The eighth edition of the Misk Global Forum concluded in Riyadh with more than 27,000 beneficiaries, including 16,000 virtual participants from 82 countries, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Held for the first time at Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City (Misk City), the forum brought together global leaders, decision-makers, thinkers, and young innovators for a program of 150 sessions and 28 workshops delivered by more than 300 speakers. The event, announced through official Saudi channels, marked a significant expansion of the Kingdom’s flagship youth-empowerment platform and underscored the growing international reach of Saudi Arabia’s nonprofit and knowledge sectors.
How does a single forum come to touch the lives of tens of thousands of young people across dozens of countries? The answer lies in the scale and ambition that have come to define the Misk Global Forum since its launch in 2016. This year’s gathering was not merely a conference but a working platform for agreements, skills development, and cross-border collaboration. Fifteen agreements were signed during the event to support youth, communities, and nonprofit youth organizations, while knowledge partners delivered specialized workshops on digital transformation in education, innovation tools in entrepreneurship, and future employment strategies. Together, these elements reinforced the forum’s core mission: investing in young people as the primary engine of development, both in Saudi Arabia and around the world.
Context and Background
What makes the Misk Global Forum a fixture on the international youth-engagement calendar? Established by the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk) as an ambitious initiative in 2016, the forum has grown steadily in size, scope, and influence. Its eighth edition, held for the first time in Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City, represents a milestone in both physical infrastructure and programmatic reach. Misk City itself is a purpose-built hub in Riyadh designed to host nonprofit organizations, youth programs, and social innovation ventures, giving the forum a permanent home that reflects the Kingdom’s broader commitment to institutionalizing youth empowerment.
The numbers released by SPA tell a story of deliberate expansion. More than 27,000 beneficiaries participated this year, with 16,000 joining virtually from 82 countries. That virtual dimension is not incidental; it is central to Misk’s strategy of connecting with creative talent wherever it exists. By lowering barriers to participation, the forum extends Saudi Arabia’s convening power well beyond its borders, allowing young people from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas to engage directly with the same speakers, workshops, and networking opportunities available to attendees in Riyadh. In practical terms, the forum functions as a global classroom and marketplace of ideas, with Saudi Arabia positioned at its center.
The event also reflects a longer arc in Saudi youth policy. Since its inception, Misk has supported more than 7 million young men and women, a figure cited by Misk CEO Dr. Badr Al Badr. That cumulative reach illustrates how a single initiative can scale from a domestic program into a national and international ecosystem. The forum is one visible expression of that ecosystem, but it sits alongside year-round training, mentorship, and grant-making activities that collectively aim to prepare a generation to lead in a rapidly changing global economy.
Key Details and Forum Highlights
What did this year’s edition actually deliver for participants? According to official information, the forum featured active engagement from global leaders, decision-makers, thinkers, and youth across 150 sessions and 28 workshops. The program was designed to be practical as well as inspirational, with workshops focused on digital transformation in education, innovation tools in entrepreneurship, and future employment strategies. These themes respond directly to the realities young people face: labor markets being reshaped by technology, the growing importance of digital skills, and the need for entrepreneurial thinking in both traditional and emerging sectors.
Key sessions highlighted the role of creative industries and arts as a cornerstone for sustainable development. Experts stressed that investing in arts and culture unleashes young people’s potential and channels it toward meaningful contributions to the economy. That framing is significant because it positions culture not as a secondary concern but as an economic driver in its own right, capable of generating jobs, attracting investment, and strengthening national identity. For a country pursuing economic diversification, this is a substantive argument rather than a rhetorical flourish.
Dr. Badr Al Badr described this year’s forum as the largest in terms of the number of speakers and the youngest in terms of their age, adding that this focus reflects the commitment to empowering youth as future leaders. He noted that Misk has supported over 7 million young men and women since its inception, stressing the importance of enhancing leadership skills to enable youth to become drivers of change. The presence of 15 signed agreements further demonstrates that the forum is designed to produce tangible outcomes, not just discussion. These agreements support youth, communities, and nonprofit youth organizations, creating follow-on activity that continues long after the closing session.
International and Regional Impact
Why should an international audience pay attention to a youth forum in Riyadh? The presence of 16,000 virtual participants from 82 countries answers that question directly. The Misk Global Forum has become a genuinely global platform, and its virtual dimension allows it to reach young people in regions where access to major conferences is limited. By connecting Saudi youth with peers and mentors from around the world, the forum fosters the kind of cross-cultural exchange that builds long-term goodwill and practical collaboration. It also gives international participants a firsthand view of the opportunities emerging in Saudi Arabia, from entrepreneurship to creative industries.
Regionally, the forum reinforces Saudi Arabia’s role as a convening power in the Middle East. Bringing together global leaders, decision-makers, and thinkers in Riyadh signals that the Kingdom is not only a participant in global conversations about youth and development but a host and shaper of them. For neighboring countries and partners across the region, the event offers a model of how to structure youth engagement at scale. The knowledge partners who delivered workshops add another layer of credibility, linking Saudi initiatives with international expertise in education, entrepreneurship, and employment. In this sense, the forum is both a national project and a contribution to the global dialogue on human capital development.
Economic and Strategic Significance
How does youth empowerment translate into economic value? The forum’s emphasis on entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and future employment strategies speaks directly to the needs of a diversified economy. Young people equipped with digital skills and entrepreneurial mindsets are more likely to start businesses, adopt new technologies, and adapt to shifting labor markets. The workshops on innovation tools in entrepreneurship and future employment strategies are therefore not abstract exercises; they are investments in the human capital that underpins long-term growth. By signing 15 agreements to support youth and nonprofit organizations, the forum also strengthens the institutional infrastructure that sustains these efforts over time.
The strategic significance extends to Saudi Arabia’s nonprofit sector. Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City is designed to be a hub for exactly this kind of activity, and hosting the forum there for the first time connects a major youth event with a permanent ecosystem of social innovation. This alignment matters because it signals that youth empowerment is being embedded in physical spaces and institutional frameworks, not treated as a one-off event. For international observers, the combination of scale, partnerships, and infrastructure suggests that Saudi Arabia’s approach to youth development is becoming more systematic and more open to global collaboration. That has implications for how the Kingdom is perceived as a partner in education, culture, and enterprise.
Vision 2030 Alignment
Where does the Misk Global Forum fit within Saudi Arabia’s long-term national strategy? Vision 2030 places human capital development at its core, recognizing that a diversified economy depends on a skilled, ambitious, and globally connected generation. The forum’s focus on empowering youth as future leaders, its support for creative industries and arts, and its emphasis on entrepreneurship and digital skills all align with the Vision’s objectives. By providing a platform that reaches tens of thousands of young people each year, Misk contributes to building the workforce and leadership pipeline that Vision 2030 requires. The 7 million young men and women supported since Misk’s inception represent a substantial share of the Kingdom’s future talent base.
Looking ahead, the eighth edition sets a higher baseline for future gatherings. With its largest speaker roster, its youngest participants, and its first outing in Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City, the forum has demonstrated that scale and quality can advance together. For Saudi Arabia, the event is a reminder that its global role is not limited to energy or investment; it also includes shaping the opportunities available to the next generation. As the Kingdom continues to open up and diversify, platforms like the Misk Global Forum will remain central to its international engagement, connecting Saudi youth with the world and the world with Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future.
20 Questions
Q1. What was the Misk Global Forum?
A1. The Misk Global Forum is a flagship youth-empowerment event launched by the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk) in 2016. It brings together global leaders, thinkers, and young people for sessions, workshops, and networking aimed at developing skills and leadership.
Q2. When did the eighth edition conclude?
A2. The eighth edition concluded on November 19, 2024, according to the Saudi Press Agency. It was held in Riyadh and marked the first time the forum took place in Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City, also known as Misk City.
Q3. How many beneficiaries participated in the forum?
A3. More than 27,000 beneficiaries participated in the eighth edition. This included 16,000 people who joined virtually from 82 countries, reflecting the forum’s growing international reach and its strong digital engagement strategy.
Q4. How many speakers and sessions were featured?
A4. The forum featured more than 300 speakers who contributed to 150 sessions and 28 workshops. The program covered topics such as digital transformation in education, entrepreneurship, future employment, and the role of creative industries.
Q5. Where was the forum held for the first time?
A5. It was held for the first time in Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City (Misk City) in Riyadh. This purpose-built hub is designed to host nonprofit organizations and youth initiatives, giving the forum a permanent home.
Q6. What agreements were signed during the event?
A6. Fifteen agreements were signed to support youth, communities, and nonprofit youth organizations. These agreements are intended to create follow-on activity and strengthen the institutional support available to young people in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
Q7. What topics did the workshops focus on?
A7. Workshops focused on digital transformation in education, innovation tools in entrepreneurship, and future employment strategies. These themes aim to enhance young people’s ability to adapt to global changes and succeed in evolving labor markets.
Q8. What did Misk CEO Dr. Badr Al Badr say about the forum?
A8. Dr. Badr Al Badr described this year’s forum as the largest in terms of speakers and the youngest in terms of their age. He said this reflects a commitment to empowering youth as future leaders and drivers of change.
Q9. How many young people has Misk supported since its inception?
A9. Misk has supported over 7 million young men and women since its inception. This cumulative figure illustrates the scale of the foundation’s year-round programs, which extend well beyond the annual forum.
Q10. What role did creative industries play at the forum?
A10. Key sessions highlighted creative industries and arts as a cornerstone for sustainable development. Experts stressed that investing in arts and culture unleashes young people’s potential and channels it toward meaningful contributions to the economy.
Q11. How did the virtual platform enhance the forum?
A11. The virtual platform connected youth and creative talent in Saudi Arabia and globally, expanding access to knowledge and empowerment. It allowed 16,000 participants from 82 countries to join sessions and workshops remotely.
Q12. When was the Misk Global Forum launched?
A12. The forum was launched in 2016 as an ambitious initiative by Misk. Since then, it has grown into a major international platform for youth empowerment, consistently investing in young people as a primary factor of development.
Q13. What is Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City?
A13. Mohammed Bin Salman Nonprofit City, or Misk City, is a purpose-built hub in Riyadh for nonprofit organizations, youth programs, and social innovation. Hosting the forum there for the first time connects the event to a permanent ecosystem.
Q14. Which countries participated virtually?
A14. Participants joined virtually from 82 countries, according to the Saudi Press Agency. This broad international participation demonstrates the forum’s global appeal and its success in reaching young people beyond Saudi Arabia’s borders.
Q15. What is the forum’s core mission?
A15. The forum’s mission is to invest in youth as a primary factor of development, enabling them to contribute to building a promising future locally and internationally. It provides tools, skills, and networks to help young people achieve their ambitions.
Q16. How does the forum support entrepreneurship?
A16. Through workshops on innovation tools in entrepreneurship and future employment strategies, the forum equips young people with practical skills. These sessions help participants adapt to global changes and pursue business and career opportunities.
Q17. Why is the forum important for Saudi Arabia’s global engagement?
A17. It positions Saudi Arabia as a convening power, bringing global leaders and thinkers to Riyadh and connecting Saudi youth with peers worldwide. This strengthens international collaboration and showcases the Kingdom’s commitment to youth development.
Q18. How does the forum align with Vision 2030?
A18. Vision 2030 prioritizes human capital development and economic diversification. The forum’s focus on youth leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills, and creative industries directly supports these objectives by building a skilled and globally connected generation.
Q19. What impact do the signed agreements have?
A19. The 15 agreements support youth, communities, and nonprofit youth organizations, creating lasting follow-on activity. They strengthen the institutional infrastructure that sustains youth empowerment efforts beyond the forum itself.
Q20. What does the future hold for the Misk Global Forum?
A20. The eighth edition set a higher baseline with its largest speaker roster and youngest participants. Future editions are expected to build on this momentum, further expanding the forum’s global reach and its contribution to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals.
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