Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist Bill Gates believes young people in Saudi Arabia are key to the country achieving its Vision 2030 reform plan.

Gates is set to give a video address at the inaugural MiSK Global Forum, which opens today in Riyadh, in which he will encourage Saudi youth to seize new opportunities.
The chair of one of the world’s largest private philanthropic foundations will highlight the essential role young people must play in the Kingdom’s reform program, according to a statement by the conference organizers.
In the recorded opening address, Gates will say: “The future of any country is about its young people, in Saudi Arabia that is even more true because you’re the majority and you’re more educated and inquisitive than any generation that’s come before.”
“Vision 2030 is a powerful set of goals, but it will be the young people whose innovative work is needed to achieve them, that means lots of studying and getting the new skills that will equip you for the evolving job market, it means building on the deeply engrained values of giving back, caring for others and working toward a common goal.”
The MiSK Global Forum is aimed at connecting the Saudi youth to the global economy. The two-day event brings young Saudi men and women in front of a range of global thought leaders, business and sports people from over 65 countries.
Speakers will share their insights and ideas across the range of opportunities available to young people in the global economy, and reflect on the lessons required for future success.
The two-day conference will host CEOs from major international companies such as Siemens, BP and Cisco, the chairman of Goldman Sachs and former President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso.
The conference is designed to provide an opportunity for leaders to share their experiences, provide points of guidance, and bolster the aspirations of the young delegates attending.
MiSK spokesperson Shaima Hamiddadin said: “This event is about empowering, nurturing and inspiring Saudi Arabia’s young men and women to fully realize their potential as part of the Kingdom’s on-going economic transformation. We are honored to have Bill Gates provide the defining context to the forum that will encourage our young people to generate new thinking, explore their creative potential and create innovative approaches to the modern era.
“We look forward to the diverse contributions from our assembled guests over the days ahead. It promises to be a highly enriching event.”
MiSK will also be announcing a major new strategy aimed at accelerating the pace of tech entrepreneurship and innovation in the Kingdom, a comprehensive program aimed bolstering skills in the tech sector alongside a range of new international partnerships.
The MiSK Foundation, created by Prince Mohammad bin Salman, has established the MiSK Global Forum (MGF) to empower, nurture and inspire Saudi Arabia’s youth to fully realize their potential.

Source: Arab News