Dubai Future Forum 2024 Opens with Bold Visions for a Transformative Future

The 3rd edition of the Dubai Future Forum kicked off today at the Museum of the Future, attracting over 2,500 experts from 100 countries, solidifying its status as the world’s largest gathering of futurists.

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), opened the event with a powerful statement on the rapid pace of change.

“The future is evolving faster than we could have ever imagined,”

he said, highlighting technological advancements—from real-time data to machine learning—and their potential to reshape industries. He emphasized the need for future design to align with human values to ensure sustainability and transformation.

Sara Sabry, the first Arab and African female astronaut, urged governments to address brain drain by empowering young people to stay and build opportunities in their home countries. She stressed the importance of nurturing local ecosystems for future generations.

The forum’s opening panel, ‘From Deep Space to Deep Ocean,’ explored how exploration can drive resilience and tackle global challenges such as sustainability and biodiversity loss. Prof. Oussama Khatib discussed how deep-sea robotics is revolutionizing underwater exploration, while National Geographic Explorer Suaad Al Harthi focused on the role of technology in conservation.

In the ‘Concepts of Time’ fireside chat, philosopher Jonathan Keats and Anne Beate Hovind, Chair of the Future Library Trust, discussed the need for long-term thinking to address environmental challenges. They emphasized the importance of collaborating across generations for a sustainable future.

The event also marked the announcement of the winners of the Dubai Future Foundation’s sci-fi writing competition, ‘Echoes of Tomorrow,’ with Mohammad Abu Hawash’s ‘The Interstellar Haj’ claiming first place.

News Source: Emirates News Agency