ABU DHABI, 11th November, 2025 (WAM) -- The TRENDS Youth Council organised a panel discussion titled "Generation without Borders: How Globalisation is Creating New Versions of Ourselves in the Era of Global Reading," held at the First Forum Hall, Expo Centre Sharjah.
The session was moderated by Rashid Al Hosani, researcher and member of the TRENDS Youth Council, with the participation of a group of creative young people and representatives from youth councils.
The event was part of the programme of TRENDS Research & Advisory, the research partner of the Sharjah International Book Fair 2025.
Abdullah Abdulrahman Al-Khaja, a researcher and member of the TRENDS Youth Council, said that the world is becoming increasingly digital by the day, as people shift from paper books to digital platforms, audio, and podcasts. This shift, he explained, has transformed the way individuals engage with content, leading many to favour short, fast-paced material shared on social media.
Dr. Faisal Al Suwaidi, Emirati writer and traveller, stated that in the era of globalisation, people live in an interconnected world where cultures meet and values are exchanged.
He noted that Emirati youth today benefit from the positive aspects of globalisation through their openness to the world and their human communication, while at the same time preserving their authentic identity and deeply rooted values. When they travel, he said, they carry their homeland with them, reflecting its morals, culture and spirit of tolerance.
Yaqoub Al Balushi, member of the Sharjah Youth Council, highlighted that globalisation is not only an economic or cultural phenomenon but one that profoundly influences the identity of both readers and individuals. In an era where languages intersect, cultures intertwine and reading becomes a bridge connecting East and West, thought and future, the act of reading assumes a transformative role.
Majid Al Hassani, member of the Shorooq Youth Council, emphasised that globalisation does not remake young people; rather, they reshape themselves through it. He explained that globalisation not only transforms lifestyles but also reshapes ways of thinking and interaction, especially as today’s generation lives amid a continuous flow of knowledge and often reads the world through a screen before experiencing it in reality.