Finding ways to check youth violence

Manama: Ways to counter the violent radicalisation of youth and to dissuade them from engaging in violent behaviour will be the topic of an international conference in Bahrain next week.

"Over 100 specialists and young people from various countries will meet in Bahrain on June 15-17 for the meeting, organised by UNESCO, to showcase community-based projects and best practices that constructively engage youth and foster conditions that provide young people with positive options for their own future," Najeeb Friji, the head of the United Nations Information Centre, said.

"The meeting aims to share experiences of best practices and to sensitize policy and decision-makers at community, national, regional and international levels about the risks of youth's exploitation for violent radical purposes. Alternative solutions will be sought for youth to engage positively in their communities, as well as ways to develop more partnerships between private and public actors."

Debates

Parallel debates and presentations focusing on strategies to promote youth-specific educational solutions, media activities, and physical education and sports projects, will aim at building young people's self-identity and practical skills.

Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Bin Mohammad Al Khalifa, the foreign minister, and Unesco's Deputy Director-General, Marcio Barbosa, will open the first plenary session, while Joseph Jabbra, President of the Lebanese American University (Beirut), will serve as the meeting's chairman.

Participants

Andras Pastrana, a former president of Colombia, Beate Winkler, the European Union's Adviser for European Policy-intercultural dialogue, Anwarul Chowdhury from Bangladesh, former United Nations High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, and Egyptian film producer Mohammad Jowhar will take part in the international event alongside participants from non-governmental organisations, foundations, the private sector, local, regional and national governments.

"The presentations and discussions at the meeting will come together in a 'Bahrain Message to the World's Youth', which will set out a catalogue of best practices, strategies, partnerships and measures to tackle the global challenge of violent radicalisation of youth," Friji said in a statement sent to Gulf News.