Sharjah children elect parliament leaders

In an effort to instil the principles of democratic participation through the experience of selecting their member representatives, members of Sharjah Children Parliament elected the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and General Rapporteur for the 18th session for the 8-11 age group of the new parliamentary term 2025-2026, under the theme “Community Service as Leadership.”

This came through elections held to elect candidates for leadership positions, giving them the opportunity to speak about themselves, their achievements, and their aspirations within the parliament.

The 60 members of the Sharjah Children Parliament then cast their votes via electronic voting.

Humaid Saeed Al Zaabi won the position of Chairman of Sharjah Children Parliament; Abida Khalil Sahakouh won the position of Vice Chairman; Reem Abdullah Al Naqbi won the position of Secretary of the parliament; and Khalid Raed Al Naqbi won the position of General Rapporteur.

Winners of the leadership positions expressed their happiness at the trust placed in them by their peers, affirming that they will live up to the responsibility entrusted to them by conveying their voices to officials, shaping the future, and working as a team.

The results announcement was preceded by an intensive training programme targeting parliament members, including the "Leadership Camp," which hosted interactive workshops to introduce new members to the Council's objectives, organisational structure, and the responsibilities of leadership positions.

It also included a variety of activities to enhance teamwork and team spirit.

A workshop titled "Future Leaders" was also held, presented by trainer Abdullah Al Shehhi. The workshop focused on developing personal skills, such as effective communication, taking responsibility, positive decision-making, and collaborative work among the team.

Sharjah Children Parliament is one of the Sharjah Children's initiatives affiliated with the Rubu' Qarn Foundation for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators. This unique parliament was established based on the directives of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in 1997.

The parliament aims to educate children about parliamentary life in the country, prepare and empower national cadres to contribute to decision-making and community service, and encourage them to practice democratic life in accordance with the principles of the parliament. This is achieved through constructive dialogue, developing a parliamentary culture, and instilling in them the values of citizenship and belonging.

This is in line with Sharjah's vision of creating future leaders by educating and involving them in the legislative process, and instilling principles of behaviour based on respect for the opinions and freedoms of others, Islamic principles, and lofty values, such as the principle of altruism and serving the public interest.

WAM