Young innovators empowering the future- the dubai student dialogue

Already at Birmingham University, I felt heavy with thoughts amidst the spectacular campus, knowing how valuable this exposure was for me, curious about the people I’d get to interact with, and feeling a great sense of pride to be shaping sustainable solutions in the setting. After bidding farewell to my father and taking a deep breath, I stepped into the semi-formal event, and the hospitable atmosphere and the students from other schools made me feel welcome. We all had engaged in a healthy conversation, introducing ourselves and emphasizing curiosity on the different colored name tags we got, pondering about the possibilities of the surprises waiting to be unraveled! 

We were all later assembled for the opening ceremony, with the renowned Dubai Student Council taking us through the structure of the discussion. I greatly admired the team spirit and the enthusiasm of each member, showing their devotion towards their responsibility. We were excited when we got to know that we were categorized into four groups based on the color we received, namely Independent Learning, Future Pathways, Artificial Intelligence, and Mental Health and Wellbeing. After an ice-breaking event, we all got to know each other better. The member of the student council, Rehman, divided us into four groups based on the fields we chose to enrich in independent learning. I collaborated with my team based on student-led initiatives that can be implemented in various school communities. I shared my perspective, stating that Independent learning is when students become individual pioneers, have the right to express their emotions, and should learn by engineering and designing real-life solutions based on project-based learning, according to the Dubai Educational (E33) strategy. They agreed, and we revolved around the other problems that we can be cognitively resolved in our unique ways. Based on a concoction of ideas and critical thinking, we resolved the issue with the idea of creating an app in which students can participate in taking regular surveys on wellbeing, getting personalized questions to grasp the topic based on the CAT4 and NGRT stanines, and for stress-free management with the help of transcendental meditation. After our hard work, we relished some refreshments, interacting with the people we met earlier. The student council was impressed with our creativity and gave us the privilege to present our activity in front of the esteemed leadership community, along with certain other groups, that also demonstrated their willingness to support the outlined cause. 

It was all thanks to this special event that we found ourselves feeling inquisitive, full of innovation, and packed with new ideas. We realized our capacity to drive change as future leaders, with a mindset of critical thinking and wellbeing towards these major objectives in our society. Thank you. 

Sincerely, 

Aradhya Rai 8B