At HCI 2025 global minds convene to accelerate the future of human capability with over 13,000 participants from 120 countries
Riyadh – The second edition of the Human Capability Initiative (HCI), has concluded, hosting over 300 influential leaders, policymakers, and global experts from 40 countries, including academia, private sector, international organizations, and non-profits.
HCI 2025 was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Chairman of the Human Capability Development Program Committee (HCDP), the organization which hosts HCI.
HCI 2025 welcomed over 13,000 participants from 120 countries to the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh under the theme #BeyondReadiness. The conference saw over 100 agreements announced across industry and various economic sectors, with a total investment of SAR8.5bn (US$2.2bn). Among the key agreements, the prestigious London Business School revealed plans to establish a new office in Riyadh.
This year's event brought together a stellar lineup, with senior government officials such as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education of South Korea, joining leaders from the private and nonprofit sectors. Global organizations and top academic institutions were also represented, including the World Bank, International Labor Organization (ILO), World Economic Forum (WEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and UNICEF, as well as Microsoft, Google for Education, Apple Academy, University of Chicago's Harris School of Public Policy and London Business School. The conference served as a dynamic platform for fostering collaboration and innovation in addressing the challenges of a rapidly changing labor market.
Speaking at the conference, Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Kassabi, Minister of Commerce said: 'Saudi Arabia today is moving…from ambition to action. Vision 2030 is no longer a roadmap, it's no longer a blueprint. It's transformation in motion, reflecting the ambitions of the Kingdom's leadership and reaffirming Saudi Arabia's commitment to building a prosperous future for its people and strengthening its leadership on both regional and global fronts'.
During his opening remarks on the second day of the conference, H.E. Eng. Ahmed bin Sulaiman AlRajhi, Saudi Minister of Human Resources & Social Development, said: 'Throughout history, progress has been driven by those willing to adapt, to innovate, and to embrace change. Today we find ourselves at a time when human capital is not a subset of economy and fiscal policy, it is the defining variable of global prosperity'.
In his closing address, H.E. Yousef Al-Benyan, Minister of Education said: 'Throughout this conference, we engaged in powerful dialogues and shared innovative insights that underscore the extraordinary potential within every individual. HCI 2025 demonstrated that sustainable human capability development and meaningful impact require cross-sector partnerships, collective responsibility, and strategic alignment across governments, private sectors, academic institutions and civil society'.
HCI hosted a ministerial roundtable, bringing together international human capability development officials alongside leading international experts in education and technology, as well as representatives from local and international organizations. The discussion centered on the theme 'AI Skills for All', which delved into strategies to ensure equitable access to this transformative technology.
The conference also marked the launch of the 'Future Skills Initiative' by H.E. the Minister of Commerce and Chair of the Economic and Social Committee of the Saudi–UK Strategic Partnership Council. This initiative seeks to foster the exchange of expertise to cultivate future-ready skills across 13 high-potential sectors. The launch was attended by 40 government officials and 100 business leaders from Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.
This year's agenda focused on pioneering innovative learning models to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in an evolving labor market shaped by rapid technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI).
At the conclusion of the conference, the Minister of Education and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Human Capability Development Program, alongside Eng. Anas Al-Mudaifer, CEO, and Dr. Bedour Alrayes, Vice President of the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP), extended their gratitude to HCI partners across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors – both within the Kingdom and globally – for their contributions to the event's success.
The conference also provided speakers and delegates the chance to engage in Saudi culture, with the venue offering musical performances, traditional craft workshops and the taste of world-famous Saudi coffee.
About Human Capability Initiative (HCI):
The Human Capability Initiative (HCI) is the first global cooperative platform designed to unify international efforts and enrich global dialogue on the challenges and opportunities for developing human capabilities. Organized by the Human Capability Development Program – a part of the Vision 2030 realization programs – in partnership with Ministry of Education, HCI unites government entities, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations to foster collaboration and drive innovation in the realm of human capabilities.
The conference took place on 13 – 14 April, 2025 at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh under the theme 'Beyond Readiness'.
About Saudi Vision 2030:
Under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Saudi Vision 2030 was launched by His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister, with a roadmap to build Saudi Arabia's prosperous and bright future through a vibrant society, a thriving economy, and an ambitious nation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Gulf Today
2 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Global energy investment set to rise to $3.3 trillion in 2025: IEA
The International Energy Agency (IEA) said that global energy investment is set to increase in 2025 to a record US$3.3 trillion despite headwinds from elevated geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, with clean energy technologies attracting twice as much capital as fossil fuels. In its new World Energy Investment 2025 report, IEA stated that investment in clean technologies – renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emissions fuels, efficiency and electrification – is on course to hit a record US$2.2 trillion this year. The report explained that investment in solar, both utility-scale and rooftop, is expected to reach US$450 billion in 2025, making it the single largest item in the global energy investment inventory. Battery storage investments are also climbing rapidly, surging above US$65 billion this year. Lower oil prices and demand expectations are set to result in the first year-on-year fall in upstream oil investment since 2020, according to the report, with an expected 6 percent drop driven by lower oil prices and demand expectations.
Middle East Eye
7 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Gaza: US-backed aid group suspends food distribution for a second day
The controversial US-backed initiative to distribute aid in Gaza, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), has said it will not hand out any food to starving Palestinians for a second day, saying operations will only restart when maintenance and repair work at its distribution sites are complete. In a statement posted on its Facebook page late on Wednesday, the GHF said its "distribution sites will not open as early as" Thursday morning and that it would "share information on opening times as soon as work is complete." The GHF also strongly urged aid seekers travelling to its locations to "follow the routes" set by the Israeli military to "ensure safe passage." On Wednesday, Israeli forces warned Palestinians against approaching GHF sites whilst "reorganisation work" was under way, saying access to roads near those locations would be "considered combat zones." The Israeli military did not appear to have issued any new directives on early on Thursday, suggesting areas near the sites were still "considered combat zones." New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The suspension of the GHF's aid distribution system comes after more than 100 Palestinians were gunned down near its sites in less than a week. Earlier this week, eyewitnesses and local officials told Middle East Eye that Israeli troops opened fire directly on civilians, with many of the fatalities receiving gunshot wounds to their head or chest. A spokesperson for the GHF lamented the killings, telling the Associated Press on Wednesday that the group "was saddened to learn that a number of civilians were injured and killed after moving beyond the designated safe corridor." The UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, has slammed the "deadly attacks" and suggested they were a war crime. "Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza are unconscionable," Turk said. "Attacks directed against civilians constitute a grave breach of international law and a war crime." Since launching operations last Tuesday, the GHF has claimed - without providing any evidence - to have handed out more than 87,000 food boxes to needy Palestinians - a fraction of what aid agencies say is needed to address the mass starvation unfolding in the strip. Gaza's Government Media Office has also slammed the aid distribution system and on Wednesday said the sites "situated in exposed and perilous red zones controlled by the occupying forces, have become bloodbaths." "Starving civilians are lured there due to the crippling famine and tight siege," the media office said in a statement. "They are then deliberately and coldly shot, a scene that exposes the true malice of the operation and its real objectives." War on Gaza: How Israel is replicating Nazi starvation tactics Read More » The office described these actions as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, calling for immediate global action and an investigation into the latest Israeli assaults. "The continuation of these crimes, amid shameful international silence, is a stain on humanity and proves that the occupation continues to perpetrate the most heinous forms of genocide under the world's gaze, without deterrence or accountability," the statement added. Earlier this week, the GHF appointed evangelical leader Johnnie Moore, a former adviser to US President Donald Trump, as its new chief. Moore, a former member of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, has dismissed reports of mass killings at the GHF aid sites as "fictional massacres." He was appointed after the initiative's former head, Jake Wood, resigned hours before its launch. Moore has emerged as a vocal advocate for the scandal-plagued initiative, claiming that reports of the killings were "lies… spread by terrorists," contradicting eyewitness accounts, footage, and reports by hospital directors and medical staff.
Dubai Eye
8 hours ago
- Dubai Eye
US vetoes UN Security Council demand for Gaza ceasefire
The US on Wednesday vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that demanded an "immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and unhindered aid access. The other 14 countries on the Council voted in favour of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, where famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month. "The US has been clear: We would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza," Acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea told the Council before the vote, arguing that it would also undermine US-led efforts to broker a ceasefire. Washington is Israel's biggest ally and arms supplier. The Security Council vote came as Israel pushes ahead with an offensive in Gaza after ending a two-month truce in March. Gaza health authorities said Israeli strikes killed 45 people on Wednesday, while Israel said a soldier died in fighting. Britain's UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward criticised the Israeli government's decisions to expand its military operations in Gaza and severely restrict humanitarian aid as "unjustifiable, disproportionate and counterproductive". Israel has rejected calls for an unconditional or permanent ceasefire, saying Hamas cannot stay in Gaza. Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon told the council members who voted in favour of the draft: "You chose appeasement and submission. You chose a road that does not lead to peace. Only to more terror." Hamas condemned the US veto, describing it as showing "the US administration's blind bias" towards Israel. The draft Security Council resolution had also demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and others. Rival and Operations The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel in an October 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave, according to Israeli tallies. Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. They say civilians have borne the brunt of the attacks and that thousands more bodies have been lost under rubble. Under global pressure, Israel allowed limited UN-led deliveries to resume on May 19. A week later a controversial new aid distribution system was launched by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, backed by the US and Israel. Israel has long accused Hamas of stealing aid, which the group denies. Israel and the US are urging the UN to work through the GHF, which is using private US security and logistics companies to transport aid into Gaza for distribution at so-called secure distribution sites. "No one wants to see Palestinian civilians in Gaza go hungry or thirsty," Shea told the Security Council, adding that the draft resolution did not "acknowledge the disastrous shortcomings of the prior method of aid delivery". The UN and international aid groups have refused to work with the GHF because they say it is not neutral. No aid was distributed by the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation on Wednesday as it pressed the Israeli military to boost civilian safety beyond the perimeter of its so-called secure distribution sites after a deadly incident on Tuesday.
