Business & Money | Monday 21 November, 2016 6:09 am |

Under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and in line with this year’s Innovation Week, Dubai has lined up over 80 activities to take place around the Emirate over the next 7 days that showcase the UAE’s cutting edge developments. With the objective to have innovation as a national mindset, the theme of the Innovation Week this year is, “Innovation, an everyday activity”. Participations from different governmental and private sectors have taken part in the activities from all over the Emirate, with the aim to encourage and support innovation through the development of creative ideas in various workshops, seminars and recreational activities.

The second annual Innovation Week is taking place from 20th to 26th November, 2016 under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE President, who announced the Year of Innovation in 2015 along with the launch of the national strategy for innovation by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which is aimed at contributing to the 2021 Vision of the UAE and support the future efforts to strengthen the position of the UAE as a global hub for innovation in all areas and sectors.

His Excellency Abdulla Al Shaibani, Secretary General of the Executive Council of Dubai and member of the Higher Committee for UAE Innovation Week said: “When we reflect on the UAE’s growth over the last 45 years, our transformation shows how much we have accomplished as a nation as a result of our forward thinking, visionary leaders. Their decision to integrate strategic innovation as a key pillar for our future is a directive that all of us who live in the UAE, including the government, private and the community at large have to embed in our everyday life.”

“Innovation today is of paramount importance to a country and the prestige of an institution, as it is considered the main engine of growth and development. It has become quite apparent, based on our evaluation of innovation policies and processes, that success in any national system is reliant on the collective efforts and close cooperation between the public and private sectors,” concluded His Excellency Abdulla Al Shaibani.

Hamdah Mohammed Bin Kalban, Dubai Committee Coordinator for the UAE's Innovation Week, expressed; “This is an annual week that celebrates the innovators themselves, it brings together people from different nationalities and age groups showing to the entire world that each individual has the potential to innovate ideas in everyday activities. Innovation is about building societies in a knowledge-based economy, this starts with the youth and includes all segments of the community. Investing in young talent is vital to ensure that development and advancement becomes a continuous process. We must enhance the knowledge environment as did Dubai, out of the many data confirmed for the role played by innovation and creativity in promoting social, economic and cultural sustainability.”

The community in Dubai has achieved major accomplishments and milestones by adopting a way of thinking that encourages and supports the economic, social and overall wellbeing of the people. Assimilating a forward-thinking mindset into the governing directives and culture has allowed the community to integrate continuous development into their daily habits. It is our hope that future generations recognize our initiatives have been designed to help enhance and support each individual, as well as the Emirate of Dubai as a whole.

The country’s national innovation strategy was originally launched in October 2014, with the first Innovation Week taking place in November 2015.