The Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance concluded the Fourth Gulf Forum for Gifted Students in Dubai on March 12th, 2023. The event was organized by the Hamdan bin Rashid Center for Giftedness and Creativity, a part of the foundation, and coincided with the Gulf Talent and Innovation Day, which celebrates the gifted students in the Gulf Cooperation Council.
The forum aimed to bring together gifted students aged 13 to 18 from GCC countries to exchange scientific experiences and knowledge in their respective fields of talent. It provided an opportunity for them to discuss common issues with their peers and specialists at the Gulf level. Over the course of two days, the forum also discussed the enhancement of personal and leadership skills among the participating students and provided opportunities for communication and collaboration among them in specialized scientific fields.
The forum included numerous scientific workshops, discussion sessions, visits, and related activities, which were organized in several locations such as the Al Ittihad Museum, Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and Marmoom Conservation Reserve. The workshops and lectures were presented by a group of experts and specialists in various fields.
Dr. Khalifa Al-Suwaidi, Secretary-General of Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, expressed his pleasure at organizing the Gulf Forum for gifted students for the fourth year in a row. He noted that the meeting comes as part of the foundation's objectives to improve education, provide all kinds of support for the gifted, develop their skills, shed light on their innovations, sponsor them, and encourage them to move forward on the path of innovation and creativity.
The participating students expressed their happiness at attending the forum, which provided them with the opportunity to communicate with their peers from other Gulf countries and exchange valuable ideas, experiences, and information that they received from the workshops, discussions, and field visits. The attendees praised the well-organized events and expressed their gratitude and appreciation to Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance for organizing the fourth edition of the forum.
The Hamdan bin Rashid Center for Giftedness and Creativity organized the first Gulf Forum for Gifted Students in Dubai in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the forum was held remotely in 2021 and 2022, with the participation of a group of distinguished students from schools and giftedness centers.
The Gulf Talent and Innovation Day is a reflection of the Gulf Cooperation Council's keenness to support talented and creative individuals. As part of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States' efforts in this field, the General Conference of the Bureau at its twenty-third session issued a resolution to approve a Gulf Talent Day and to designate the first week of March of each year to celebrate this day under the name ‘Gulf Talent and Innovation Day’.
