Some of the smartest young minds in the UAE gathered at Meydan Dubai on Saturday as Expo 2020 opened up "YouthConnect" the first in a series of forums aimed at young people.

YouthConnect is aimed at UAE residents between the ages of 16 and 25 and includes speeches from prominent national and international personalities such as the 11-year old Emirati inventor Adeeb Al Blooshi Mohammed Saeed Harib founder of the popular TV series "Freej" Malian humanitarian and former football star Frederic Kanoute and Sarah Amiri the Science Lead of the Emirates Mars Mission as well as representatives of companies such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

The objective of the event is to inspire youth and give them confidence by providing them skills that can help them play a role in Dubai's upcoming expo.

Reem Al Hashimy UAE Minister of state and Director General of the Bureau Dubai 2020 opened the event.

"We are designing Expo 2020 and its proclaimed theme connecting minds creating the future with this generation of leaders and innovators in mind" she said. "The fact that you (young people) have made the choice to be in this room means you are already watching out and planning for that future ready to grasp the right opportunities and make those vital connections."

"For us that is a sign of your strength and potential" she added. "For you it is another step on the road to success."

YouthConnect includes a Let's Explore area with interactive stands from the event's partners such as one with an Oculus Rift virtual reality headset. A second area called the Let's Empower zone features a number of workshops and speakers including British explorer and philanthropist Adrian Hayes and representatives of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre and Google.

Additionally a spray-paint calligraphy workshop was conducted by French-Tunisian street artist El Seed and a photography skills workshop was conducted by representatives of the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum International Photography Award and a robotics competition was conducted by NYU Abu Dhabi.

Hala Ghandour Senior Vice-President of Strategy and Content Development explained that the event was designed with the input of young people.

"We've had a series of focus groups over the last few months to get a sense of what they (young people) want to see what they want to learn and what they want to hear" she said. "This really gives us a unique platform to hear from them and to get an opportunity to inspire them and hopefully to create the collaboration for new ideas and for new innovations."

In his remarks Mohammed Saeed Harib director of the much-beloved Emirati animated series Freej said the present is a perfect time for young people to flourish in Dubai.

"What we are embarking on with Expo means of anywhere in the world it's the right time to be in Dubai" he said. "It's allowing us to create things and to be host not only to our own dreams but to any nationality's dreams."

Bernd Debusmann Jr. Originally from Mexico City I've been in Dubai since January 2015. Before arriving in in the UAE I worked as a general news reporter in TV and print in Mexico City NYC and Washington DC. I'm interested in defence issues politics technology aviation and history. In my spare time i enjoy traveling and football - I'm a keen fan of Chelsea FC. I developed an interest in the Middle East traveling through Jordan and the West Bank. I have a BA in Political Science from Dickinson College in the USA and an MA in International Journalism from City University London.