Muscat: Over 200 young people, aged 15-24, will be challenged to create campaigns to raise awareness of road traffic safety during this year’s Muscat Youth Summit (MYS) to be held from December 9- 12 at the Millennium Resort in Musanah, northern Oman.
Sayyid Faisal Al Saeed, Director General of Marketing and Media at the Public Authority for Investment Promotion & Export Development (PAIPED), said at a press conference on Tuesday that Road Traffic Safety was a key issue to be taken up during MYS in which youngsters from 26 countries in Asia, Europe and North America will take part.
Around the world, road crashes are still the biggest cause of death and disability for young people. It is estimated that those aged between 18-25 face almost twice as high a risk of dying in traffic accidents.
“The tragic loss of young lives on Oman’s roads is simply unacceptable,” Al Saeed said.
“We’re very proud of the important road traffic safety work being carried out by the Royal Oman Police and the Research Council,” he added.
“Nevertheless, there’s still a long way to go,” said the senior PAIPED official.
“Only by changing young people’s driving mentality can we continue to save lives,” he reiterated.
He revealed that through a set of fashion design, publishing, social enterprise, graffiti art and urban development workshops summit participants would be challenged to create campaigns to raise awareness of road traffic safety.
“In order to reduce the number of deaths on Oman’s roads, young people have to be actively engaged,” he said.
“Our youth must be encouraged to contribute to road safety, for example, by sharing their ideas on new ways forward — and this is exactly the approach MYS will be adopting,” he added.
According to the organisers the summit is designed to build young Omanis’ leadership and communication skills coupled with effective business development techniques.
Al Saeed also added that PAIPED-organised MYS will focus on enterprise, urban art and culture, road traffic safety and media.
