Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary-general of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, emphasised the importance of cultivating an entrepreneurial culture and encouraging innovation among the region’s youth during a talk at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMUQ).
Speaking as part of the Dean’s Lecture Series, al-Thawadi delivered a presentation on the recently launched Challenge 22 competition to students, faculty, staff and members of the Qatar Foundation community.
The Dean’s Lecture Series is a forum that brings together prominent industry leaders and government and business community officials to share their expertise on topical issues.
The Challenge 22 innovation award is managed by the Supreme Committee in collaboration with Silatech and Qatar National Research Fund, encouraging innovators to submit solution-based proposals that could directly benefit Qatar and other countries when they are hosting global sporting events.
As thousands of young graduates enter the job market every year, al-Thawadi addressed the need for viable opportunities in the region to help boost development and prioritise capacity-building in the region.
“Millions of young, skilled and educated youth are entering job markets every year. Creating viable opportunities for those people is the most important challenge for our region now and in the decades that will follow - not only from an economic viewpoint, but also from a social and cultural perspective,” al-Thawadi said.
Ilker Baybars, dean of CMUQ, said: “Carnegie Mellon Qatar and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy share a common goal: to provide opportunities for young people by creating a platform for them to harness and cultivate their ideas. The Challenge 22 award will create an environment to showcase the hard work and potential that Qatar and the region have to offer. I look forward to seeing some of the projects.”
For more information on the Dean’s Lecture Series and upcoming events, visit http://www.qatar.cmu.edu/calendar/month_view/
Hassan al-Thawadi with Ilker Baybars.
