A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was the 11th president of India, from 2002 to 2007. A career scientist turned statesman, Kalam had an amazing dream for the empowerment of social skills through young people’s role in the society. It is high time the youth come together and build a foundation — a very strong one — to uplift this duty and dream. It was not only a need put forward by this great scientist, but also one that applies to all the people of the world.
The world’s population is young. According to the World Bank blog, in 2017, 42 per cent of people in the world were under the age of 25.
I feel young people in the present day do not belong to an active, social and service-minded society. The main cause of this catastrophe is the increment in inventions and ideas that keep them engrossed. The youth should set up the pathway for the attainment of equal rights, which is still not in practice in many parts of the world. Corruption and bribery should be put to an end, and this initiative should be taken up by young minds. Students, who have mastered the art of speaking, should be the brimming rivers for empowering the masses.
Young people should stand together in expressing their solidarity and then get actively involved in social issues, but keep in mind that their views and expressions should not lead to social bias. As patriotic citizens, their works should help in promoting national integration.
Last but not least, the equal rights of women and their significance in society must be accepted by all. They should be encouraged to participate in all fields and aspects of the community.
The UAE government attaches great importance to the role of youth and their empowerment in order to enable them to shoulder responsibilities, innovate and contribute to the welfare of the country’s community.
To emphasise this, the UAE has taken several steps to ensure that the voice of the youth is heard and their views are shared. They ensured youth representation in the new Cabinet and established the Emirates Youth Council.
All countries should push their youth to the forefront and use their ideas and empower them.
- The reader is a student based in Abu Dhabi
