Emirati Family Cohesion And National Values Highlighted At Forum 2026

The third edition of the Mufakiru Al Emarat Forum 2026 focuses on how to reinforce Emirati family cohesion and national values, aligning with the designation of 2026 as Year of Family. The event gathers policymakers, researchers and youth to examine demographic, economic, educational and digital shifts affecting households, and to propose practical responses that support long-term social stability in the UAE.

Organised by the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Family, the forum is held at ADNEC Abu Dhabi under the theme "The Emirati Family: National Values and Contemporary Transformations". Dialogue sessions analyse structural pressures on families, including fertility trends, ageing, youth priorities and digital safety, while assessing how public policy and community initiatives can adapt.

Sultan Mohammed Al Nuaimi, Director-General of the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research, explains that the emphasis on the Emirati family reflects leadership guidance. Family empowerment is framed as a shared national duty. Al Nuaimi notes that collaborations with universities and national bodies have produced more than 1,400 intellectual outputs, ranging from policy studies to applied research tailored to decision-makers.

The Mufakiru Al Emarat project, launched in January 2022, underpins this agenda by supporting Emirati thinkers and researchers. The initiative offers a structured platform for analytical work that informs public policy. Since 2024, the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research has convened the forum every year, turning it into a recurring meeting point for experts, officials and young professionals.

In the opening trends session, titled "Towards stable and flourishing families", Minister of Family Sana bint Mohammed Suhail stresses that family units are the base of individual development and wider social cohesion. Sana bint Mohammed Suhail says the "Year of Family, Growth and Belonging" expresses a national approach that places investment in people at its centre and calls for policies shaped by data and changing life stages.

During a Barzat Fikr session, Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security in Dubai, focuses on the family’s role in reinforcing national identity and collective belonging. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim calls for specific family strategies that protect kinship ties and social solidarity, arguing that effective planning should link security, education and community programmes that address everyday pressures on households.

Another session features Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Secretary-General of Erth Zayed Philanthropies, who discusses building values and economic awareness among younger generations. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili underlines the importance of productivity, personal responsibility and early financial literacy, together with responsible use of artificial intelligence tools, so that youth can navigate new labour markets while supporting family stability.

The forum’s main session examines how financial behaviour influences family stability. Speakers point to financial disputes as a leading trigger of family breakdown and stress the value of early guidance. They highlight the need for budgeting skills, transparent communication between spouses and tailored advisory services for different income levels, especially as living costs and consumer options grow more complex.

The forum introduces the Family Hackathon for the first time, in cooperation with the Federal Youth Authority, offering young people a structured space to design responses to current family challenges. Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan delivers the keynote address at the launch, stressing that protecting cohesion requires modern, practical and measurable tools that match fast social and digital change.

The Family Hackathon brings together six youth teams to address six defined challenges using design thinking methods. One project is selected for implementation readiness, signalling potential for policy or community use. Sheikha Dr. Shamma bint Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan later holds an open dialogue with participating teams, exploring how their ideas could link with existing programmes and national strategies.

Beyond plenary sessions, the forum hosts interactive discussions across three platforms on fertility, family resilience, youth priorities, digital safety for children, ageing, economic participation and the role of residential neighbourhoods in family wellbeing. These exchanges, together with accumulated research outputs, position the Mufakiru Al Emarat Forum 2026 as a continuing reference point for policymakers assessing how national values and Emirati family life evolve.

With inputs from WAM