Star-Studded Event Hosted in UAE’s Ras Al Khaimah Welcomes Global Figures at This Year’s Global Citizens Forum Themed: “The Future in Motion”

World leaders and activists gathered in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, between 12-13 December for the Global Citizen Forum’s acclaimed Annual Summit, themed ‘The Future in Motion’ — A New Momentum for Human Mobility.

The event follows a partnership between Global Citizen Forum, a social action platform built on a community of leaders committed to improving the state of global citizenship for the generations to come, and Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), which has set its sights on becoming a regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025.

Among the line-up of country leaders, ministers, philanthropists, activists, acclaimed artists and athletes, entrepreneurs and top-tier economists speaking at the event were actress, activist, producer and philanthropist, Eva Longoria and American singer and activist, Nicole Scherzinger. Headline hosts included UK TV presenter and published author, June Sarpong; US-based journalist and TV anchor, Richard Quest; and UAE fashion designer and entrepreneur, Her Excellency Sara Al Madani, each bringing their dynamic personality and perspective to the discussion.

Other notable speakers attending the Global Citizen Forum 2021 include Environmental entrepreneur and marine biologist, Dr. Deborah Brosnan, Founder and CEO of Malaika — a community-based education non-profit in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; Noella Coursaris Musunka, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and Chief Economist at Atlas Capital Team; Nouriel Roubini, Somali-American activist; and supermodel, Halima Aden, among others.

The theme ‘Future in Motion’ aimed to ignite vital global conversations and engage some of the world’s leading minds on pertinent and relevant topics ranging from: human mobility and powerful initiatives designed to deliver a more sustainable and resilient future; global governance; restoring the world’s oceans; while also highlighting refugee stories and redefining global citizenship in a post-pandemic world.

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, government entities, hotels and private sector industries have come together at the 2021 Global Citizen Forum to pledge collectively to deliver Ras Al Khaimah’s Sustainable Tourism Destination Strategy that will see it become the regional leader in environmentally conscious tourism by 2025.

Led by Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA), the Sustainable Tourism Policy Commitment marks a major milestone in the Emirate’s plan to secure its long-term sustainability and drive overall tourism growth.

Providing a framework for action across a diverse program of activity, the guiding principles for all tourism stakeholders include:

protecting and enhancing Ras Al Khaimah’s cultural and natural heritage through implementing sustainable management frameworks and embracing green construction principles;
delivering new sustainable tourism developments and experiences which are high quality, authentic and complement Ras Al Khaimah’s natural environments;
working with business, government and community partners to ensure economic returns from tourism investment and the development of human capital;
regular measurement and benchmarking of key environmental, economic and cultural tourism indicators;
working across the destination to minimise energy, water usage and waste generation;
building improved tourism industry resilience;
respecting and safeguarding local culture and communities
Commenting on the signing, Raki Phillips, CEO of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, said: “We have taken an important step towards a more sustainable future for Ras Al Khaimah. As government and tourism stakeholders collectively pledge to work together in order to establish Ras Al Khaimah as a regional leader in sustainable tourism by 2025, we are also signaling that environmental considerations are necessary for long-term investment and hospitality development in a destination.”