ME&CA final of Huawei SFTF 2024 kicks off in Uzbekistan

A total of 150 students, 14 teachers and academic representatives from 14 countries of the Middle East and Central Asia (ME&CA) are set to take part in this year’s regional edition of Huawei’s global CSR programme, “Seeds for the Future (SFTF)”, in Uzbekistan.
Under the umbrella of the SFTF programme, Huawei is hosting the Tech4Good regional competition in Tashkent, targeting youth with ideas that can address social issues by leveraging the latest ICT (information and communications technology) technologies.
Huawei, in collaboration with the Uzbekistan ministry of digital technologies (MoDT), the IT Education Association, and telecommunications, regulatory, labour authorities and vocational training bodies, launched Monday the regional finals of the SFTF programme.
The week-long event brings together university students across the Middle East and Central Asia, to enhance knowledge, foster collaboration, drive global digital inclusion, and develop ICT talent.
This year’s edition of the competition will see the participation of the students from leading universities representing 14 countries – Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan’s Minister of Digital Technologies Sherzod Shermatov delivered the opening address, saying: “The launch of the ‘Seeds for the Future’ today is one of the greatest steps towards the expansion of global collaboration in ICT field.”
“We are glad to have a partner like Huawei that understands the need of nurturing digital talents and creating an advanced platform for building a digital and green world,” he said.
Shunli Wang, vice-president of Huawei Middle East and Central Asia, said: “We are thrilled to host the 2024 regional ‘Seeds for the Future’ initiative and look forward to seeing regional ICT talents in action.”
“Public-private collaboration is crucial for building the ICT ecosystem and nurturing ICT talent,” he continued. “We hold a shared responsibility to empower upcoming ICT talents and contribute to the development of the regions we operate in.”
“Young talents from across the region represent the future of our industry,” Wang said. “Embrace this opportunity, challenge yourselves, and let your creativity shine. May this programme inspire groundbreaking ideas and lasting friendships.”
The SFTF programme is Huawei’s flagship corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to develop ICT talents globally.
Since its launch in 2008, more than 18,000 students have participated from 141 countries.
With endorsements from more than 360 senior officials and heads of state, the programme has collaborated with over 500 universities and colleges to cultivate a new generation of ICT leaders and innovators.
Besides the in-depth learning of ICT innovations and interaction with sector experts, participants are involved with series of activities and sightseeing tours in Uzbekistan to strengthen the collaboration between countries and cultures.
As part of the opening ceremony, a “Global Village” cultural event was held in Tashkent’s Amity University, where each participating team presented their countries’ cultural heritage, traditions, national clothes, and cuisine
Shermatov took part in the activity and visited the booths of each country.
This year, the SFTF programme will host intensive training sessions and workshops, including cutting-edge ICT technologies, scientific and technological leadership, discussions on global topics and Tech4Good group projects.
Through learning and mutual exchange, participants will gain a better understanding of 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud technologies, build more strengths for future growth, and improve their competitiveness in the job market.
Held in conjunction with the SFTF programme, the regional semifinal of the fourth annual Tech4Good competition will empower youth to drive positive change within their communities.
This platform aims to cultivate innovative ideas that effectively tackle pressing social issues by harnessing the immense potential of the latest ICT technologies.
By encouraging young minds to leverage technological advancements, this initiative strives to foster a generation of solution-oriented individuals who can create a lasting impact and shape a better future for all. Participating students will present their Tech4Good projects to the judges, and two outstanding teams will be chosen to take part in Global Finals next year in China.