DUBAI 13 October 2019: Dubai prepares to host the 2019 First Global DXB Challenge, a gathering for creative young minds in the fields of robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
To be held for the first time in the region from 24-27 October at the Festival Arena in Dubai, the event will bring together more than 1,500 youth from over 191 countries to collaborate, create and compete for a better future.
Hosting the event supports the UAE’s objective of creating an environment that attracts talent from around the world, empowers youth, especially innovators and creative thinkers, to create a positive future for humanity. This nationwide collaboration is a testament to the country’s efforts to promote collaboration in the fields of technology, innovation and science to better anticipate and prepare for the future.
One of the largest events of its kind, the First Global Challenge seeks to encourage and empower youth with a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), develop their skills and equip them with the tools necessary to contribute to shaping the future. The Challenge aims to address the world’s most critical environmental issues such as wastage of water and energy, sustainability and pollution through a global robotics competition.
The UAE won the bid to host the First Global Challenge at the 7th World Government Summit in Dubai last February.
Organised by the Dubai Future Foundation under the theme ‘Ocean Opportunities’, the First Global Challenge focuses on developing robots to clean up the millions of tons of pollutants in the oceans produced mainly by factories, mismanaged sewage systems and marine activities, which adversely affect marine life and the environment.
The UAE is a world leader in supporting efforts to ensure the safety of the oceans and the sustainability of their biodiversity, promote joint action, and mobilise resources to maintain a clean marine environment and instill a culture of conservation. Ocean pollution is a global issue that requires collective global action.
At the 6th World Ocean Summit this year, the UAE pledged to participate in international cooperation to clean up the streams of 10 major rivers in Africa and Asia, and to tackle pollution with plastic waste in coastal areas of developing countries in Africa and Asia.
Teams featured in the First Global Challenge were selected based on their results in a year-round series of qualifying events held around the world. The teams are made up of 4 to 5 students aged between 14 and 18. Each team receives a robotic kit and is tasked with assembling a robot able to address various issues related to ocean and marine life.
Previous editions have seen hundreds of student teams from around the world develop robots that help find solutions to challenges. The Washington DC 2017 event tackled the challenge of ‘Access to Clean Water’ while the Mexico City event in 2018 addressed ‘Sustainable Energy ‘. Both events drew widespread global interest.