19 year old Emirati student to address world leaders at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East

19 year old Noor is one of 20 young people presenting the views of Arab youth along with international participants at the WEF, as part of an initiative by the British Council and the Young Arab Leaders organisation.

Noor participated in the recent 'Learning from the Future' workshop in Dubai, where her fellow UAE participants elected her to represent their views. Each of the 20 young people going to the WEF was elected by their workshop group.

Noor and her young colleagues will now have a one hour session with the world leaders attending WEF to communicate their views and ideas on some of the world's major issues, thinking ahead to the world in the year 2025 (Learning from the Future).

'The Learning from the Future workshop was important because it gave us the chance to discuss wider issues with no limitations, and everyone had the chance to speak freely,' says Noor.

She adds: 'I am very proud to be representing the UAE at the World Economic Forum - it is a great honour and responsibility and I am looking forward to it'.

In preparation for the WEF, Noor is spending time reading about issues that will be discussed at the forum and discussing these with her friends and colleagues to find out more about their views.

'We are fortunate in the UAE that we do not face some of the major issues that other countries have to manage but I am concerned about encouraging education and its development here'.

On issues she plans to raise at the WEF, Noor comments: 'Education, poverty, cultural identity, and the lifestyle of our hyperlinked world are all issues that I hope to have the chance to discuss at the WEF'.

The four-day 'Learning from the Future' workshop in Dubai was held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai), which ran from April 21-24. The workshop involved 120 young people from around the world including 14 Arab countries.

According to the workshop facilitators, for success at the WEF the representatives need to be assertive, articulate, well informed, passionate, confident in English, and forward thinking.