The Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs (MFNCA) is organising the 10th edition of the Political Awareness Forum for University Students in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), to be held remotely on 8th November.

The Forum aims to promote a culture of political participation among university students and raise their awareness of parliamentary life in the UAE. This year’s edition is titled ‘The Future of Political Development in the Next 50’, and seeks to shed light on the key elements that strengthen parliamentary work in the country, all the while introducing attendees to the sector’s achievements over the past 50 years, and outlining the requirements for maintaining this success over the next five decades. A particular focus is placed on the youth and their role in the future of parliamentary work, in line with the directives and vision of country’s leadership.

Tariq Hilal Lootah, the MFNCA Under-Secretary, asserted that organising the 10th edition of the forum this year is particularly important as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the UAE, concluding five decades full of astonishing success and accomplishments in parliamentary work, starting from the establishment of the Federal National Council (FNC) in 1972.

“The youth are our true wealth; they are the cornerstone of our success and the engine driving every achievement,” Lootah added. “The youth have left their mark on parliamentary work and plans to enhance it over the years; they are the key to shaping a bright future for the UAE. This explains our unwavering commitment to highlighting their role in the future of political development in the UAE.”

The forum will discuss three main topics in one day: First, ‘Parliamentary Life: Present and the Future’, where Afra Rashid Al Basti, Deputy Secretary-General of Parliamentary Communication at the FNC, will talk about the UAE’s accomplishments over the past 50, as well as the future the country aspires to in terms of parliamentary work in the next 50.

The second topic features two speakers: Tariq Hilal Lootah will discuss ‘Youth and the Future of Political Development’, while Afra Bakheet Al Alili, FNC Member, will illustrate ‘Examples of Young Pioneers in Parliamentary Work in the UAE”, highlighting success stories of Emirati youth in parliamentary work.

The third and final topic explores ‘Political Awareness of UAE University Students: The Impact of Conventional Media and Social Networks’ with Dr. Mariam Lootah, Associate Professor at UAEU’s Department of Government and Society, and Alia Al Mazrouei, a student at the UAEU.

Source: Emirates News Agency