Abu Dhabi: 19 young Emiratis spent three days in Shanghai late last month, interviewing, filming and researching at hospitals, factories and community centres, as part of the UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme.
The students took part in a field research programme in the Chinese city from 25th to 27th September. It was organised with a number of Chinese institutions and run by the Office of Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs at the Presidential Court, which is behind the wider programme.
The aim, the Office said, is to build the skills of young Emiratis, with a particular focus on sectors that are national priorities for the UAE.
Visits all over China
The students worked in groups across three tracks: public governance, traditional Chinese medicine, and industrial cooperation between the UAE and China.
Each group carried out field research at Chinese academic, healthcare, industrial and community institutions and companies. Particular attention was given to firms that have investment and industrial partnerships with the UAE.
Over the three days, the students visited amongst other places the Memorial of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Kangjian Community Service Centre, the Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine at Fudan University.
Workshops and films
Alongside the visits, all groups took part in workshops and studio sessions. Topics included innovation and design thinking, media communication and photography, field preparation, review and editing, video production, and presentation development.
The programme ended with the students presenting their research and screening short films they had made.
They were assessed by a joint Emirati-Chinese panel of academic and economic specialists.
Newspaper mentors
China Daily took part as the programme’s educational and editorial partner.
Its mentors accompanied the students from preparation through to final editing and led specialised documentary filmmaking workshops.
The films are intended to tell the UAE’s story across vital sectors, highlighting humanitarian values, development principles and examples from the country’s journey of development and prosperity.
“A bridge”
Nawal Al Marzouqi, Director of the UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme at the Office of Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, said the programme aims to prepare young Emiratis to represent their country abroad.
“Through the UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme, we empower young Emiratis to serve as a bridge between the UAE and the international community, and to contribute positively to presenting the UAE and its leadership as a pioneering global model,” she said.
She added that the programme reflects the leadership’s vision of building a generation “firmly rooted in national values”, equipped with the skills, knowledge and cultural awareness to share the UAE’s story with communities around the world.
The Office says it is continuing a wide range of activities under the programme, which works with partners worldwide and offers participants field visits, cultural events, training workshops and educational initiatives.