DUBAI, 12th August, 2026 (WAM) -- Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Chairman of the Federal Youth Authority (FYA), said: "Under the vision of its wise leadership, the UAE has established a proactive approach to keeping pace with rapid global transformations by investing in people, harnessing modern technologies, and developing policies that enhance young people's readiness for the future.

''Empowering them with the appropriate knowledge, skills and tools is a fundamental pillar for maintaining the country's competitiveness and strengthening its ability to continue its leadership across various sectors," said Dr. Al Neyadi in a statement marking the International Youth Day, observed annually on August 12 to recognise the potential of young people, celebrate their role as active global partners, and bring awareness to the challenges facing their generation.

He added: "International Youth Day represents an important occasion to reaffirm our commitment to continuing to develop initiatives that open new horizons for young people in terms of growth and participation.

''The announcement of the opening of registration for the 'Bani' platform translates this approach into action through a national digital ecosystem that connects young people with opportunities, programmes and communities, and supports them throughout the various stages of their lives. This, in turn, supports their aspirations and enhances their contribution to serving the nation and its future priorities."

For his part, Khalid Al Nuaimi, Director of the Federal Youth Authority, said: "The UAE is a young society, with more than five million young men and women. This calls for continued development of tools and solutions that respond to the diversity of their needs, keep pace with their evolving aspirations, and provide them with high-quality opportunities that expand their participation, develop their capabilities, and enable them to contribute effectively across various areas of national priority."

He added that International Youth Day highlights the importance of integrating national efforts to reach young people across all the emirates through digital platforms, youth councils, youth centres and institutional partnerships. The Bani platform represents a qualitative advancement in this ecosystem, enabling young people to design educational and professional pathways aligned with their interests and aspirations.

''It also enables government entities and their partners to reach target groups, manage their initiatives, measure their outcomes, and leverage data to develop programmes and policies and support decision-making.''

The Federal Youth Authority celebrated International Youth Day by organising 43 events and programmes across the UAE.

The activities included dialogue sessions, workshops and community activities, in addition to the announcement of the opening of registration for the Bani platform, the UAE's first integrated national digital ecosystem for young people. This forms part of the Authority's efforts to expand opportunities for youth participation, develop their capabilities and enhance their readiness for the future, in line with the objectives of the National Youth Agenda 2031.

The celebration of International Youth Day reaffirms the UAE's approach to investing in young people as key partners in advancing the nation's development journey and shaping the future. This is achieved through the development of national initiatives and platforms that keep pace with global transformations and provide young people with comprehensive opportunities for learning, participation, innovation, volunteering and entrepreneurship, thereby strengthening their presence across various sectors of national priority.

As part of its International Youth Day celebrations, the FYA organised 29 events through youth councils of various categories, in addition to 14 activities conducted by youth centres across the UAE. These included dialogue sessions, workshops, specialised forums and community activities focusing on artificial intelligence, sustainability, the creative economy, leadership, national identity, future skills, innovation, entrepreneurship, volunteering and quality of life.

These activities provided young people with practical experiences that helped sharpen their skills, enhance their readiness and expand their community participation.

The Federal Youth Authority called on the UAE's young people to register on the Bani platform, the UAE's first integrated national digital ecosystem for youth, and benefit from the opportunities, programmes, services and youth communities available on a single platform.

The platform accompanies young people throughout their educational and professional journeys through a digital experience powered by the latest artificial intelligence technologies.

The platform also provides government and private-sector entities, as well as educational institutions, with advanced tools to manage programmes, reach target groups, measure the impact of initiatives, and leverage data and indicators to develop policies and support decision-making.