Dubai: The World Government Summit 2023 pre-events in Dubai on Sunday witnessed several Arab youth taking a pledge to support quake-hit Turkey and Syria.
Speakers and attendees at the ‘Arab Meeting for Young Leaders’ stood up in respect as the moderator read out the pledge in solidarity with the Arab countries that witnessed the devastating earthquakes that killed more than 28,000 as per the latest figures.
Paying tributes to the lives lost, the Arab youth pledged to help the quake-hit countries through voluntary work.
The hall was packed with youths from various Arab countries, including some of the Arab Youth Ministers.
Shamma bint Suhail bin Faris Al Mazrui, UAE Minister of Community Development, Vice Chairperson of the Arab Youth Centre and Youth Climate Champion of COP28, delivered the opening remarks about reflections on the Arab narrative.
Despite facing crises and conflicts, Arab youth hold on to their values and language, she said.
“Arab youth faced crises and conflicts, founded their projects and maintained attachment to their values and language in order to write the chapters of their story, and we are here to support them,” the minister stated.
Speaking to Gulf News, the minister said Sunday’s meeting is the second edition following the first one held during the Expo 2020 Dubai.
“We're building on that success. It was focused on bringing all the ministers of youth from the Arab world to speak about, what is the purpose of the sector, how can we align and maximise our synergies to achieve the objectives of this sector specifically etc.”
The aim is to address the development of the Arab youth from various aspects, she said.
At Sunday’s session, she said she shared that “the most important aspect is for us to be the authors of our stories and not the consumers and I think the young people will author the best sequel to the Arab narrative,”
The session also saw various speakers present regional and other perspectives about the Arab narrative and the power of youth in changing the Arab narrative.
Representatives of various Arab countries presented their perspectives of today’s role models. Speakers also discussed topics such as the role of digital content and post-modern identity, the Arabic language as the unifying identity and positivity and triumph: the Arab story.
A ministerial round table of Arab Youth Ministers was also held as part of the session.
