Public Affairs

AUK recently represented Kuwait and the Middle East at AISEC’s Regional Youth Speak Forum Middle East & Africa 2021 in Dubai. This year’s forum centered around the topic: The Future of Work Post COVID-19. It was attended by AUK-nominated student participants Amnah Derdab, Fatemah Ashkanani, and Layan Al-Ayoubi, and supervised by senior student life coordinator, Fay Al-Humoud, and the president of AIESEC in Kuwait, Maysoon Al-Attar.

The Youth Speak Forum’s main goal is to empower youth to understand how students can contribute to sustainable development goals through a series of lectures and workshops to build on skills and self-development. AIESEC in the Middle East and Africa boasts the diversity and togetherness to young people to develop themselves, connect, and interact with other youth across the region to “Empower, Engage and Commit”. The Youth Speak Forum included many speakers from different fields who helped enhance the knowledge in technology and artificial intelligence, and communication skills—which are all essential skills for the progressive future. The questions were related to work post-Covid and how to overcome certain requirements when looking for a job. 

The Forum’s Global Village included participation from 16 different countries, and over 20 nationalities, all coming together to showcase and represent their cultures. This was to promote appreciation of the uniqueness of other cultures through food, music, dance, and knowledge. A booth for Kuwait was set up with a collection of souvenirs, flags, and incense. It also featured Kuwaiti sweets and gifts related to the Kuwaiti culture. The Kuwaiti booth successfully tied 1st place with Ghana and won 2nd place in different categories. 

The forum’s organizing team invited Fay Al-Humoud to be a panelist during the panel discussion alongside other prestigious and inspiring individuals, representing AUK and Kuwait on the topic of “Designing the Future of Work in Middle East & Africa”, which was held on the first day of the conference. 

Commenting on the forum, Fay Al-Humoud said, “This experience brought people of different cultures together despite age, race, and nationality, we all were united seeking to achieve the same goal.” 

“To have a delegation that included these diverse, strong, independent, and bright young women representing Kuwait was an inspiration on its own. They may have been a “small” delegation, but their impact was powerful, and they most definitely brought pride to Kuwait and AUK. They were a perfect reminder of the potential Kuwaiti youth have when they are given the opportunity,” added Maysoon Al-Attar, national president of AIESEC in Kuwait.

The forum was successful in providing a space for students to exchange ideas with others from the MENA region to connect with, delegate, and break boundaries.