Majid Saif Al-Ghurair, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Burjuman Centre in Dubai has revealed that promoting a worldwide understanding of true Islam is top of the agenda for a group of the Middle East’s brightest young talents.
Al-Ghurair is one of 20 Middle East representatives selected for the inaugural ‘Forum of Young Global Leaders’ by a committee headed by Queen Rania of Jordan. And there are high hopes for the Swiss-based initiative, on both a global as well as regional level.
“We are concentrating on how to promote a global understanding of true Islam, especially in the Western world,” said Al-Ghurair. “And not just through politics and the media.”
“Although this project will be our main focus, we’re also addressing the immense challenges associated with the unrest in countries like Iraq,” he added.
The highlight of the initiative to date was the first global summit of the Forum which took place in June. Al-Ghurair attended the event at the Mont Cervin Palace in Zermatt, Switzerland along with other regional delegates including Bandar Bin Khalid Al Faisal, Chairman of Investment Enterprises in Saudi Arabia, Nesreen Mustafa Siddeek-Berwari of Iraq’s Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works and Fatemah Haghighat-Joo, Professor of educational sciences and psychology at the Shahid Beheshti University in Iran.
Discussions at the meeting centred around the ‘2020 initiative’- a vision of the world in the future - and action plans for five main topics including development and poverty, health, environment, global governance and security and education.
“I am particularly positive about the discussions on world poverty and the ideas generated on how we can improve conditions for the poor,” said Al-Ghurair.
A location for the next meeting set for June 2006 has yet to be confirmed, however the World Economic Forum (WEF) – the body who established The Forum of Young Global Leaders - did not rule out returning to Zermatt.
“The Mont Cervin Palace offers a unique and warm atmosphere which is conducive to community building and it is beautifully located at the foot of the Matterhorn, one of Switzerland’s most famous landmarks,” said Martina Gmur, spokesperson for the WEF.
“In addition, there are many opportunities for outdoor activities, which represent the dynamic aspect of the group,” added Gmur.
As part of the community building activities some of the young leaders took time out to ski, climb and bike their way around the 38 peaks that surround Zermatt, while others took in some refreshments down below at the Ice Grotto.
The Forum of Young Global Leaders is a newly formed, unique, multi-stakeholder community of the world’s most extraordinary leaders who are 40 years old or younger and who are ready to dedicate a part of their time and energy to jointly work towards a better future.
