In the presence of His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Secretary-General of the National Planning Council, the Ministry of Sports and Youth, in cooperation with the National Planning Council, represented by the National Statistics Center, and the GCC Statistical Center, organized an awards ceremony this evening to honor the winners of the Youth Creativity in the World of Data Award, coinciding with the celebration of Gulf Youth Day.

The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Eng. Yasser bin Abdullah Al Jamal, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Sports and Youth; His Excellency Mr. Khalid bin Ali bin Salem Al Sunaidi, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Development Affairs at the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); a number of senior officials from GCC member states; and a distinguished group of officials, experts, specialists, and professionals in the fields of data, artificial intelligence, and statistics.

The award forms part of the Ministry of Sports and Youth’s efforts to empower Gulf youth, enhance their participation in the fields of data and emerging technologies, and encourage them to develop innovative solutions that support sustainable development and data-driven decision-making, in line with the rapid digital transformation taking place across the region.

The competition targeted Gulf youth aged 18–34 and attracted high-quality submissions and innovative projects in the fields of data analysis, artificial intelligence, digital applications, and statistical solutions, reflecting the growing regional interest in the digital economy and the investment in youth talent within future-oriented sectors.

On this occasion, His Excellency Eng. Yasser bin Abdullah Al Jamal congratulated the award winners, emphasizing that the ideas and projects they presented demonstrate the advanced level reached by young people across GCC countries in utilizing data and modern technologies to serve their communities and contribute effectively to building a knowledge-based economy and developing innovative solutions to developmental challenges.

He noted that the alignment of the award ceremony with Gulf Youth Day underscores the importance the Ministry places on investing in the minds of GCC youth, whom he described as the true wealth of their nations. He added that the initiative reflects the objectives of the Action Plan of the Committee of Their Highnesses, Excellencies, and Ministers of Youth and Sports in GCC Countries (2024–2030), which seeks to enhance youth participation in high-quality programs and improve knowledge and innovation outputs that contribute to sustainable development.

For his part, Mr. Ahmed Hassan Al Obaidly, Director-General of the National Statistics Center at the National Planning Council, affirmed that the Youth Creativity in the World of Data Award serves as an important Gulf platform for harnessing youth potential and directing it toward the fields of the future. He noted that data has become one of the most important foundations of planning, policymaking, and decision-making.

He explained that the innovative projects submitted across the award’s various categories reflect the growing awareness among Gulf youth of the importance of data and artificial intelligence in supporting sustainable development and improving quality of life. He added that the National Planning Council places great importance on supporting initiatives that build youth capabilities and empower them to use data to develop practical solutions to developmental challenges, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the development priorities of GCC member states.

Meanwhile, Her Excellency Intisar Al Wahaibi, Director-General of the GCC Statistical Center, expressed her satisfaction with the success achieved by the first edition of the award, describing it as one of the leading Gulf initiatives aimed at strengthening youth engagement in the fields of statistics, data, and artificial intelligence.

She added that the GCC Statistical Center is committed to supporting initiatives that promote awareness of the importance of data and statistics while fostering a culture of innovation. She stressed that investing in young talent is a fundamental pillar for building an advanced statistical ecosystem capable of supporting development and decision-making across GCC countries while keeping pace with the rapid developments in digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

Award Results

In the first category, “Statistical Analysis and Data Visualization,” Abdullah Mohammed Abdullah Al Haddad from Qatar won first place for his project “The Buffer and the Burden.” Khulood Mishari Nayef Al Ajmi from Kuwait secured second place for “Malath Pro Platform,” while Ruqayyah bint Mohammed bin Saif Al Khaifiya from Oman placed third for “Skills Compass.”

In the second category, “Open Data-Based Solutions,” Nasser bin Saeed bin Nasser Al Shukaili from Oman won first place for “STEP.” Mujahid bin Mohammed bin Salem Al Suwati from Oman came second for “Orca,” while Nawaf bin Saud bin Sultan Al Rashdi from Oman secured third place for “RealTime Dashboard Report.”

In the third category, “Artificial Intelligence Applications,” Mohammed bin Khamis bin Abdullah Al Farsi from Oman won first place for “One Stop Intelligence.” Abdulaziz Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Harkan from Qatar placed second for “Gulf Career Compass,” while Noura Hamad Al Shehwani Al Hajri from Qatar came third for her project “Statistical Analysis of Trends and Preferences of Students in the Gulf Countries Toward Career Paths and Academic Specializations in Light of the Objectives of Vision 2030.”

In the fourth category, “Data Foresight and Predictive Models,” Atheer bint Abdullah bin Nasser Al Harbi from Saudi Arabia won first place for “Maeesh Tech.” Amna bint Saif bin Hamdan Al Raisi from Oman secured second place for “Riwaa,” while Shamsa Mohammed Saeed Al Muhairi from the United Arab Emirates placed third for “AI Agent.”

The award aims to strengthen Gulf integration in the fields of data, information, and artificial intelligence, encourage young people to develop innovative solutions and products, highlight successful youth role models, and raise awareness of the importance of data and statistics in supporting development and public policymaking.

The ceremony concluded with the recognition of winners across all categories and tracks in appreciation of their achievements and distinguished contributions. The celebratory atmosphere reflected the growing prominence of Gulf youth talent in the fields of digital innovation and data science, as well as their increasing role in supporting development and digital transformation across GCC member states.