The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have established the Youth Knowledge Forum (YKF) as a vital platform, since its launch in 2022. It brings together youth, experts, and policymakers to empower a generation capable of leading the knowledge economy and creating future solutions.

The YKF is an interactive space for exchanging expertise on innovation, entrepreneurship, and the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in reshaping education and work. It focuses on equipping youth with future skills and enhancing their ability to transform knowledge into practical solutions for sustainable development.

Expanding into an influential Arab event, the YKF held its first edition in the UAE in 2022, announcing the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) results. In 2024, Cairo hosted the second edition, “Knowledge Economy and Human Development,” attracting 200,000 online followers. The 2025 third edition in Rabat, Morocco, held with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), titled “Knowledge is the Future,” achieved two million views. That same year, Cairo hosted the fourth edition, focusing on qualifying youth for innovation leadership.

The YKF is more than an event; it is a dynamic environment providing tools and networks to turn ideas into impactful initiatives. It confirms that true investment in the future starts with empowering youth through science and innovation.

During the Knowledge Summit 2024, Dr. Hosni Ghedira—a researcher merging applied science with strategic vision in energy, environment, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)—participated in a session titled “Eco-Innovations for a Sustainable Future.” He explored how advanced technologies and AI develop innovative solutions for energy and climate challenges, emphasizing scientific research’s role in supporting a knowledge-based green economy.
Dr. Ghedira currently serves as a Professor of Practice at the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), linking research to real-world energy and sustainability challenges.
Previously, he was the university’s Director of Research Engagement and led the Research Center for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment at the Masdar Institute from 2010 to 2020. There, he played a pivotal role in developing advanced scientific tools to assess regional renewable energy resources.
Before moving to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), he spent six years as a faculty member at the City University of New York (CUNY). He founded and directed the Environmental Remote Sensing and Image Processing Laboratory at a center affiliated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), contributing to environmental and climate monitoring applications.
Dr. Ghedira possesses over 25 years of experience in energy, water, environment, innovation, and climate. In 2019, Solar Quarter Magazine ranked him among the most influential solar energy leaders in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) photovoltaic market. Additionally, in 2018, he was nominated for membership in the Mohammed bin Rashid Academy of Scientists (MBRAS).
Watch the full session here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGbyIbPDDUA&list=PL0tEdQfvXpS4vdNiWSyNWQFcl34oJ8u2s&index=3