Abu Dhabi Media Office, ADMO, and global youth media brand VICE are partnering to launch a digital content platform for young people in the Arab world. At a time that can be challenging for youth, ‘Lamma’, which translates as ‘gathering’ in English, aims to champion and support them, enabling them to connect and explore new possibilities.
Launching this month, the platform will feature content focused on young creators in key areas of popular culture such as music, fashion and arts. It will also tackle socially conscious topics that are important to youth in the region, ranging from the environment and mental health through to job creation.
A flagship initiative of Abu Dhabi Inspires, launched by H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Executive Council and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Office, the platform is one of a programme of initiatives that transform adversity into opportunity by promoting agile thinking to drive innovation.
A broad spectrum of regional personalities will be sharing their views and insights, ranging from musicians and comedians through to educators and psychologists. These will take the form of workshops, live Q&As, performances, podcasts and more. However, Lamma as its name implies, is designed to be a platform where youth gather to display their creativity, so there will also be a focus on user-generated content to ensure young creators are getting an outlet for their talents and reaching a wider audience.
Maryam Eid AlMheiri, Director General of Abu Dhabi Media Office, said: “At ADMO, we aspire to be conversation facilitators as much as communicators, bringing people together to share thoughts and create content about the world they want to live in. Lamma will be a virtual collaborative space defined by Abu Dhabi’s inclusive spirit, igniting curiosity, inviting questions, and sparking ideas.
This partnership provides a unique opportunity to engage youth in the region in a way that is relevant to them – now, as we face challenging times, and looking ahead to a brighter future.”
Jason Leavy, Managing Director MEA at VICE Media Group, said: “This region is full of young talent, but in the current climate, they feel more disconnected from one other than ever. So now is the time where we need to come together to support them and give them a voice. Building on VICE’s experience in creating content that resonates with younger generations around the globe, we are bringing youth together under #كتف_لكتف .
“We are glad to be working with a partner like ADMO. It is important to listen to youth and provide them with a place to communicate and share their thoughts and ideas. This is about standing shoulder to shoulder in the face of current challenges and inviting them to be part of the conversation about what the future of the region could look like so they can help shape it.”
Lamma will complement Abu Dhabi Media Office’s existing communications ecosystem. This includes Abu Dhabi Story, a community platform sharing inspiring stories from the heart of Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi Find Wonder, which explores working, living, doing business and investing in Abu Dhabi through the stories of inspiring entrepreneurs, innovative companies and passionate individuals enjoying all life has to offer in the emirate.
