ABU DHABI: Sandooq Al Watan organised a virtual open discussion titled “Towards Social Sustainability: Innovations and Challenges” as part of its participation in the Science Summit at the UN General Assembly recently held in New York.
The session, organised at Sandooq Al Watan’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, featured several UAE scholars, including Dr. Matloob Hussain, a professor at the University of Sharjah; Dr. Ann Bartlett from the United Arab Emirates University; Dr. Reem Saleh Issa Al-Qurq, Director of Strategy and Institutional Excellence and Assistant Professor at Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Dr. Leonard Itai Chirindzi, Assistant Professor at Zayed University; and Dr. Khaled Jalal Ahmed, Professor at the UAE University. The session was divided into two main themes: “Innovative Solutions for Social Sustainability in a Diverse Society” and “Solving Real-World Sustainability Problems” through interactive problem-solving activities, where participants presented numerous i
deas and discussed innovative solutions related to social sustainability challenges.
After participating in the session, Yasser Al-Gergawi, Director-General of Sandooq Al Watan, stated that Sandooq Al Watan aims, through its participation in the Global Science Summit, to enhance cooperation among scientists in the UAE to address research challenges and conduct studies that support achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Sandooq Al Watan also seeks to highlight innovative ideas and solutions that contribute to sustainable development and explore how university research can serve as an effective tool to advance these goals through ideas, innovations, and creativity.
Al-Gergawi emphasised that Sandooq Al Watan is keen on continuous participation in science summits due to their positive impact in showcasing the scientific capabilities of the UAE in this field, in addition to promoting innovation and creativity, which are key objectives of Sandooq Al Watan. He affirmed that Sheikh Nahyan bin Mub
arak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of Sandooq Al Watan, is keen to provide all possible support to the UAE’s innovators and researchers, offering them opportunities to connect with global expertise in their respective fields. He noted that the Global Science Summit is one of the platforms that enable such interactions across the world.
Al-Gergawi added that the session heavily focused on exploring the relationship between social structure and sustainable development in the UAE. Experts and academics discussed the key challenges and innovations in enhancing social sustainability, in line with the noble goals set by the UN for sustainable development. He pointed out that the UAE, known for its diverse population, provides an ideal model for discussing strategies to develop a sustainable and inclusive society that promotes justice, diversity, and social cohesion. The session also addressed various topics related to social sustainability, such as corporate social responsibility, s
ocial cohesion, education for sustainability, social well-being, and sustainable architecture, while presenting several innovative solutions for social sustainability.
Al-Gergawi noted that Sandooq Al Watan aimed through this session to enhance the exchange of ideas and experiences and inspire collective action towards building more just and sustainable communities in line with the UN’s SDGs. He expressed pride in organising this scientific session with the participation of prominent scholars and in coordination with the UN. He highlighted the success of the session, which attracted dozens of attendees both in person and virtually.
The session was vibrant, encouraging positive interaction and participation between local and international researchers, both physically and virtually. This enriched the discussions and the ideas presented, as well as the initiatives that could support social sustainability through various innovations to tackle current and future challenges.
Dr. Khaled Jalal Ahmed said that the
panel discussion addressed the challenges, opportunities, and solutions that emerged in attempts to achieve social sustainability concepts across different urban and community development levels in some countries. Learning from these experiences enables the mutual benefit of solutions that may be applicable in various urban environments, contributing effectively to the sustainable social development agenda. He emphasised that the UAE has significant capabilities in this field and is committed to leading the way through its researchers and innovators with the continuous encouragement of its leadership.
He confirmed that the support and sponsorship of Sandooq Al Watan, led by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, for researchers in the field of social sustainability, has been a strong driving force for achieving the best possible outcomes that could soon transform challenges into opportunities for humanity.
Dr. Matloob Hussain noted in his speech that one of the main challenges we face is integrating sustainab
ility into core functions. Therefore, a significant leap is required from merely adopting practices to rethinking, redesigning, and redeveloping business practices more sustainably. He emphasised the importance of initiatives focusing on the economic and environmental aspects of sustainable development, without excluding the social dimension. There is growing interest in integrating social sustainability into all processes and defining a widely accepted framework for social sustainability indicators, which should be envisioned and embedded in today’s world. The results indicate that economic and environmental sustainability can be pursued alongside fundamental social factors, including justice, equality, poverty, health, education, default, demography, culture, and employee engagement within the organisation.
Source: Emirates News Agency
