UAE Youth Ambassadors conduct field research programme in China

The Office of Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs at the Presidential Court is proceeding with a wide range of activities under the UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme, which aims to develop young national talent with a global outlook. Working with partners around the world, the Programme offers participants field visits, cultural events, training workshops, and a variety of educational and development initiatives.

As part of these efforts, 19 students from the UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme took part in a three-day field research programme in Shanghai, China, from 25th to 27th September, organised in partnership with a number of Chinese institutions. The programme focused on building the capabilities of young Emiratis and refining their skills, with particular emphasis on sectors of national priority for the UAE.

Commenting on the programme, Nawal Al Marzouqi, Director of the UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme at the Office of Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs, said, "Through the UAE Youth Ambassadors Programme, we empower young Emiratis to serve as a bridge between the UAE and the international community, and to contribute positively to presenting the UAE and its leadership as a pioneering global model. This reflects the vision of our wise leadership to build a generation that is firmly rooted in national values, equipped with the skills, knowledge and cultural awareness needed to share the UAE's exceptional story with peoples and communities around the world."

Al Marzouqi explained that the programme comprised three research tracks: public governance, traditional Chinese medicine, and industrial cooperation between the UAE and China. The students were divided into groups to conduct field research at Chinese academic, healthcare, industrial and community institutions and companies in Shanghai, particularly companies with investment and industrial partnerships with the UAE.

The programme included a series of workshops and studio sessions for all participating groups, covering innovation and design thinking, media communication and photography, field preparation, review and editing, video production, and presentation development. Students also visited the Memorial of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Kangjian Community Service Centre, the Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine at Fudan University, the Cai Tong De Tang traditional Chinese medicine clinic and pharmacy, the Kangma-Healthcode protein production facility, and the ROX Motor electric vehicle centre in Shanghai.

The programme concluded with research presentations and screenings of the students' short films before a joint Emirati–Chinese evaluation panel of academic and economic specialists.

The programme was delivered in partnership with China Daily as its educational and editorial partner. The newspaper's mentors accompanied the students from the preparation stage through to final editing, conducting specialised documentary filmmaking workshops designed to build the participants' capabilities and hone their skills in producing short documentaries on a variety of stories.

With a focus on the UAE's national priority sectors, the films aim to tell the UAE's story across vital fields through visual content that highlights humanitarian values, development principles, and inspiring examples from the nation's journey of development and prosperity.

WAM