The event will cover all stages of parenting with the aim of redefining and elevating the critical role parents and the extended family play in raising healthy, thriving children ‘Parental support influences children’s levels of confidence and motivation and plays a huge role in their interest in school,’ said Sara Awad Issa Musallam, Emirati minister for early education ABU DHABI: Parenthood: The Unconference, an event organized by Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge and said to be the first of its kind in the world, will take place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island from Nov. 2 to Nov. 4, the Saudi Press Agency reported. ADEK said it forms part of its larger mission to prioritize and enhance parental engagement and involvement with the aim of improving children’s success. As such, the event aims to redefine and elevate the critical role that parents, and the wider family unit, play in raising healthy and thriving children. The goal of Parenthood: The Unconference, organizers said, is to encourage global dialogue to help better equip parents to face new and critical challenges in a world where traditional guideposts have vanished and the old rules no longer apply. It will provide visitors with new learning opportunities to help them improve as individuals, spouses and caregivers through a comprehensive program that covers all stages of parenting, from early childhood to adolescence. The event will focus on five themes in particular: identity, new perspectives, development, well-being, and early childhood. “The launch of Parenthood: The Unconference in Abu Dhabi underscores the commitment of our leadership to improving the state of education, with a focus on future generations,” said Sara Awad Issa Musallam, minister of state for early education. “To achieve this, we cannot overlook the essential role of parents and their extended support circles — the aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends who become part of the family — because it really does take a village to raise a child. “Parental support influences children’s levels of confidence and motivation and plays a huge role in their interest in school and their pursuit of goals. That is why we champion parental engagement to ensure it is an integral part of education-improvement efforts for all learners.” Musallam said that the event aims to encourage an “important global conversation that seeks to enhance the positive relationship between schools, parents and students.” To achieve this it will gather some of the world’s foremost experts to share and discuss the latest views on child development and parenting. “It’s an opportunity to connect, exchange and learn from each other,” said Musallam. “By impacting current and future parenting practices, we hope to generate opportunities for a future in which children everywhere thrive and interact positively with the world around them.” According to UNICEF, which is supporting and participating in the event as an official knowledge partner, positive parenting and family support are critical factors in giving children the best possible start in life, as they lay the groundwork for healthy development, lifelong learning and social cohesion. Organizers said that over the course of three highly interactive days, Parenthood: The Unconference will offer an unprecedented opportunity to learn from more than 60 leading experts through a series of engaging information sessions, keynote talks, panel discussions, immersive experiences, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities. Among the featured speakers is Dr. Shefali Tsabary, a prominent clinical psychologist and Oprah-endorsed parenting expert. She is also a three-time New York Times bestselling author, whose integration of Western psychology with Eastern philosophy is said to offer a ground-breaking approach to mindful living and parenting.