Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz will sponsor on Sunday the inaugural Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity ... Imagine the Future 2020.
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Riyadh Region, will inaugurate the event on his behalf.
Held in Riyadh, the two-day conference is co-organized by the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) and the G20 Saudi Secretariat General. It is part of the program of the international conferences held on the sidelines of the current Saudi presidency of the G20.
The conference will be held biennially, upon the directive of King Salman, reflecting the unlimited support provided by the wise leadership to Mawhiba since its establishment 20 years ago. The event will see the participation of local, Arab and international figures.
Mawhiba Secretary General Dr. Saud bin Saeed Al-Mathami said that the conference “is a message from Saudi Arabia to the world and look into the future.”
It will bolster the Kingdom’s pioneering role in developing youth talents and innovations in shaping the future, underscoring their ability in shaping and investing in the virtual world, he added.
He explained that the conference will tackle virtual reality and its impact on human development. It will also focus on expanding international cooperation through effective partnerships in order to develop human capital, in the shape of youth energy, talent and innovation, to confront global challenges.
Al-Mathami said the event will be a virtual communication platform that brings together policy-makers with the aim of empowering youth and innovators throughout the world.
The conference will attract international, regional and national speakers from scientists, future advisors and decision makers to provide keynotes, and discussion sessions. The conference also includes “Mawhiba Virtual World” science exhibition. Aramco and SABIC are the conference strategic knowledge partners, who have a long history of supporting and nurturing the gifted and creative youth.
Keynote speakers are Neil deGrasse Tyson, American astrophysicist, planetary scientist, author, and science communicator, Gerd Leonhard, a European futurist, speaker and author who specializes in the debate between humanity and technology, and Dr. Machio Kaku, futurist and theoretical physicist.
Panelists include Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-AlSheikh, Executive Director of UNICEF Henrietta H. Fore, Executive Editor of Hub Culture Edie Lush, CEO of the NEOM project Nadhmi Al-Nasr, Vice President - Worldwide Education, Microsoft Anthony Salcito, Co-Creator of Skype Jonas Kjellberg, Senior Policy Analyst at Saudi G20 Sherpa Office Satam Alqadadi and many others.
