drive progress in leaps and bounds--identifying previously unexplored areas of growth, championing sustainable approaches, and tackling potential roadblocks to success.

At General Motors (GM), a brand with a 100-year legacy, we are harnessing this limitless potential of our next generation of innovators to fuel our journey towards a world with zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion.

Exploring the unexplored

Young people have significantly altered trajectories in numerous industries, including the automotive sector. Their perspectives often challenge our leadership team to explore unconventional business avenues. A prime example is the story of MaryAnn Beebe from our offices in Royal Oak, Michigan, who became a key force behind our Teen Driver technology. Having suffered a major accident in childhood, the young graduate who joined GM straight after university, made a difference in elevating driver safety with a virtual backseat driver, guided by parent-friendly controls. What was first limited to the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Sedan has now become a flagship feature across all Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, and Buick vehicles.

Realizing sustainable approaches

Ideas from youth are increasingly serving as catalysts of sustained progress when it comes to achieving industry targets and hitting new milestones at record speed. They influenced the way companies communicate and position themselves in the public sphere. Young people have helped several corporates reinvent the way they do business to include strategic partnerships and opening doors to new opportunities.

At GM, we recently collaborated with the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) along with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) and the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) through our partnership with Emirates Foundation. With the launch of a virtual global Ideathon and a USD$ 200,000 grant towards the foundation's community development programs, we found ourselves in a unique position with much more potential to explore and expand upon.

There is great value in investing in human capital, especially in our youth. It allows you to encourage a sustainable flow of expertise as technology continues to rapidly transform industry. Through our partnership with the Arab Youth Center's Technology Fellowship Program, we have been able to elevate and exchange our own leadership capabilities while creating new opportunities for incoming talent. Effectively through trainings that cover a range of topics including artificial intelligence, partnerships, startups and innovation.

Tackling roadblocks

Keeping track of the evolving preferences of young people has always been imperative across industries. Today's consumers, especially the young generation, are much more conscious of their choices, considering several factors before they seal the deal. They are also tech-savvy and digitally aware, with greater access to the internet and smart devices. This demands a faster response to evolution at every step.

Connectivity is a top priority for them, and we believe it should be for businesses as well. This presents us as creators with an opportunity to ignite awareness and address commonly faced challenges from the past. In our own industry, we are seeing connected software-defined vehicles actively prevent age-old congestion-related struggles by giving drivers the tools to communicate with each other, such as community-led online updates. They are also boosting road safety with automatic emergency braking and lane departure warnings.

Celebrating International Youth Day

Youth play an indispensable role in navigating a future powered by technology, one of the greatest but also the most rapidly evolving transformative forces. International Youth Day provides us with an ideal occasion to recognize the immense power young people hold. Their potential reflects two sides of the same coin–one that transforms, and one that awaits awakening. Like the number zero–open at its core yet amplifying value with every addition.

Related: Here's How We Should Prepare Our Youth For The Economy Of The Future