The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation brought together university students from across its member states in Istanbul for the inaugural Youth Bridges Programme, seeking to equip a new generation with the skills and networks needed to navigate an economy increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
The program, held at the D-8 Secretariat headquarters to mark International Youth Day, gathered students from D-8 countries currently studying in Türkiye alongside experts from international organizations, business representatives, entrepreneurs and innovation specialists.
Discussions focused on artificial intelligence, future skills, entrepreneurship, innovation and regional cooperation, with organizers aiming to strengthen connections among young people across D-8 member states.
Addressing participants, D-8 Secretary-General Ambassador Sohail Mahmood outlined the organization's founding vision and its growing emphasis on youth participation and empowerment.
“The future must be built with the youth,” Mahmood said, calling for greater investment in young people's skills, creativity, digital capabilities and entrepreneurial potential.
He said the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence, digitalization and changing patterns of employment made it increasingly important to prepare young people not merely to adapt to technological transformation but to lead it.
Mahmood also called for stronger cross-border platforms where young people can exchange ideas, develop solutions to shared challenges and pursue new economic opportunities.
Experts from organizations including the UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development, Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum (ICYF), MÜSİAD Genç, Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Türkiye (TOBB), Bilişim Vadisi and SESRIC participated in the program.
Sessions explored AI-powered entrepreneurship and the future of work, youth empowerment, investment and business networking, innovation ecosystems and trends affecting young people across D-8 and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries.
Participants also discussed the challenges facing youth-led startups, including access to markets, professional networks and opportunities to turn innovative ideas into viable businesses.
An interactive session allowed students to question Mahmood and participating experts directly about AI's potential impact on employment and career choices, entrepreneurship and opportunities for young people to establish and expand businesses.
The initiative builds on a series of D-8 efforts to place youth at the center of economic cooperation among its members.
The organization's 2021 summit in Bangladesh focused on harnessing youth and technology for a transforming world, while its 2024 summit in Cairo centered on investment in young people and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Youth Bridges Programme also follows the first D-8 Youth Summit in 2021, the Dhaka Declaration on Youth adopted in 2024 and the Baku Youth Declaration in 2025.
Organizers said the initiative supports several U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, including quality education, decent work and economic growth, industry and innovation, and international partnerships.
The program was organized by the D-8 Secretariat in cooperation with embassies and consulates general of member states in Türkiye and partner institutions, concluding with certificates for participants and a networking reception.
