Latifa bint Mohammed opens ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative

Government of Dubai Media Office; Dubai, UAE; 19 November 2024: Yesterday, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), officially opened the ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative. This transformative programme, approved by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Dubai Future Foundation, reflects the emirate’s commitment to excellence, creativity, and innovation in the service of humanity.

The initiative, held in partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation, seeks to drive positive societal change by leveraging innovative projects initiated by enterprising university students and distinguished academics to address complex global challenges. Bringing together one of the most diverse assemblies of academic talent and innovation, the initiative will witness participation from elite professors and university students from leading institutions worldwide, who presented the top 100 projects offering practical solutions to critical challenges facing our planet and societies. The event is taking place on the sidelines of the 2024 Dubai Future Forum at the Museum of the Future on 19 and 20 November, bringing together over 2,500 experts and 100 international institutions specialising in future foresight and design.

Her Highness Sheikha Latifa expressed her pride in the groundbreaking achievements and creative solutions for global challenges that came about courtesy of the ‘Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative over the past decade. She highlighted that expanding the initiative, an Art Dubai Group enterprise, through ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity,’ further strengthens its contribution to nurturing innovation and serving societies.

Empowering forum

Her Highness said: “Today, we celebrate a decade of innovation – a journey defined by continuing efforts to advance scientific research, mobilise visionary ideas, and transform them into impactful, pioneering solutions to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. This initiative reflects our dedication to shaping the future, providing a global platform for creators and innovators to drive meaningful change. It also inspires the development and acceleration of transformative technologies, supports entrepreneurship, empowers individuals, and harnesses talent to serve humanity, all while contributing to the overarching goals of comprehensive and sustainable development.”

Her Highness added: “I am proud to witness generations of young innovators from international universities and institutions across academic, cultural, technological, and creative fields who have harnessed knowledge to develop innovative solutions aimed at serving humanity, and we hope to support their growth from Dubai.”

The initiative attracted 2,700 applications from over 800 universities worldwide. During the event, the top five exceptional innovators will be announced and honoured with awards totalling AED 360,000, enabling them to further advance their research in vital fields.

Exhibition celebrates pioneers

Sheikha Latifa inaugurated the ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ 2024 exhibition, which showcases cutting-edge innovations and breakthrough projects in key domains such as healthcare, energy, society, nature, and data science. These creative projects lay the foundation for a robust infrastructure that supports Dubai’s status as a global hub for innovation and future opportunities.

Her Highness also hosted a meeting, bringing together government officials, decision-makers and experts, including His Excellency Saeed Al Tayer – Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority; His Excellency Dawood Al Hajri – Director General of Dubai Municipality; His Excellency Awad Saqr Al Ketbi – Director General of the Dubai Health Authority; His Excellency Dr. Amer Sharif – CEO of Dubai Health and President of Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Her Excellency Hala Badri – Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority; His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul – CEO of Dubai Future Foundation; as well as investors, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who advanced groundbreaking concepts. The discussions focused on adopting and transforming these creative solutions into successful, impactful projects.

Key partners

Key partners in the ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative include Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, the Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai International Financial Centre, and the Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation, which has committed AED 100mn to advance innovation and technology in Dubai, further driving progress and impact.

His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of Dubai Future Foundation, said: “The Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity programme offers an unparalleled platform for young innovators to showcase their transformative ideas alongside the annual Dubai Future Forum, reinforcing Dubai’s commitment to fostering global solutions. With the invaluable leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa and the support of a diverse network of partners, we’re driving impactful change through collaboration, empowering the next generation to address critical challenges with creativity and vision.”

Arif Amiri, Chief Executive Officer of the DIFC Authority and Chairman of the Board of Art Dubai, said: “This year’s Prototypes for Humanity programme is truly inspirational and demonstrates how young innovators are creating a better world by developing creative solutions to global challenges. As a founding partner, DIFC’s longstanding support for Prototypes for Humanity underscores our commitment to solidifying Dubai’s reputation as a global hub for innovation, where the brightest minds can come together to build a more responsible and sustainable future.”

Hussain Sajwani, Founder and Chairman of DAMAC, said: “Our partnership with the Dubai Future Foundation aligns with the vision of the emirate’s leadership to establish the city as a global hub for creativity and technology. The ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative is a significant milestone in realising these aspirations, and at DAMAC, we are honoured to collaborate with the Foundation on programmes that attract top talent and expertise towards unlocking their potential to serve humanity, reflecting our commitment to enhancing quality of life and addressing the needs of future generations. We firmly believe that innovation and technology are the keys to advancing nations and shaping a sustainable, prosperous future.”

Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, Director of the ‘Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative, said: ‘Whilst the Prototypes for Humanity programme has grown significantly over the past ten years, its guiding principle has always been to shine a light and empower the best ideas that help make for a better tomorrow. We are delighted to have so many innovators present here today and with the support of our invaluable network of partners we look forward to seeing them thrive in Dubai and beyond.”

The ‘Dubai Future Solutions – Prototypes for Humanity’ initiative aims to identify and enable projects that can comprehensively address critical issues and seeks to collaborate with distinguished graduates and professors from more than 800 global universities. Students and academics across diverse disciplines showcased innovations in agriculture, healthcare, energy, civil society, mobility, water and the environment.