ABU DHABI // The journey of 52 Emirati university students has been captured on film as they took part in the UAE’s Youth Ambassadors programme.
The scheme began in 2012 under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
The aim is to build links between the UAE and partner countries and help prepare participants to take positions in key government sectors by enhancing their leadership skills and experience outside the UAE.
Those experiences were filmed over three weeks for the 45-minute documentary, capturing language training and government study tours.
Hamda Al Shaiji, 20, is from Dubai and studies international relations at Zayed University. She went to Germany as part of the programme.
She hoped the documentary, produced by Image Nation and to be shown on Abu Dhabi TV, “could be a source of inspiration to people”.
The Youth Ambassador programme helped her push past her comfort zone, she said.
“This trip benefited me more that I anticipated,” she said.
“I gained so many skills from a new language to other soft skills. It exposed to me to many aspects of German life and society that we miss when we visit as tourists. It was thrilling and helped us know ourselves better and be more independent.”
Abdullah Abdulrahman Alhashemi, 21, is a student at Zayed University.
He is taking part in the Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Scholars Programme at NYUAD as well as the apprenticeship programme at Expo 2020 Dubai.
He went to South Korea as part of the Youth Ambassadors programme. “There are countless benefits I gained from this trip,” he said. “It made me realise that knowledge we gain from books and other sources is very limited and insufficient.”
He said he had struggled with time management during the trip.
A packed schedule meant early mornings. “I am not a morning person but, after a couple of days, I managed,” he said.
He said the documentary would help raise awareness of the programme and inspire others to take part.
“There are lots of valuable opportunities available for Emirati youth,” he said.
“It is important to highlight the successes and accomplishments of Emirati youth, to inspire others to take up similar opportunities, and show the high calibre of young Emiratis and the potential they have.”
Michael Garin, chief executive of Image Nation Abu Dhabi, said: “The production shows the incredible personal journeys and steep periods of growth these students go through under the UAE’s leadership.”
UAE Youth Ambassadors will air on Quest Arabiya today at 20.30 KSA time.
mswan@thenational.ae
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Racecard
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Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
FA Cup quarter-final draw
The matches will be played across the weekend of 21 and 22 March
Sheffield United v Arsenal
Newcastle v Manchester City
Norwich v Derby/Manchester United
Leicester City v Chelsea
