Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week highlights the importance of innovation and research in early childhood development ecosystem

• Over 90 researchers from 37 nationalities discuss opportunities to enhance research and science at the ECD Research Convening.
• ECD Innovation Day explores ecosystem building, enhancing collaboration, and fostering innovation.
• Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority releases three specialized reports.
• Seven major global trends in early childhood development highlighted in the “2024 ECD Megatrends Report”.
• H.E. Sana Suhail: “Abu Dhabi has led initiatives to empower children in their formative stages over the past five years. From the outset, research and knowledge production have been essential pillars of our journey.”

29 OCTOBER 2024: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes’ Affairs and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week commenced today (29 October) at Erth Hotel, Abu Dhabi.

The event kicked off with the ECD Research Convening, an interactive platform designed to inspire researchers and strengthen cooperation and innovation between them. It welcomed more than 90 researchers from the UAE, Arab region and Africa, to tackle challenges and explore opportunities to create a more representative science of early childhood development (ECD).

H.E. Sana Mohammad Suhail, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), highlighted how Abu Dhabi has led initiatives to empower children in their formative stages over the past five years. Through innovative and new approaches, the Authority has worked closely with its partners to achieve this goal. She remarked, “From the outset, research and knowledge production have been essential pillars of our journey. When we developed Abu Dhabi’s Early Childhood Development Strategy, we recognised that while researchers benefit from some remarkable enablers, they also face significant obstacles, leading to a scarcity of published scientific studies. Many of these challenges are common across the early childhood development sector, with only 3% of research coming from our region.”

She continued, “The WED Movement unites top experts from around the world, aiming to develop solutions that enhance children’s lives and set new trends in early childhood development in Abu Dhabi, the UAE, and beyond. Together, we hope to reshape early childhood development, starting with the child and extending to the broader community. Today, we are here to advance our commitment to ensuring every child has the best start in life, beginning with an understanding of the challenges they face. We are dedicated to supporting every researcher and institution whose work aligns with our mission, recognizing the importance of fostering knowledge dissemination and research that influences decision-makers, policies, and audiences globally.”

ECD Innovation Day

Day one also featured the ECD Innovation Day, gathering more than 30 multi-disciplinary experts to discuss key themes of building ecosystems, spotlighting startups and exploring emerging tech. During the opening words of address at ECD Innovation Day, H.E. Badr Al-Olama, Director General of Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), said: “Innovation is key to shaping the economies of the future. By fostering early childhood development with a focus on local innovation and global impact, Abu Dhabi is empowering young minds with adaptability, skill, and purpose to thrive as global citizens and shape a better world.”

H.E. Dr Yousef Alhammadi, Executive Director of Knowledge and Impact at ECA, said: “We are gathering to explore transformative advancements in early childhood development. Abu Dhabi’s dedication to nurturing new ideas and supporting entrepreneurial growth aligns with our vision to be a global hub for economic diversification. Creating collaborative networks among startups, investors, government bodies, and academia is vital to accelerating innovation and addressing community needs. Emerging technologies like AI, virtual reality, and gamification are revolutionizing education and healthcare, presenting new possibilities for early childhood development – such as identifying developmental delays, providing real-time health insights to parents, and creating engaging, gamified learning experiences.

He continued, “By leveraging these advancements, we aim to build a brighter future for children both locally and globally, underscoring Abu Dhabi’s commitment to meaningful, lasting impact for generations to come. Think of the legacy we’re creating. Just as Silicon Valley defines AI and Boston defines health tech, we want to position Abu Dhabi as the global center for early childhood development, innovation, and investment.”

During his keynote ‘The Importance of Innovation & Why Ecosystems Matter’, Ian Hathaway, Co-Founder and General Partner of Far Out Ventures, and Co-Author of The Startup Community Way (with Brad Feld), said: “Innovation is not merely about having a great idea, it’s about implementing it in a way that creates real value for society. It requires ecosystems where collaboration can thrive; and entrepreneurs are crucial to this process. Supporting these ecosystems is vital for fostering innovation, especially in areas like early childhood development, where thoughtful solutions can profoundly impact the lives of children and families.”

During ECD Innovation Day, the ECA unveiled three new reports, each sharing recommendations to help address key challenges in ECD.

H.E. Sana Suhail proudly unveiled the 2024 Early Childhood Development Megatrends Report, a comprehensive analysis of the evolving landscape. She said: “This report reflects our commitment to preparing for the future, ensuring that we address the needs of children, families, and communities in a holistic and forward-thinking way.” She added, “This report highlights the interconnected nature of early childhood development. At the ECA, we focus on four pillars: health and nutrition, early care and education, family support, and child protection, and we know that no single issue can be addressed in isolation.”

The report identifies seven global megatrends in ECD – Learning in Flux, Value of Time, Ageless Society, Migration and Urbanization, Tech and Humanity, Misalignment, and Beyond Resources – which highlight the significant shifts in society and transformation of learning, and emphasise the need for a holistic approach to address the rapidly evolving global landscape of ECD. To tackle these challenges, the report shares solutions that will meet the aim to create a supportive environment for children to thrive. It calls for a foresight integrated policy framework to address the interconnected nature of the megatrends, as well as flexible education systems and anticipatory support programs for parents. It also highlights the need for ethical guidelines and regulations for technology use, sustainable resource optimization and fostering community resilience through collaboration. Download the report here.

The WED Urban Thrive Report in partnership with Aldar Properties, the Headline Partner, and the WED Movement Innovation and Outputs Report: Building Thriving Communities Through Early Years Innovation, also provide recommendations for ECD. The WED Urban Thrive Report looks at those facing young children in urban environments, such as limited access to essential services, outdoor play areas, and safe mobility options, suggesting a strategic framework that will help cities and emirates, like Abu Dhabi, prioritise the wellbeing of their youngest residents and set a global standard for family-friendly urban development.

Meanwhile, with innovation essential to developing adaptive and effective solutions that meet the evolving needs of children and families, the WED Movement Innovation and Outputs Report looks at the key challenges in ECD in Abu Dhabi, such as limited outdoor play and nature access and a need to strengthen connections with cultural heritage. It shares key learnings about the WED innovation process, and highlights how WED aims to transform the systemic impact on young children with its focus on child-centric innovation. Download the report here.

 

WED Forum kicks off tomorrow

Tomorrow, the two-day World Early Childhood Development Forum (WED Forum) will commence, bringing participants from a diverse range of sectors together to shape actionable outcomes and drive innovation to advance the local and international ECD agenda.

Running in parallel with these events, a series of city-wide activations led by key partners will kick off tomorrow and continue throughout the week. Key partners of Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week include National Academy for Childhood Development, Mubadala, ADQ, Aldar, E&, MODON, Department of Culture and Tourism, ADNOC, Pure Health, Emirates Foundation, Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi Department of Health, Abu Dhabi Department of Community Development, ADEK, Abu Dhabi Media Network and Erth.

The week will also feature the second edition of The Early Childhood Development Fair (31 October – 2 November) at Umm Al Emarat Park in Abu Dhabi, which is sponsored by the National Academy for Childhood Development and aims to create an interactive environment for members of the community to engage with leading providers of educational and recreational programs, services, and activities.

For more information and registration, visit WED Media Registration.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

For more information, please contact: WED@four.agency

About WED:

WED Movement, led by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), is a groundbreaking knowledge stage that takes bold action to drive collaborative, innovative, and effective work in the Early Childhood Development sector in the UAE and globally. Its network and knowledge co-creation unites global experts, visionary partners, and disruptive innovators to tackle the pressing challenges faced by Abu Dhabi and the world around young children. Through disruptive design thinking, human-centric innovation, and actionable outcomes, WED Movement aims to enhance next-generation thinking in Early Childhood Development.

WED Movement acts as a catalyst for change by promoting key topics and raising awareness across sectors. It facilitates knowledge exchange with local and international stakeholders, encourages evidence-based decision-making, and fosters dialogue through its platform and the bi-annual Research Conference and WED Forum.

WED Movement benefits from the support of the Board of Trustees of the Abu Dhabi ECA and other Abu Dhabi Government entities involved in Early Childhood Development.

About Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority:

Established in 2019, the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority is an independent government entity under the Executive Council of Abu Dhabi. It is responsible for overseeing and developing an integrated early childhood development system across four key sectors: health and nutrition, child protection, family support, and education and early care, from the early stages of pregnancy to the age of eight. The ECA works to strengthen its partners’ capabilities by proposing policies, regulations, and systems, and conducting research to advance early childhood development.

About Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week:

WED Forum:

The bi-annual WED Forum, an integral part of WED Movement, serves as a platform for policymakers, experts, practitioners, and stakeholders from across sectors and regions of the world to share knowledge and exchange ideas in the field of ECD. Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Week will bring together over 1,000 participants from around the globe across 70 sessions, led by over 110 experts, to position itself as a truly unique global gathering.