H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, today inaugurated the Aqdar World Summit, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Tolerance; Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, President of Zayed University; Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education; Hessa Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development; Jameela Al Muheiri, Minister of State for Public Education; Shamma bint Suhail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, and Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Education and Knowledge Department.

The summit was also attended by Lt. General Saif Al Shafar, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Interior; Dr. Abdullah Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director-General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority; Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayah, Chairman of the Forum for the Promotion of Peace in Muslim Societies; Major General Khalifa Hareb Al Khaili; Mubarak Al Shamsi, Assistant Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Interior for Resources and Supportive Services, and Major General Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi, Inspector-General of the Ministry of Interior and Chairman of the Summit’s Supreme Organising Committee, as well as delegations from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Palestine and members of the UAE diplomatic corps, directors-general in the police, and senior officers from the Ministry of Interior.

The first edition of the Aqdar World Summit is being held in cooperation with the United Nations, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, the UAE Ministry of Education, Abu Dhabi Education and Knowledge Authority, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority of Dubai and INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions - a member of INDEX Holding.

During the opening ceremony, H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed listened to the opening addresses delivered by Hussain Ibrahim Al Hammadi where he said, "In line with the vision of the UAE leadership, schools, colleges and universities are currently making plans to accommodate moral education with their teaching methodologies, inspiring students to be proud of their identity, their country, and their leadership, while also allowing them to have an open mind towards various world diversities."

"Aqdar World Summit, is truly a global platform, where elite educational decision makers, experts and specialists in matters of education and knowledge coming from local, regional and international countries, share their unique insights and experiences that address an important issue related to the area of prevention of Intellectual extremism and moral deviation," he added.

Following the opening ceremony, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed inaugurated the parallel exhibition that highlighted a number of presentations and initiatives that were presented by local, regional, and national organisations and institutions.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Head of the Education and Knowledge Department UAE, Dr. Abdulla Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Manager of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Dubai.

The opening ceremony included a video presentation of the summit, which is a first of its kind initiative in the UAE, aiming to empower and improve knowledge skills among UAE’s young population.