The Gulf Youth Forum for Preparing Youth Leaders in Humanitarian and Development Work wrapped up Wednesday.
Organised by the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the forum was hosted in co-ordination with the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) Secretariat General and in co-operation with Qatar Charity.
Twenty-five youth participants from across the Gulf countries partook in the event, which aimed to enhance the youth's capabilities and skills to empower them to create a positive change in their societies and the region as a whole.
The forum featured field visits to carry out volunteer work, such as distributing food baskets to workers and several families, as well as participating in beach clean-up campaigns and tree planting.
Director of the Programmes and Community Development Department at Qatar Charity, Abdulrahman Mohammad al-Hajri, told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that this collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and Youth in launching the forum reflects Qatar's leading role in humanitarian and development work, noting at the same time Qatar Charity's continuous efforts in launching such initiatives.
Al-Hajri expressed a commitment to continuing and expanding this effort to foster leaders with a humanitarian and development mindset, in addition to enhancing the youth's sense of altruism.
He added that the forum's workshops encouraged the youth to create their own humanitarian and development initiatives.
There is diligent work being done together with the Ministry of Sports and Youth to cultivate Qatari and Gulf talents, with the hopes of producing world-class leaders in the field, he stressed.
Director of the forum, Nasser al-Jabri, said the event succeeded in familiarising the youth with sustainable development goals, ways to launch social initiatives, and empower the youth in materialising their ideas and initiatives in digital and media marketing, as well as enhancing the exchange of experiences among member state delegations, and deepening the sense of social responsibility.
Al-Jabri said the forum aligned with the Ministry of Sports and Youth's strategy to empower the youth and develop their skills and capabilities, with the aim of creating a generation that is well-aware of issues surrounding it.
He added that such forums provide Qatari youth the opportunity to learn from role-models from communities similar to Qatar.
Director of Youth Affairs at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Fawaz al-Musaifiri, highlighted the youth's role in achieving sustainable development, in line with the GCC's Joint Youth Action and in co-ordination with the GCC Secretariat General.
Al-Musaifiri underscored that the forum is the first of its kind in the GCC, and commended the effective partnership behind this event, noting the success of the Ministry of Sports and Youth in organising its events.
In remarks to QNA, participants in the Gulf youth forum emphasised the importance of the activities and workshops in enhancing their skills development and presenting voluntary initiatives supporting sustainable development.
Abdullah Rashid al-Khater, a member of the Qatari delegation, highlighted the forum's significant impact on raising youth awareness and education in humanitarian and development work. He praised the Ministry of Sports and Youth for organising the event, which included workshops and seminars on relevant topics and practical field trips to implement the learned concepts.
Head of the Saudi delegation Fahd bin Abdulrahman al-Qomaie stated that Saudi Arabia's presentation at the forum focused on supporting volunteer and humanitarian work, highlighting efforts to recruit 1mn volunteers in line with its 2030 vision. He expressed gratitude to Qatar for organising the forum and hoped it would continue to benefit youth in the GCC states.
Al-Qomaie noted that the forum offered valuable workshops aimed at developing young people's capabilities and fostering innovative initiatives in development and volunteer work, enhanced by practical field visits and knowledge sharing among participants.
Head of the Omani delegation, Mohammed bin Ali al-Farsi, said Oman's participation aimed to exchange experiences in volunteering and development, providing participants with skills to enhance leadership traits and self-confidence for scientific initiative development.
Head of the Kuwaiti delegation, Mai al-Hashash, noted that her team of students showcased prominent volunteer initiatives from Kuwait, emphasising the forum's role in enriching participants' experiences and learning to propose initiatives that support sustainable development.
Head of the UAE delegation, Ghada al-Zaabi, said the UAE presented various experiences to facilitate knowledge exchange through collaborative working groups, resulting in significant interaction among participants from the GCC.
