Zayed Higher Organization Launches “Al-Wathiqa for Children” Edition by People of Determination as Part of the Year of Community

Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination has announced a new expansion of its flagship national initiative, the “Al-Wathiqa Program,” to include children and youth of determination as both authors and presenters. This launch falls under the UAE’s 2025 “Year of Community” initiatives, themed “Hand in Hand.”
This qualitative leap cements the UAE’s commitment to placing people of determination at the heart of the nation’s cultural and intellectual life, and reaffirms the Zayed Higher Organization’s leadership in truly sustainable empowerment for this community.
This expansion is more than a technical upgrade of content; it represents a shift in the Organization’s empowerment philosophy. The program evolves from merely documenting history into a platform for nurturing a new generation of national storytellers with determination—individuals who can articulate the national identity and craft collective memory in a contemporary voice.
The enhanced “Al-Wathiqa for Children” builds on the success of its first season, which featured 25 short episodes professionally delivered by five presenters of determination, creating a unique national model for leveraging media to empower this community and chronicle shining moments from UAE history.
In this new edition, episode scripts are penned by Abdullah Ahmed Rashid Al-Dhahnani—winner of the 2025 Arab Reading Challenge for People of Determination—who transitions from avid reader to historian-author, alongside Sultan Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Bloushi, winner of the “As I See Myself” competition, whose work combines literary sensitivity with a sustainable social vision.
The voice-over is led by three inspiring young talents of determination from media, arts, and sports:
• Shamma Ali Saif Al-Mansouri, the promising media voice with Williams Syndrome
• Maryam Sumaid’a Al-Wahoba, a theatrical talent who has overcome challenges with a moving artistic voice
• Thani Saeed Al-Dhaheri, a sports champion proving that empowerment begins on the field and extends to the media stage
Beyond recounting historical events, this project reimagines the national identity through heritage stories told in child-friendly language—and presented by children themselves. This approach deepens national belonging and solidifies the principle of active participation by people of determination in shaping the Emirati narrative. It reflects the Organization’s vision of moving beyond care and rehabilitation to creating genuine leadership roles for people of determination across culture, media, and knowledge sectors.
His Excellency Abdulla Abdulalee Al-Humaidan, Secretary-General of Zayed Higher Organization, states:
“We believe that true empowerment is only achieved when we provide future generations of people of determination with the tools of expression, the spaces of influence, and platforms for authentic presence. Al-Wathiqa is not just a podcast; it is a strategic project to sketch a future narrated in their voices and written by their hands.”
He adds:
“Engaging children and youth in writing and presentation is an investment in the future and an affirmation that every different voice is part of the nation’s voice. This transformation reflects our belief that people of determination are not merely a target audience—they are the message-makers and its conveyors to society and to generations to come.”
The “Al-Wathiqa” podcast continues the knowledge partnership between the Zayed Higher Organization and Trends Research & Advisory Center to ensure content accuracy and bolster its educational and historical credibility, making the project a comprehensive model of knowledge, media empowerment, and community engagement.
The Voice of the Nation, in the Voice of Its Future
With this paradigm shift, “Al-Wathiqa” transforms from a media product into a dynamic national-storytelling institution—where the stories of the homeland are told in the authentic voices of children of determination, in a language close to their hearts, strengthening their sense of belonging and opening the door for them to shape the collective consciousness of future generations. Through this initiative, the Zayed Higher Organization continues its pioneering role in building a more inclusive society, reshaping the concepts of empowerment, history, and identity by those who embody unwavering will, renewed hope, and unbounded creativity.