ABU DHABI, 9th December, 2025 (WAM) -- The Arab Youth Centre announced its participation at the BRIDGE Summit 2025, taking place from 8-10 December in Abu Dhabi, through a dedicated pavilion designed to spotlight its impactful programmes and initiatives shaping the region's future.

This presence reinforces the Centre's commitment to engaging at high-level regional and global platforms that interrogate the future of innovation, explore next-generation empowerment tools, and examine the critical role of youth in driving media, economic, digital, and creative transformation across the Arab world.

As part of its engagement, the Centre marked the conclusion of the fourth edition of the Arab Youth Podcast Training Programme, in the presence of Abdulla bin Mohamed bin Butti Al Hamed, Chairman of BRIDGE, and Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Centre.

Over a three-week intensive journey, 29 participants from 16 Arab countries took part in a structured theoretical and practical curriculum aimed at equipping them with essential storytelling, voice, and production skills to launch their own podcast ventures. Participants produced original episodes in professional studios and received direct mentorship from experts at Nawah, the programme's knowledge partner.

During the graduation ceremony, Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, UAE Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Vice Chairman of the Arab Youth Centre, underscored the significance of expanding Arab youth's creative capabilities in line with the accelerated evolution of digital content.

He stated, "Today, the world of podcasting represents new opportunities for young people to voice their perspectives, document their experiences, and express their values. Sound has become a tool of influence, a source of knowledge, and a bridge connecting diverse experiences across the Arab world. The creativity we have witnessed in this edition confirms young people's ability to transform ideas into reality, stories into impact, and voices into platforms that inspire others."

The Centre's participation at BRIDGE Summit reflects a clear strategic direction: to invest in youth potential, strengthen their readiness for future economies, and integrate them into the Summit's core tracks, innovation, next-gen media, advanced technology, and sustainability. By showcasing its most successful programmes, the Centre is demonstrating the role of youth as co-architects of the region's development journey.

Fatma Al Hallami, Executive Director of the Arab Youth Centre, said, "Our presence at BRIDGE reflects our belief that young people are the engine of development in our region. This summit is a powerful platform to present the Centre's impactful programmes and long-term initiatives that empower Arab youth to build new skills, expand their knowledge, and strengthen their contribution to the creative and digital economy."

She added, "Our collaboration with BRIDGE embodies our shared commitment to unlocking youth potential, widening access to opportunities, and equipping emerging talents with the tools to shape the future of their countries and elevate the Middle East as a whole."

Throughout the Summit, the Centre's pavilion offers a full overview of its development programmes, media empowerment initiatives, knowledge platforms, and projects targeting emerging sectors including artificial intelligence, creative content production, humanitarian innovation, climate action, and the third sector. It also highlights the Centre's measurable impact in advancing youth engagement across critical growth areas.

Visitors to BRIDGE Summit will meet standout youth models who emerged through the Centre's programmes, young innovators who transformed their skills into scalable ideas and expanded their regional and global networks. Among them are Hamdan Al Ali (UAE), inventor of an AI-powered electronic game that screens developmental language disorder, Hassan Mohamed Hassan (Egypt), founder of Young Film School, Noor Wissam Al-Asadi (Iraq), founder and CEO of Lisan, an artificial intelligence company driving Arabic-led innovations.