Youth Perspectives from West Asia and North Africa: Taking Action on COVID-19, Unemployment, Climate Change & other Global Challenges

The youth population of the West Asia and North Africa region is exceedingly high. Youth have the potential to become agents of change and contribute to a more prosperous and stable future for themselves and their communities. However, this requires urgent and significant investment to create opportunities for meaningful learning, social engagement and work, all of which are currently limited.

This event seeks to provide a space for young people to reflect on and highlight actions that the international community should take to empower and support youth in West Asia and North Africa, in response to major global challenges such as COVID-19, refugee youth populations, violent conflict, andclimate change; and to discuss what it means to be young today in West Asia and North Africa.

Keynote Speakers

• H.E. Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Minister of Culture and Sports of the State of Qatar

• Jayathma Wickramanayake, UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth

• H.E. Taha Ayhan, President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum

Panelists

• Dana Khalid Al-Anzi, youth activist, President of Y17 Society

• Saad Abid, climate activist, President of “Bahri”

• H.E. Taha Ayhan, President of the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum

• Reem Al Haddadin, Researcher, Sustainable Development Pillar, WANA

Welcoming Remarks

• Banou Arjomand, Research Assistant, Global Governance, Justice & Security, Stimson Center