Sheikha Shamma Al Nahyan

UAE's youngest minister driving global youth innovation through the Zayed Future Foundation and Youth 2030 initiatives.

Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan Al Nahyan, appointed UAE's Minister of State for Youth Affairs at age 22 in 2021, is revolutionizing global youth engagement. She spearheaded the Youth 2030 initiative connecting 10 million young innovators worldwide through digital platforms. Her flagship Zayed Future Foundation funds projects like the SpaceX-inspired Mars City Design competition and AI for Sustainability programs. As co-founder of the World Youth Summit, she's facilitated $500M in youth-led venture funding. Named Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2022, Sheikha's gender-balanced innovation policies have increased female participation in UAE tech sectors from 25% to 45% since 2020. Her research on youth climate action is cited in 87% of UN youth policy documents, making her a pivotal voice in intergenerational sustainability frameworks.