Dubai: H.H. 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 Executive Council of Dubai, emphasized the significant role of investing in people and fostering their development and leadership skills. This vision is a central component of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's vision and aligns with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, aimed at enhancing the UAE's future readiness.
According to Emirates News Agency, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan honoured the champion and team members of the 'Challenge 71 Programme,' a national initiative launched during the UAE Government Annual Meetings 2024. The programme, managed by the Government Development and the Future Office, aims to identify exceptional leadership traits among promising young government leaders. The initiative brought together 32 participants from leading federal and local entities, who were assessed on their ability to tackle challenges like community empowerment, resilience, adaptability, and leadership character building.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan remarked, "A year ago, we launched the Challenge 71 Programme for young government leaders, which brought together distinguished Emirati talent from federal and local entities competing in major leadership challenges. This programme is designed to strengthen the UAE's future readiness. Challenge 71 stems from the UAE leadership's conviction that those who make a difference are those who lead change." He reiterated the importance of investing in human capability, expressing confidence in young Emiratis and creative government talent. He emphasized the high expectations and profound trust the UAE leadership places in them.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan congratulated Dr. Salem Al Marri, Engineer and Officer at Dubai Police General Headquarters, the ultimate champion of the challenge, and the winning team comprising Aisha Shahdad, Sarah Alraeesi, and Afra Al Suwaidi. He praised their contributions to launching a national initiative rooted in teamwork, positive competition, continuous learning, and a culture of resilience and innovation in solution design.
The event saw the presence of notable figures such as H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum and His Excellency Omar bin Sultan Al Olama. On the occasion, Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Government Development and the Future, praised H.H. Sheikh Hamdan's patronage of the Challenge 71 initiative. She affirmed that the challenge successfully identified promising young Emirati leaders who will help shape the future of government work. Al Roumi highlighted the challenge's role in establishing an advanced government model for capacity-building and empowering young talent.
She further emphasized that Challenge 71 assessed distinctive leadership qualities, helping participants build resilience and collaboration. Participants showcased strong competencies in resilience, adaptability, rapid response, and leadership under pressure. Her Excellency congratulated the Challenge champion, the winning team, and all participants for their outstanding performance and commitment throughout the six-month challenge duration.