Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi, Director-General of Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), and Mansour Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Director-General of the National Media Council, signed an agreement making the Council a Gold Partner to offer the necessary media support through the Emirates News Agency and to promote the WorldSkills Abu Dhabi 2017 competition on various media platforms.

The competition is being organised by the ACTVET, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, from 14th to 19th October.

Following the signing of the agreement at the headquarters of the National Media Council in Abu Dhabi, Mubarak Saeed Al Shamsi said, "The agreement is within the framework of our plan that aims for co-operation and co-ordination with all the government authorities to focus our energies and efforts on this important competition, which is being held for the first time in the region."

He stated that the National Media Council has played a prominent role in leading the media system to perform an effective and essential role of depicting the true image of the UAE, and the extent of development and advancement that it had achieved in the economic, educational and tourism fields.

He pointed out that the UAE had been successful in achieving qualitative leaps in all fields, and the media had been a partner in its success, while facing the challenges and setting the foundations for the upcoming stages to achieve the vision of the wise leadership for the country to become one of the leading countries across the world in various fields.

He affirmed that the national media had a role to play in the WorldSkills competition to attract a large number of participants and visitors, as well as to confirm the strategic importance of this competition, highlight the role of the youth and the values of innovation, creativity and positive competition to serve the supreme national goals.

Al Shamsi added that the WorldSkills competition will be held during a period when the UAE is keenly preparing for its future over the course of the coming years, based on directives that draw on its diversity. The competition also coincides with the launch of a world-class youth centre by the UAE’s wise leadership, reflecting the country’s support for its youth, as it considers them the major foundation of building the future, he further added.

He explained that Abu Dhabi is expected to receive over 100,000 international visitors during the competition while its major goal is to raise awareness about the importance of technical and vocational education, as well as to host the largest vocational skills competition in the world, including its positive and numerous aspects.

Mansour Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Director-General of the National Media Council, NMC, asserted that the UAE has adopted a strategy based on investing in its human resources while increasing their competitiveness and encouraging innovation among members of the community, to realise the vision of the wise leadership of creating a diverse and sustainable knowledge-based economy, based on providing adequate skills and resources.

He added that the NMC’s partnership with ACTVET to support this major international vocational skills competition complies with its role to promote the country’s stature and its overall excellence while supporting Abi Dhabi’s vision to create a sustainable and competitive economy, which is open to the rest of the world.

He pointed out that the NMC seeks to offer the necessary media support to various international activities hosted by the country, to contribute to their success and with the aim of establishing the country’s positive image, as the main destination for international conferences, seminars and competitions.

He also noted the efforts of the competition to highlight the energy of the youth and encourage them to participate in similar competitions, which represent an ideal platform to showcase their creativity and innovations.