31 OCTOBER 2024: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), the second World Early Childhood Development (WED) Forum commenced yesterday (30 October) at Erth Hotel, Abu Dhabi, as part of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week events.

The Forum commenced with the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Mariam bint Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority Board of Trustees; Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; as well as global experts, specialists, and decision-makers.

H.H. Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, delivered a speech highlighting the role of early childhood development (ECD) in fostering children's intellectual and emotional growth. She emphasized the importance of enriching educational and media content for children to align with the evolving digital age. Her Highness called for collective efforts to bridge gaps in traditional education and media while embracing cultural diversity.

She also highlighted how the UAE has made remarkable progress in supporting children's rights across various domains, establishing itself as a global leader in child protection and welfare. The UAE has pioneered initiatives and projects dedicated to raising future generations and has set an example by implementing laws that reinforce the child’s place in society.

She also underscored the significance of the WED Forum as an event that strengthens the early childhood sector. She also emphasized the forum's essential role in advancing research.

The two-day Forum is bringing participants together across a variety of formats to shape actionable outcomes and drive innovation to advance the local and international ECD agenda. It features 25 interactive debates, panels and talks, expert-led masterclasses, collaborative workshops, and roundtables led by 60 expert speakers from across 20 sectors.

In the opening remarks, H.E. Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation and Chair of WED, welcomed attendees. She said: “The WED Movement has taken shape in the UAE as a pillar of the vision of our late founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Driven by the belief that children are a nation’s truest form of wealth, we propel his vision forward by investing in individuals, families, and societies as a whole. This investment must always begin with the youngest members of society: our children.”

“An ever-evolving world means ever-evolving challenges, and both parents and children must constantly learn to navigate new frontiers. Banding together to create a better future for children is now a pressing need. We tackle our challenge head-on through human-centric innovation and cutting-edge research, underscoring the UAE’s commitment to ensuring a lasting foundation for future generations’ growth and prosperity globally.”

Underscored by the WED Movement’s commitment to drive long-term, meaningful outcomes on the lives of children, families, and societies, the WED Forum aims to inspire new dialogues and work towards the future prosperity of all children. “Today we are here, together, to create and root a platform so powerful that it will drive long-term momentum for experts, parents, policymakers, and disruptors to tackle the challenges our children face today, and those they will face in the future,” H.E. Al Hashimy concluded.

The first day of the forum featured a series of insightful discussions focused on a variety of topics related to ECD. During a masterclass ‘How did our ancestors use storytelling’, H.E. Sheikha Hala Mohammed Al Khalifa, Chief Executive Officer of NUWAH Foundation, said: “An artist, poet or a storyteller can shed light on their culture and traditions by using tools from the past to channel children’s curiosity and interactivity.” She continued: “children’s curiosity is channelled only through education or family, by providing their kids with access to activities allowing them to explore their hobbies and interests, thus channelling their curiosity.”

The 2024 WED Forum will explore the formative years of early childhood from a variety of perspectives and demonstrate how we can collectively play a role in shaping thriving societies by unlocking the potential of children. It aspires to serve as a platform for policymakers, experts, practitioners, and stakeholders from across sectors and regions of the world to share knowledge and exchange ideas in the field of ECD.

Strengthening Collaboration for Heritage and Child Development

During day one, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and the Abu Dhabi Authority for Heritage signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen bilateral cooperation and achieve shared goals. This partnership aims to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and proactively address challenges, reinforcing Abu Dhabi's role in heritage preservation and promoting national identity values.

The agreement establishes a joint framework to support child development from pregnancy to age eight, fostering growth and reinforcing positive behaviors. It also enables efficient project implementation and data sharing, while raising awareness of each organization’s contributions towards a shared vision, ensuring mutually beneficial outcomes.

Uniting communities for Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week

As part of Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week, the three-day ECD Research Convening also continued today, bringing together more than 90 researchers from the UAE, Arab region and Africa, to tackle challenges and explore opportunities to create a more representative science of ECD. Running in parallel with these events, a series of city-wide activations led by key partners will kick off tomorrow (31 October) and continue throughout the rest of the week.

Today will also see the start of the second edition of The Early Childhood Development Fair (31 October – 2 November) at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi, which is sponsored by the National Academy for Childhood Development and aims to create an interactive environment for members of the community to engage with leading providers of educational and recreational programs, services, and activities.

Key partners of Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week include National Academy for Childhood Development, Mubadala, ADQ, Aldar, E&, MODON, Department of Culture and Tourism, ADNOC, Pure Health, Emirates Foundation, Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development, ADEK, Abu Dhabi Media Network and Erth.