By Manal Abdel Fattah
Under the auspices of the League of Arab States, the opening session of the “Forum for Arab Youth and Foreseeing the Future” was held under the slogan: “Partners to Promote Sustainability for Joint Arab Action,” at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the League of Arab States in Cairo, which was organized by the Arab Youth Council for Integrated Development in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Arab Egypt, in the presence of Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, Minister of Youth and Sports of the Arab Republic of Egypt and Head of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Youth and Sports Ministers, and Ambassador Mohamed Al-Orabi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
In a speech she delivered during the opening session of the forum, Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazaleh, Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the Social Affairs Sector, confirmed that the forum was being held in light of the dangerous developments taking place in the Middle East region as a result of the brutal Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, and the occupying power’s continued massacres against children. Women and the elderly, and its failure to respond to international and regional calls for a ceasefire, and to abandon the scorched earth policy of targeting defenseless civilians with destructive war machines, without regard to international law, international humanitarian law, and all human rights norms and conventions.
She praised the role of Palestinian youth in alleviating the impact of the aggression on the people of the Gaza Strip during the past three months of bombing, as they prayed day and night to contribute to relief operations, provide health and social services, and distribute humanitarian aid, in a scene in which volunteer and civil work were coupled with meanings of self-denial and sacrifice and embodied the highest meanings of resistance and steadfastness. She stressed that the Palestinian youth have proven to the world the strength of their will, the firm belief in the justice of their cause, their clinging to their land, and their resistance to all the occupation’s attempts at forced displacement, which is a source of pride and pride for all Arab youth who aspire to build a future that they deserve and that responds to their aspirations for a dignified and prosperous life.
The head of the Social Affairs Sector highlighted the keenness of the League of Arab States to support the role of civil society organizations and youth and to involve them in joint Arab action through a package of decisions issued by the economic and social development summits, all of which call for strengthening the role of Arab civil society and enabling youth to play a more effective role with the aim of development. Our Arab societies, so that it can play the role of an active partner to Arab governments in the process of sustainable societal development.
In his speech, Dr. Ashraf Sobhi, Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports and Head of the Executive Office of the Council of Arab Youth and Sports Ministers, stressed the importance of this forum, which aims to strengthen the partnership between governments and civil society for joint youth work towards implementing the sustainable development goals in entrepreneurship, food security, technology, artificial intelligence, and energy. Scientific research and innovation, adding that this forum is a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences among Arab youth, and to enhance Arab cooperation and solidarity in the field of youth and sports.
For his part, Ambassador Mohamed Al-Orabi, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that this forum achieves several important goals, including enhancing youth participation, enhancing Arab solidarity, as well as enhancing efforts to achieve sustainable development, and supporting the contribution of civil society organizations in enhancing the process of joint Arab action.
Dr. Mushira Abu Ghali, founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Youth Council for Integrated Development, also confirmed that the forum aims to enhance cooperation, coordination and exchange of experiences between civil society institutions active in the youth field, and to showcase the efforts of Arab youth in developing joint civil action in various development fields.
