The 5th edition of the Knowledge Youth Forum, held on 7-8 September 2026 at the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), featured an international discussion session titled “Your Career in a Changing World.” The session explored the rapid transformations taking place in the labor market, the skills required for the jobs of the future, and ways to enhance youth professional integration, with the participation of a group of senior officials, experts and leaders from ICESCO.

In his remarks during the session, held on the first day of the Forum, Mr. Timur Suleymanov, Aide to the Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation, called for placing young people at the heart of the policies of national and international institutions and equip them with the tools and opportunities that enable them to demonstrate their potential and actively contribute to the development of their societies.

For his part, Mr. Mohammed Nasser, Director of the Human Capital Department at ICESCO, emphasized that preparing young people for the requirements of the labor market calls for building their capacities. He also called on institutions to develop recruitment systems capable of identifying and attracting talent.

Mr. Sarjoh Kamara, Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education of the Republic of Sierra Leone, reviewed his country’s experience, which focuses on developing technical education and keeping pace with technological transformation. For her part, Ms. Chiraz El Fassi, General Delegate of Wallonia-Brussels to the Kingdom of Morocco, emphasized that the ability to learn and adapt has become one of the most important pillars of professional success. She also called for the continuous upgrading of young people’s skills in light of rapid technological developments.

Dr. Hany Torky, Chief Technical Advisor and Project Manager of the Knowledge Project at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), addressed the challenges hindering young people’s access to employment opportunities, stressing that preparing them for the jobs of the future requires redesigning education and training systems and shifting the focus from qualifications to skills development.

The session, moderated by Mr. Murad Aliyev, expert in the Sector of Partnerships and International Cooperation at ICESCO, concluded with an interactive discussion with the participating young people, focusing on pathways to professional qualification, the skills required as a result of digital transformation, and the role of educational institutions and the private sector in providing more inclusive and sustainable employment opportunities.

It should be noted that the 5th edition of the Knowledge Youth Forum was held under the theme “From Crisis to Sustainability,” in partnership between ICESCO, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, and the United Nations Development Programme.