The From Heritage to Horizon programme welcomed 24 members of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders foundation to Abu Dhabi to explore how heritage, innovation, and sustainability are shaping the UAE’s development.
The programme, hosted by Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nayan, included experiences and engagements with the Climate Tribe, Masdar City, the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Hosn, the Abrahamic Family House, Jubail Mangrove Park, and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi.
In 2023, Sheikha Shamma was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, joining a global community of changemakers driving progress across policy, technology, and sustainability. Sheikha Shamma’s role as both host and peer to the visiting YGL members reflects a personal commitment to fostering collaboration and empowering the next generation of global leaders to accelerate climate action.
During the three-day event, the delegation explored how the UAE’s cultural legacy and forward-looking innovation converge to shape sustainable development and global leadership. Through guided visits, design-thinking sessions, and immersive experiences, the journey highlighted how heritage, technology, and creativity collectively advance climate innovation and sustainability.
Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan said: “This journey embodies what the UAE stands for, a nation that transforms its heritage into a blueprint for progress. By uniting Young Global Leaders who share a commitment to sustainability and innovation, we are not just exchanging ideas, we are forging partnerships that will define the future. The From Heritage to Horizon journey reflects how our traditions can inspire technologies, policies, and values that sustain both people and planet.”
The Young Global Leader’s Learning Journey, part of the World Economic Forum’s leadership development programme, brings together emerging leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society to learn from global best practices and strengthen collaboration across regions. The three-day experience began with cultural immersions offering insight into how the UAE’s heritage continues to inform its vision for coexistence and progress.
At The Climate Tribe, participants joined a Co-Creating the Future design thinking session, engaging with local makers to explore how indigenous materials, craftsmanship, and innovation can inspire scalable, human-centred climate solutions. The session generated bold, actionable ideas that move hearts and minds, created support systems and pathways for innovation at scale, and built collaborative frameworks between makers, leaders, and institutions.
Alongside these experiences, the group took part in desert expeditions, a coastal mangrove conservation activity at Jubail Mangrove Park, and visits to pioneering research centres. The Technology Innovation Institute showcased its work in quantum computing, autonomous systems, and robotics, while MBZUAI hosted interactive sessions on the role of AI in building a sustainable future.
Sheikha Shamma’s involvement in the Young Global Leaders community reflects the UAE’s growing influence as a convener of ideas and innovation, bridging global partnerships, nurturing homegrown solutions, and empowering a new generation of leaders to build an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable future for all.
