- The Councils aim to enhance the youth’s role in developing initiatives and achieving national priorities.
H.E. Khalid Al Nuaimi:
- Youth Councils are national platforms designed to empower youth and broaden their participation in the UAE’s development journey.
Dubai, UAE – October 2026 – The Federal Youth Authority (FYA), in collaboration with Executive Councils across various emirates, has launched the applications process for membership in the eighth cycle of the Local Youth Councils for the 2027-2029 term.
The process forms part of the Authority’s ongoing efforts to broaden youth’s participation in the national development journey, engage young Emirati talents in developing initiatives and programmes, support the achievement of the National Youth Agenda 2031’s objectives, and strengthen Youth Councils’ role in developing leadership skills and enhancing social responsibility.
Engaging the Youth:
His Excellency Khalid Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director of the FYA, said: “Local Youth Councils are a pioneering national model for engaging youth in the development journey. They embody the wise leadership’s vision to invest in young people’s skills and capabilities, enabling them to make impactful contributions towards shaping initiatives and developing solutions that serve the community. The Youth Councils’ extensive experience has included empowering national talents and ensuring they are equipped with leadership and teamwork skills, thereby enhancing the youth’s presence across various fields of institutional and community work.”
“With this new membership cycle, we look forward to engaging a generation of ambitious, proactive young talents, capable of transforming their ideas into projects and achievements with real-life impact,” H.E. Al Nuaimi said. “By doing so, we can ensure closer integration of efforts among the councils and national authorities, creating new opportunities for young talents to gain expertise, assume responsibility, and participate in achieving development priorities. At the Federal Youth Authority, we believe that youth empowerment is an essential tool for creating impact, and a key pillar in shaping the UAE’s future and safeguarding its achievements.”
National Objectives
Local Youth Councils aim to empower young talents and enhance their contribution to achieving the objectives of the National Youth Agenda 2031. They seek to engage young people in designing and implementing youth initiatives and programmes, develop their capabilities in leadership and local and international representation, and enhance communication and cooperation between them and national authorities. This, in turn, facilitates the exchange of knowledge and expertise, enabling the development of innovative solutions that serve the community.
Furthermore, the Councils provide members with an interactive institutional environment that allows for discussing youth issues and local priorities, communicating with decision-makers, developing ideas and proposals, and transforming them into practical initiatives. They also allow members to hone their skills in dialogue, planning, and teamwork, thereby enhancing their ability to assume responsibility and create a positive, enduring impact.
Application Criteria
Criteria for applying for Local Youth Councils membership require the applicant to be a UAE national aged between 18 and 35. They must hold at least a high school diploma, possess distinct personal skills and capabilities, and be proficient in both Arabic and English.
Conditions also require that applicants have experience with being involved in impactful community contributions, along with broad general knowledge and an active interest in youth issues at both the local and international levels.
The Federal Youth Authority invites Emirati youth who meet the application criteria to register for Local Youth Councils membership for the 2027-2029 term using the official dedicated link (linktr.ee/emiratesyouth) by 23 October 2026. Doing so enables them to benefit from this national experience, where their ideas and capabilities contribute towards developing initiatives that serve the community and support the UAE’s development journey.
