SHARJAH, 17th July, 2026 (WAM) -- The Regional Office of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ICESCO) in Sharjah, in cooperation with the Arab Parliament for the Child, organised an interactive training programme, "Future Leaders: From Idea to Impact", for members of parliament.

The programme took place during the participants' stay in Sharjah for the fourth session of the fourth parliamentary term. It was attended by Salem Omar Salem, Director of ICESCO's Regional Office in Sharjah; Ayman Othman Al Barout, Secretary-General of the Arab Parliament for the Child; and Sheikh Saif bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Assistant Secretary-General of the parliament.

Designed for 40 members aged 12 to 16, the programme aimed to strengthen leadership, innovation, critical thinking and teamwork skills.

The first component featured a mini-hackathon titled "Innovate for a Sustainable Arab Future", where participants developed technology and artificial intelligence-based solutions to environmental challenges, including water scarcity, desertification, waste management, pollution and natural resource consumption across Arab countries.

The second component, "Youth Debates: Dialogue to Lead the Future", focused on developing debate, communication and critical thinking skills through discussions about the Arabic language in the digital age and the impact of fast food on children's health.

The programme concluded with the recognition of the top three teams for excellence in innovation, teamwork and debate.

Salem Omar Salem said the initiative reflects ICESCO's vision of investing in young people by equipping them with leadership and innovation skills and by strengthening cooperation with the Arab Parliament for the Child to prepare a generation capable of contributing to sustainable development across the Arab world.