Sheikh Mohammed unveils $27.2mn Great Arab Minds initiative

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By Arya M Nair, Official Reporter
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His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has launched the Great Arab Minds initiative, which will be led by and headquartered at the Museum of the Future, the Emirates’ new global scientific landmark.

Great Arab Minds is the Arab world’s largest movement dedicated to search exceptional talents among Arab scientists, thinkers, and innovators across key fields, aiming to highlight and celebrate leading thinkers in the region and inspire young people with their example.

The initiative will collaborate with regional and global partners to develop and maximize the positive impact of their ideas and work. The five-year initiative will focus on fields including physics and mathematics, software and data science, economics and higher education and research.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Ruler of Dubai
Vice president, PM- UAE

“Today we launch a new project to search for 1,000 Great Arab Minds in the fields of physics and mathematics, software and data science, economics and higher education and research. We will accelerate the Emirates’ role as an incubator for fostering Arab and global talent. We built the Museum of the Future as a global hub for scientists, thinkers and innovators, it is the ideal headquarters for a fund to develop the potential of our region’s finest minds.”

The initiative is backed by a $27.2 million fund and will be administered from the Museum of the Future, with a committee of four Emirati Ministers who will develop a system to identify and highlight the extraordinary thinkers and talents that the initiative will support. The fund will support local and global partnerships in fostering research, development and innovation.

The Committee leading Great Arab Minds is chaired by Mr. Mohammad Al Gergawi, President of the Museum of the Future, and the membership of Ms. Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Youth Affairs; Ms. Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Advanced Technology and Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency; and Mr. Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications.

The fields of focus of Great Arab minds are selected based on the potential for future development in key areas of innovation to drive development and economic growth.

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