Conference on youth and peacemaking concludes

AMMAN — Deputising for HRH Crown Prince Hussein, Youth Minister Rami Wreikat on Tuesday attended the closing ceremony of the “Youth, Peace and Security in the Arab States Region” conference. 

Young people representing 18 Arab countries participated in the three-day conference, organised by several UN agencies.

Panellists and attendees discussed the youth's role in achieving peace and security, and discarding extremism and terrorism, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

In a speech at the closing ceremony, Wreikat said that young people around the world have key roles in spreading peace and achieving international security, noting that what the region is going through requires comprehensive action with a flexible and well-built mechanism.

He also referred to Crown Prince Hussein's role in supporting youth initiatives, noting that His Royal Highness — through holding the Global Forum on Youth, Peace and Security held in Amman in 2015 — alerted the world to shed more light on youth issues and give them more priorities in policymaking. 

The forum, considered an umbrella for the largest assembly of international youth organisations, contributed to reaching the Amman Youth Declaration on Youth, Peace and Security.

The declaration seeks to enhance young people’s participation and leadership in issues of peace and security, and enhance their involvement in violence prevention and peacebuilding. 

Wreikat added that the UN Security Council Resolution 2250 was based on the content of the declaration, resulting in a historic resolution that calls for integrating the youth as a main partner in making sustainable peace, fighting extremism and ending conflicts.

On the sidelines of the conference, the minister participated in a regional consultation and high-level dialogue, which was moderated by UN Secretary General’s Youth Envoy Ahmad Hindawi.

Head of General Security of Dubai Lt. Gen. Dahi Khalfan, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag and UNDP Country Director Zena Ali-Ahmad also participated in the consultation and dialogue.

Participants in the meeting highlighted the importance of the youth participation in political life and national development plans.

They called for engaging young people in the decision-making process, narrowing the gap between young people in job opportunities, establishing a database that allows young people to better communicate in global context means and ensuring them the right to access information, among others.

The conference was a follow-up on the recommendations of the global forum, based on what Crown Prince Hussein announced in April, 2015 while chairing a UN Security Council open debate on the “Role of Youth in Countering Violent Extremism and Promoting Peace”, Petra reported.

At the UN session, the Crown Prince said: “The youth of today need all of you. You are the policymakers, who can impact world peace and security, and the decision makers, who can partner with young people in building efforts, instead of leaving them as a target of violence and destruction. Your generation is also in charge of drawing up education, development and economic policies.