MBRF adopts action plan for next stage of sustainable knowledge development at regional and global levels

Following the successful conclusion of the First Knowledge Conference 2014, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF), the organizer of the conference and a leader in the dissemination of knowledge in the Arab world, has charted out an action plan to take sustainable development of knowledge to the next level.The action plan forms the basis of the First Knowledge Conference 2015, which will be organized in December next year.

The First Knowledge Conference 2014, organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of MBRF,was successful in bringing together Arab and international experts in the field of knowledge, marking a major step in the knowledge arena.

In a statement on the successful conclusion of the First Knowledge Conference 2014,His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said: The UAE has made remarkable achievements in the production, localization and transfer of knowledge by launching regional and global initiatives to overcome the challenges in the knowledge domain. These initiatives are aimed at building a knowledge society to ensure sustainable development and prosperity of the community.

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed added: The UAE and Dubai, through the employment of modern technologies and the adoption of national strategies for innovation, have become the leading models in the field of production and localization of knowledge, regionally and globally. The UAE and Dubai seek to work with all stakeholders in the knowledge field to find the appropriate tools to bridge the existing gaps in knowledge, through investment in human capacity.

Expressing satisfaction at the success of the First Knowledge Conference 2014, H.E. Jamal Bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, said the constructive dialogues at the event enhanced the significance of theconferenceas a global platform for the transfer, production and localization of knowledge.

Over three days, the rich and diverse sessions of the conference brought into sharp focus some of the key issues in the knowledge field. The conference also succeeded in creating a powerful dialogue on the development of knowledge, highlighting creativity and innovation as the main pillars of knowledge, H.E. Huwaireb said.

Setting the stage for the next edition of the conference, the action plan will involve all stakeholders in the government and private sector as well as the civil society regionally and globally to promote integrated production and localization of knowledge, H.E. Huwaireb said.
H.E. Huwairebsaid theaction plan for the First Knowledge Conference 2015covers three areas: Engaging Arab Youth in localization of knowledge; Involving Arab governments in knowledge development among Arab youth; and Private sector participation in encouraging localization of knowledge among Arab youth.

In this regard, MBRF aims to engage Arab youth through a workshop in Cairo in February. In addition, another workshop will be organized in one of the GCC countries at a later date to discuss how Arab governments can be involved in the knowledge development process. Another series of workshops are being planned to encourage the private sector to support the efforts of knowledge localization. Taking into account the number of European companies in the private sector, these workshops will be held in one of the European countries.
Some of the notable sessions in the First Knowledge Conference 2014 included Knowledge through innovation and integration, Producing and localizing knowledge, Arab youth integration in the process of knowledge transfer and localization and The status of Arab knowledge in light of the Arab Spring.

Apart from highly engaging sessions, the conference caught attention with the launch of some unique initiatives in the knowledge field, including the first Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award. The US$1 million award, the highest award of its kind in the world, was shared between Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, and Jimmy Wales, co-founder and promoter of Wikipedia.
The conference also witnessed the launch of the Arab Knowledge Report 2014: Youth and Localization of Knowledge, a joint initiative of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation and the Arab Bureau in the United Nations Development Programme. This year, the report included a general report addressing the youth and knowledge issues from the Arab regional perspective, and another report addressing the same cases from United Arab Emirates perspective.

The First Knowledge Conference 2014 also introduced the Arab Knowledge Index as a roadmap for sustainable development in the Arab world. The Arab Knowledge Index will provide regional policy and decision-makers accurate information about the level of knowledge in Arab communities, as well as highlight the areas of focus for further development plans.