Cybersecurity was not treated as a dry classroom subject during the Sheikh Zayed Summer Festival in Abu Dhabi. Students were placed closer to the technology, the risks and the practical skills they will need as more of everyday life moves online.
His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan visited the pavilions of the UAE Cyber Security Council and Abu Dhabi Police during a tour of the festival in Al Wathba. There, he reviewed interactive programmes focused on cybersecurity awareness, digital safety and responsible technology use among young people.
Students Learn How to Protect Their Data Online
At the UAE Cyber Security Council pavilion, students were introduced to the basics of data protection, online privacy and the safe use of digital platforms.
That means more than telling children to create stronger passwords.
The activities were designed to help participants recognise digital risks, understand what happens to personal information online and make better decisions when using websites, apps and connected devices. Training workshops also gave students a look at the technical skills used across cybersecurity and emerging technology careers.
Sheikh Mansour met several students taking part in the programmes and listened to their experiences. He praised them for using the summer break to develop practical abilities rather than treating the holiday as lost time.
Cybersecurity Training Becomes Part of Summer Learning
The festival shows how the UAE is pushing cybersecurity education beyond specialist university courses and corporate training sessions.
Young people now interact with digital services at an early age. They use social networks, online games, cloud platforms and connected learning tools long before they enter the workplace. Teaching digital safety after a problem occurs is already too late.
The UAE Cyber Security Council’s programme takes a more direct route. Give students early exposure, let them work through realistic scenarios and make cybersecurity feel like a skill they can actually use.
It may also help some participants see the field as a future career. The workshops encouraged students to explore technical specialisations in cybersecurity and other fast-growing technology sectors.
Abu Dhabi Police Brings Security Training Into the Festival
The Abu Dhabi Police pavilion widened the discussion beyond online threats.
Its security camp used educational activities, workshops and specialist-led sessions to teach children, teenagers and young adults about personal safety, community responsibility, narcotics prevention and digital risks. The programme also included training supported by virtual reality and augmented reality technology.
That hands-on approach matters. A lecture can explain a dangerous situation, but an immersive simulation can show participants how quickly decisions need to be made.
The camp was built around prevention rather than reaction. Participants learned how security personnel serve the community, why individual responsibility matters and how everyday choices can reduce risk.
UAE Links Digital Safety With Future Skills
Sheikh Mansour said investing in people starts with awareness and with giving them the knowledge needed to keep up with rapid change.
Digital literacy is becoming part of that equation.
Knowing how to operate a device is no longer enough. Students also need to understand privacy settings, suspicious messages, unsafe links, identity theft and the consequences of sharing personal data without thinking.
The wider goal is to prepare qualified national talent for technical fields while strengthening public understanding of security and safety. UAE institutions increasingly view those priorities as part of the country’s push toward an innovation-led knowledge economy.
Festival Turns the School Break Into a Skills Programme
The Sheikh Zayed Summer Festival runs in Al Wathba from July 6 to August 23, 2026. Its programme combines education, community activities, heritage, health, sport and technology for children, young people and families.
Participants aged six to 18 can take part in activities designed around learning, talent development and practical experience.
Cybersecurity fits naturally into that mix. It affects schoolwork, entertainment, communication and almost every technology young people touch.
By bringing cybersecurity awareness into a summer festival, organisers have moved the subject away from warning posters and formal presentations. Students get to see the risks, try the tools and understand why digital safety already belongs in their daily lives.