The Delegation of the European Union to the United Arab Emirates, in collaboration with top UAE universities and institutions in diplomatic affairs, successfully concluded its inaugural Youth Essay Competition as part of its Europe Day celebrations. 

The competition was open to university students across the country, inviting young minds to explore and propose fresh ideas on how the EU and UAE can deepen their strategic partnership.

The competition culminated on Europe Day on 9 May 2025, with special recognition of the top three winners during a prestigious reception hosted by H.E. Lucie Berger, EU Ambassador to the UAE. 

Under the theme “How can the European Union and the United Arab Emirates deepen and expand their strategic cooperation in areas of mutual interest?”, the competition attracted submissions from a diverse pool of undergraduate and graduate students from the Departments of International Relations, Political Science, Diplomacy, Global Affairs, Sustainable Development, and others. 

The essay submissions explored forward-thinking ideas across areas such as trade, energy transition, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, water governance, cultural cooperation, public health, innovation, and regulatory alignment.

Participating universities included Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, Zayed University, University of Sharjah, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, American University of Sharjah and other leading universities. 

Winners were selected through a rigorous review process conducted by a multidisciplinary panel of esteemed professors from these universities.

With 40 submissions, 69% of which came from Emiratis, and an impressive 94% female representation, the competition showcased the growing leadership of young women in the Emirates in shaping diplomatic discourse.

The Top 3 winners are:

1. Salma Al Qubaisi – Zayed University

2. Khaled Al Dhaheri – Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi

3. Shamma Al Kaabi – United Arab Emirates University

These outstanding students were celebrated for their thought-provoking essays and received the opportunity to engage directly with the EU Delegation to learn more about the principles, values, and operations of the European Union, as well as its growing partnership with the UAE.

A collection of the Top 10 essay submissions is published here in a special e-book publication. These ten students will also be invited to the EU Delegation offices in Abu Dhabi for an in-depth dialogue with Ambassador Berger.