Youth City 2030 fosters youth’s innovation, creativity, and personal growth

Youth City 2030 is a comprehensive capacity and skills development initiative that revolves around empowering the youth of Bahrain, recognizing them as a driving force in the country.

Launched initially in 2010 by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the annual event has become a prominent training initiative for young people in Bahrain to further qualify them and provide them with all the possibilities to unlock their creative energies.

This year’s edition takes place from 1st to 31st August at Exhibition World Bahrain in Zallaq.

According to the organizers, more than 100 programmes and 2,700 training opportunities will be delivered across five public centres: leadership and young entrepreneurship, media and entertainment, arts and culture, science and technology, in addition to sports and culture.

“To and From the Youth”

As a woman undergoing leadership training in Youth City, Maryam Alkhawaja aspires to lead by example by breaking down barriers of entry for women in leadership roles “I ignore barriers to not limit myself, and this city helped me realize that a lot of these barriers are self-imposed”, she says. “In a class full of men, I acquired the chance to learn from them, and the new points of view that Youth city provides is what makes this project so valuable”.

Yara Hassan Ali, a woman fond of motor vehicles and driving, participated in ‘Ride my Bike’, a programme aimed at developing mechanical skills, including vehicular reparations. “This programme will hone my skills in teamwork and communication, amongst other things”.

“By providing a dedicated space for learning, innovation, and personal growth, Bahrain Youth City 2030 sends a clear message to its young population: their dreams matter, and their aspirations are the driving force behind the nation’s progress,” said Dareen Alansari, who participated for the second time in a row as part of the organization team which is made wholly of Young Bahrainis.

“Even though I joined as an organizer, what I learned here helped me gain the required confidence to speak publicly and communicate clearly”, she said, emphasizing the importance of including youth in decision-making processes.

It also aims to contribute to the creation of Bahraini cadres qualified to participate effectively in the overall development of the Kingdom.

Hamed Jamal AlBaloushi is a participant in a leadership programme,” I am here to invest in myself and develop my skills” he stated, highlighting the opportunity to network with people from different backgrounds which the city provides.

The project stresses the importance of nurturing the potential of every young individual to become leaders, innovators, and active contributors to society.

UN Support to youth engagement in development processes and initiatives

The advancement of youth employment through relevant policies and tools remains high on the agenda of the United Nations Country team (UNCT) in Bahrain.

In 2022, the UNCT, in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and five youth-serving organizations, continued to implement the Youth Leadership Programme by supporting a group of 40 young people to engage in sustainable development. by equipping them with the necessary tools to develop their own unique and innovative solutions to address real-life challenges.

Additionally, four Bahraini nationals were embedded as volunteers in United Nations agencies to both support the organization and to gain valuable knowledge on sustainable development in the process.

In April 2023, the United Nations Secretary-General launched a policy brief calling for governments to make youth participation the norm, rather than the exception, across decisions and policies around the world.

“From innovative sustainable technologies and renewable energy to revolutions in transportation systems and industrial activity, young people must be equipped with skills and knowledge to shape a cleaner, greener, more climate resilient future.” said Mr. Guterres on International Youth Day.

“Across all of today’s challenges, young people are calling for bold and accelerated action, standing in solidarity with the most vulnerable, and designing solutions to ensure social, economic and climate justice, and peace and prosperity for all”, he said.