Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, H E Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah speaking at the Education City Speaker Series Bel Arabi, yesterday.
Doha: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs, H E Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, has expressed belief that youth can confront different challenges in the society.
“I believe in the power of youth... Absolute belief in the ability of youth to face challenges through research, development, and innovation,” he said while speaking at a special edition of the Education City Speaker Series Bel Arabi, held yesterday in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence.
The hybrid event ‘The Heart of Our Future: Empowering Youth Today, Protecting Our Tomorrow’, held ahead of the Qatar National Day, explored how the nation’s youth can be involved in key decisions that will shape the future of Qatar. “We consider the alumni of Qatar Foundation, Qatar University, and other prestigious universities to be the true wealth of our country,” said H E Al Attiyah. “We emphasise the importance of supporting and guiding them along their path, in both education and research, because they are the main pillars of our national defence. They are the ammunition that the education and research infrastructure of Qatar is providing to us.” The Deputy Prime Minister emphasised that building a sustainable economy based on diversification requires youth to build on four key pillars: belief in the idea, enthusiasm, work, and positivity. He added that building a sustainable future for Qatar requires empowering youth to hold responsibility.
“Facing our national sustainability challenges requires us to continue investing in the minds of our youth, believing in their potential, and empowering them to use the tools they possess, such as science and knowledge, to develop solutions that achieve sustainability, not only in the context of the environment, but also in other sectors,” he said.
He added, “Through energy and our efforts in building a diversified economy, we were able to move forward. Today, young people are required to carry this responsibility by developing solutions that enable us to overcome water and food security challenges, and to engage with the field of clean energy. Our Ministry of Defence research centres are working closely with the research centres at Qatar Foundation to confront challenges such as those related to global warming and desertification, and we hope to ultimately reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Qatar to zero.”
Discussing about the recent Shura Council elections, H E Dr. Al Attiyah said that these elections were the biggest event in Qatar in 2021 because they have played a vital role in engaging youth in the field of politics, providing them with political knowledge and enhancing their responsibilities.
Dr. Al Attiyah also discussed the role of youth in volunteering and how it is embodied in the community.
“Qatari youth have a passion for charitable work and for helping others. And the methods of volunteering have been developed. They are not now limited to traditional volunteering, which has been demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. He emphasised that countries need to prevent brain drain and the knowledge of youth to be harnessed through their volunteering in new fields such as technology and research, development, and innovation.
Dr. Al Attiyah also stressed the role of the family at the centre of Qatari society. “We hope our youth will commit to the values of building families. Building families is the core of protecting our heritage and national identity.”
