Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du), today, announced the launch of its youth council in the UAE as part of the International Youth Day Celebration across the country. The announcement event was attended by His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du).

The Council is specifically created to empower the UAE youth and enhance their contribution towards the nation’s development through ICT and the enormous potential this sector holds, and is a platform that will enable them to unlock their career potential. It is aligned with the vision of the UAE’s wise leadership to empower and enhance the role of young Emiratis in the overall development process that is taking place across all sectors in the country.

du’s Youth Council will provide an environment that listens to ideas and ensures that these ideas are brought to the organisation, reinforce the role of the youth, and support their engagement within the company. The council will be a pacemaker for change and a unified and sustainable platform to engage decision makers in youth-led organisations and initiatives. Utilising their capabilities, it will inspire youth-centric dialogue across a variety of areas for a sustainable future with young Emiratis. In addition to this, the council creates practical solutions and innovative ideas to challenges that the UAE faces in ICT.  

Commenting on the launch, Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth said: “The UAE and its leaders strongly support this investment in the people they consider the cornerstone of development and progress. The du Youth Council will undoubtedly empower and support the youth by utilizing ICT as a platform; it will also allow us as a nation to enable them to voice their aspirations and creative ideas before the leadership, allowing us to develop them,” said Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth.
“The future belongs to Emirati youth to show their potential and take the initiative to revolutionise the ICT sector and be part of the nation’s success story.  The du Youth Council is an important step towards promoting optimal investment in the potential of the youth when it comes to ICT and young people of today are the driving force for a brighter future,” added Her Excellency Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui.

Osman Sultan, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du), said: “The UAE leadership has always looked to galvanise Emirati youth through initiatives aimed at developing the next generation of UAE leaders by encouraging their personal and professional development. At du, we continue to focus on unlocking the potential of our future leaders of tomorrow, and we are looking at new ways to innovate and add value for the next generation of Emirati ICT trailblazers. Since its inception, du has supported and promoted youth empowerment through a variety of initiatives, campaigns, and sponsorship programmes. Being a part of the incredible BUNYAN Initiative, which is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development, will further enables us to cement our commitment to the UAE youth segment through mentorship, guidance and empowerment. The du Youth Council will be the main force behind our digitalisation process and our journey towards a smart future in line with government direction and UAE Vision 2021. We believe the new generations provide fresh insights to organisations and are enablers of creativity and change.”

du’s Youth Council will provide an environment that listens to ideas and ensured that these ideas are brought to the organisation, to reinforce the role of the youth and support their engagement within the company. The council will be a pacemaker for change and a unified and sustainable platform to engage decision makers in youth-led organisations and initiatives. Utilising their capabilities, it will inspire youth-centric dialogue across a variety of areas for a sustainable future with young Emiratis. In addition to this, the council create practical solutions and innovative ideas to challenges that the UAE faces in ICT.  

Every year du supports a number of initiatives related to the youth and ICT; during the Girls in ICT day, du’s aim was to create and start a global environment that empowers and encourages young women to consider careers in ICT. du partnered with Zayed University and launched two multimedia labs in its Abu Dhabi and Dubai campuses comes as part of du’s commitment to enhancing education in the UAE, a pillar of the company’s sustainability strategy.

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About du

du is a vibrant and multiple award-winning telecommunications service provider serving 9 million individual customers with its mobile, fixedline, broadband internet, and Home services over its 4G LTE network. du also caters to over 100,000 UAE businesses with its vast range of ICT and managed services. Since its launch in 2007, du has many UAE firsts to its credit, including introduction of Pay by the Second® billing system, IPTV and self-service portal.

du is ideally placed to support the realisation of UAE Vision 2021 and transformation of Dubai into a Smart City. du is also the official strategic partner of the Smart Dubai Office and the platform provider for Smart Dubai. Following the successful testing of the Middle East’s first Internet of Things (IoT) network, du is on course to complete deployment of its IoT network in 2016.
Brand Finance ranked du as the 12th most valuable brand in the Middle East in 2016. du previously won the coveted Brand of the year title by Superbrands Middle East in 2013. The company has been recognised with several other awards such as ISO 27001 certification of Managed Security Services and having the distinction of opening UAE’s first LEED Platinum Certified Green Shop. du also has the unique distinction of the first telecom in the world to release Sustainability Report based  on GRI-G4 guidelines in 2014. du is also credited with du’s world-class teleport is the largest of its kind in the Middle East and ranked among the top teleports in the world by World teleport Association.

du is 39.5 percent owned by Emirates Investment Authority, 19.75 percent by Mubadala Development Company PJSC, 19.5 percent by Emirates Communications and Technology LLC and the remaining by public shareholders. Listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), the company trades under the name ‘du’.