A Bahrain resident has made history by becoming the first person to represent the kingdom at a prestigious training initiative in the US, and hopes his achievement would inspire youngsters to step onto the global stage and make meaningful impact towards a sustainable future.
Pakistani Muhammad Irfan was selected for the week-long United People Global (UPG) Sustainability Leadership training programme, which sent him on a trip to the Hurricane Island Centre for Science and Leadership in Maine in August.
The 31-year-old chief executive and founder of an events management and IT company with offices in both Bahrain and Portugal achieved the honour after competing against representatives from 137 nations.
Only 22 people from 18 countries were finally shortlisted for the trip.
UPG Sustainability Leadership is a movement that encourages young leaders to take action within their communities to create a more sustainable world. So far, the programme has trained more than 86,000 individuals. He was chosen by UPG after excelling in their rigorous three-to four-month remote training programme.
“My journey to Hurricane Island was truly a transformative experience,” Mr Irfan, who was born and raised in Manama, told the GDN.
“I was honoured to represent the kingdom, and it was particularly meaningful as it marked the first time Bahrain had been represented at the Hurricane Island Centre for Science and Leadership.
“I had the privilege to share insights about Bahraini traditions and distributed Bahraini sweets, making the experience more memorable.”
Mr Irfan was impressed with the centre as there were ‘sustainability-oriented projects everywhere, from energy systems powered entirely by renewable sources to advanced waste management systems’.
“It made the entire island feel like a living research space,” he said.
The programme taught him how to critically think about global challenges and to explore innovative solutions. It also highlighted community-driven projects that encouraged awareness and collaboration to work towards a more sustainable future.
“We weren’t allowed to use mobile phones, which made me absorb more during the experience. We engaged directly with the natural world, so it was a place where sustainability wasn’t just discussed, it was actively practised, and the programme reinforced my commitment to promoting re-engineering skills to young leaders worldwide,” he added.
Mr Irfan hopes to set up a research centre in Bahrain to offer young people the tools to learn and establish new projects.
“While many young people are focusing on developing websites or mobile applications, which is valuable, I believe they should also be encouraged to explore diverse projects on the hardware space,” he added.
He highlighted the tremendous potential in working with renewable energy systems, the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and robotics.
“These projects not only help develop a different set of skills, but also create opportunities to solve real world problems,” he said.
Mr Irfan encourages youngsters to apply for the programme to gain experience and represent their country in a positive way.
Meanwhile, applications have been invited for the next batch of the UPG Sustainability Leadership training programme. Candidates should be ‘passionate about a specific area such as job or education, aged 18 to 35, have strong motivation, willing to take action on sustainability, and be able to speak, read and write in English’.
They also must submit a two-minute video about themselves.
The deadline for applications is December 31 and those interested may visit the UPG website.
UPG is an organisation that aims to create a positive future by promoting sustainable practices and encouraging individuals and organisations to adopt eco-friendly behaviours.
Additionally, it focuses on issues such as peacebuilding, disaster relief and social justice.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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