Established in 2007, ADMAF's (Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation) Young Media Leaders Program is now in its sixteenth edition. The program is aimed at providing support to students to improve their storytelling and content creation skills. ADMAF signed an agreement with the Sky News Arabia Academy to provide training courses and workshops to the students of this program.

H.E. Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo, Founder of the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation and Artistic Director of the Abu Dhabi Festival, said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Sky News Arabia as part of our mission to nurture and develop the skills of tomorrow’s media leaders. The innovative agreement will connect the ambitious members of ADMAF’s Young Media Leaders program with leading industry professionals to gain knowledge about the shape and makeup of our shifting media landscape and equip them with the tools and experience needed to thrive in its fast-paced environment. With new developments and technologies emerging on a nearly daily basis, the training courses and workshops offered by media experts will keep students informed of current trends and establish the confidence needed to pursue successful careers in the field of media and storytelling.”

Her Excellency continued, “Since the establishment of ADMAF’s Young Media Leaders program in 2007 we have collaborated with renowned media training centers and partnered with our nation’s most prominent universities for over fifteen years to provide opportunities for more than 300 graduates to succeed in the country’s vibrant media scene. Our partnership today with the prestigious Sky News Academy is in line with our commitment to support the creative growth of the next generation of Emirati media professionals, who will lead the way in sustaining and fostering the development of the UAE’s media industry.”

Nart Bouran, CEO of Sky News Arabia and International Media Investments commented: “The Sky News Academy is committed to shaping the future of media, and empowering talent across the region by equipping them with the right skills, know-how, and competencies. We are pleased to partner with the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation to support its progressive Young Media Leaders initiative, as it is in line with our aim to support in the development of media professionals and the sector as a whole.”

As per the agreement, four training courses will be organized throughout January and February with the participation of two cohorts of 20 Emirati media students and graduates. The initiative kicked off on January 28^th and 29^th with the first workshop on content creation and social media coverage. The second workshop on journalism and TV presenting is scheduled for February 04^th and 05^th.

The first workshop for the second cohort will launch on February 11^th and 12^th, focusing on the content creation and social media coverage of events, followed by the journalism and TV presenting a workshop on February 18^th and 19^th.

Upon the completion of the training courses, students will apply the skills they’ve learned to cover the headline program of the special 20^th edition of Abu Dhabi Festival 2023 during March and will assist in the publication of a dedicated magazine to highlight the Festival’s various musical events and performances to be issued in April.