The Human Capabilities Initiative conference, organized by the Human Development Capabilities Program as part of the Saudi Vision 2030, has announced the list of speakers for its second edition. The conference will be held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Chairman of the Council of Ministers, and Chairman of the Human Development Capabilities Program Committee, with the theme “Beyond Preparedness for the Future” on April 13-14, 2025, at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.
The list of speakers for the conference includes 300 prominent leaders, policymakers, and experts from the academic, corporate, international organizations, and non-profit sectors from over 38 countries. They will participate in more than 100 dialogue sessions aimed at sharing experiences and discussing ideas that support enhancing human capabilities readiness to keep pace with the rapid changes in the world.
The conference will feature a ministerial roundtable meeting with the participation of 20 ministers from various countries worldwide, in addition to a selection of international experts specialized in education and technology fields. Through the “Success Platform,” the conference will highlight over 35 Saudi speakers to showcase their inspirational success stories.
The conference aims to unite international efforts and enrich global dialogue to contribute to shaping the future of human capabilities and building a prosperous global economy in light of future labor market transformations over the next five years. This will be achieved by leveraging the latest means to create a stimulating educational environment for creativity and innovation, as well as building interconnected communities where every individual feels a sense of belonging and responsibility towards others. This is to ensure community growth and empower individuals and communities to build a better future by crafting sustainable solutions and continuous impact.
Dr. Bador Al-Reis, the Deputy Executive Director of the Human Development Capabilities Program, emphasized that the conference will host a selection of local and international experts to work on formulating solutions and strategies that support preparing human capabilities for the future, aligning with the rapid changes in the labor market over the next five years amidst accelerating technological advancements. The discussions will focus on human capabilities development and enhancing their readiness to face future challenges.
The announcement of the conference speakers coincides with a report released by the World Economic Forum last month, revealing that around 59% of the global workforce will need retraining by 2030 to keep up with transformations in the global labor market. The report also highlighted that the skills gap poses a significant challenge to economic transformations, hindering progress in various sectors and imposing new pressures on workers and employers.
The Human Capabilities Initiative conference is held in partnership with the Ministry of Education, and the ministry will organize the international education exhibition “EDGEx” from April 13-16, 2025 at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Riyadh. This will form the Human Capabilities and Education Week, serving as a platform to unleash the full potential of human capabilities.
