AMEINAH AL ZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
For young environmental champions who once took part in Masdar’s Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) programme, climate action is no longer a distant concept — but a reality they actively shape. Y4S, they said, gave them the confidence to believe they can make a real difference.
Y4S is now accepting applications for its 2026 programmes that aim to equip the youth with skills, mentorship, and networks to lead the clean energy transformation.
It is divided into two core programmes: Future Sustainability Leaders (FSL), a global initiative for university students and young professionals aged 19-35 years; and Sustainability Ambassadors, open to UAE-based senior high school students, aged 15-18 years.
Balqis Al Farsi, a graduate of United Arab Emirates University, enrolled in Y4S because he wanted to turn his passion for the environmental science into tangible action.
Through the FSL, he met global sustainability leaders and innovators — encounters that had left a deep impact on his perspective and ambition.
“The programme helped me realise that, with the correct resources and guidance, young people can truly bring about change,” Al Farsi told Aletihad.
Hamdan Al Amri, a diploma graduate from the Higher Colleges of Technology, agreed that Y4S offered more than an educational experience, “it sparked a personal transformation”.
“I joined the programme to be able to pursue a job in renewable energy, but I also gained direction, confidence, and a network of like-minded individuals. I learned from Y4S that all it takes to support the green economy is passion, purpose, and an openness to learning — not a PhD,” Al Amri said.
Younger participants like Maitha Abdullrahman, who graduated from high school in 2025, were inspired to take action for the environment.
“I always cared about the environment as a student, but I wasn’t sure how to get engaged. Thanks to Y4S, I had the opportunity to collaborate on actual sustainability projects and network with industry experts,” she said.
She said the initiative convinced her that young voices do matter and that the youth are capable of taking the lead, too.
Registration for Y4S’ 2026 cohort is open until November 30, with limited spaces available. Those interested can visit www.y4s.ae.