Sat, Nov. 3, 2018
As a result of the great book, the World Youth Forum has adopted the seven pillars of the Egyptian identity as its main theme.
The seven identities are:
1- We are descents of the Pharaohs.
2- Our Pharaonic civilization is merged with the Greek and Roman philosophy.
3- The Coptic culture has enriched us.
4- Islamic rituals have strengthened us.
5- The spread of the Arabic language improved our literature.
6- We adopted Mediterranean customs.
7- We are a part of the African Continent and we belong to the Nile basin countries.
Continuing his speech, Hanna junior went on to explain how deeply influenced his father was by the 1919 Revolution and the concept of national identity, which he saw more prominently after the 1919 Revolution.
Milad Senior believed that there is a lot he can learn from people and his travels; he was always evolving and he was eager on African integration.
His travel and studies abroad taught him to never underestimate one or hold prejudice against anyone who is different, a lesson that he learnt after an incident with a Chinese individual whom he had previously underestimated.
“My father was eager to achieve economic African integration through trade and a railway network.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hany Milad Hanna is the son of the great author Milad Hanna. His book, "The 7 Pillars of Egyptian Character," is the inspiration behind our forum's theme this year. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldYouthForum?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldYouthForum</a> <a href="https://t.co/PLvxJqRP2R">pic.twitter.com/PLvxJqRP2R</a></p>— World Youth Forum (@wyfegypt) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyfegypt/status/1058773213327564805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Following Milad Junior’s speech, a documentary showcasing Egypt’s best touristic and most magical places was aired. Throughout the documentary Reem Moustafa explores beautiful Egyptian sites and top touristic places, and talks to different people, including Egyptian Bedouins and Nubians.
Following the video, United Nations Youth Envoy, Jayathma Wickramanayake, took to the stage to give her speech. Wickramanayake spoke about the importance of achieving sustainable development and long-lasting peace through empowering today’s youth to join the discussion table.
“The reality is that young people are often denied a seat at the decision-making table,” she explained, further pointing out that they have good ideas and that their involvement ensures more successful development, as evidence has shown.
The Sri Lankan UN Youth Envoy explains that putting an end to poverty and hunger are can be achieved in one generation only if the youths are to be heard.
“The opportunity is now and it will not last long.”
“To achieve sustainable development and peace it is crucial to change the narrative and recognise the youth as innovators, not problems makers, as leaders of today, not of tomorrow.”
The UN Youth envoy explains that it is important for the youths to be given a change to fix developmental problems; without them, change and sustainability are but a dream.
“In the spirit of achieving sustainable development, the United Nations Security-General launched the UN Youth Strategy, and we invite Member States to follow it,” she stated.
“We stand with implementation of Egypt’s program to empower young women as part of the sustainable development goals”, Wickramanayake said ending her speech on a strong note.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jayathma Wickramanayake is a young Sri Lankan woman and the United Nations Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, focusing on addressing the needs and rights of young people. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldYouthForum?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldYouthForum</a> <a href="https://t.co/pRz57TfiGt">pic.twitter.com/pRz57TfiGt</a></p>— World Youth Forum (@wyfegypt) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyfegypt/status/1058779607275585536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Egyptian Streets’ Founder Mohamed Khairat then gave his speech concerning the responsible use of social media and ensuring that one does not spread fake news via online platforms.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Mohamed Khairat is the Founder and Chief Editor of "Egyptian Streets" Magazine. He founded it in 2012, when he was just 21 years old and built it into one of the most important magazines in Egypt. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldYouthForum?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldYouthForum</a> <a href="https://t.co/mDa8DH8OQp">pic.twitter.com/mDa8DH8OQp</a></p>— World Youth Forum (@wyfegypt) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyfegypt/status/1058776471282610179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Taking the stage after him, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Nadia Murad spoke of the pains that Yazidis have seen, citing the forced displacement of one million Yazidis.
“The Islamic state forced half million Yazidis to flee their homes in Iraq.”
“Without implanting the culture of tolerance and punishing those who commit heinous attacks, we cannot achieve peace.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nadia Murad Basee Taha is an Iraqi novel prize winning activist for human rights who survived a kidnapping by ISIS in 2014.<br><br>"All of us, and especially the youth, are presented with a historical opportunity to work towards spreading peace and justice..."<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldYouthForum?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldYouthForum</a> <a href="https://t.co/5bF3SgHpBt">pic.twitter.com/5bF3SgHpBt</a></p>— World Youth Forum (@wyfegypt) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyfegypt/status/1058792107236831232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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“We cannot reach comprehensive peace without acknowledging each other as different people, with different customs and religions.”
Still, the Nobel Peace Prize Winner commended Egyptian troops for their efforts in the fight against terrorism, “We know the effort done by Egyptian troops to fight terrorism. We, the youth, should work together to come closer to young people to save them from extremism, and enforce positive thinking.”
Zondwa Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, then praised the forum and its role in enabling the youths to take on international issues.
After speaking of his grandfather’s story, he urged the youths to take to follow their dreams, “I am here to encourage you not to limit the scope or scale of your dreams.”
“This is the place and the time for your life to make a difference. The energy represented by the youth is a power that no one can question. Because you have the desire to question, the desire to argue, and the desire to change.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Zondwa Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, is here to talk about and inspire us with his family's legacy of peace.<br><br>"I am here to encourage you not to limit the scope or scale of your dreams"<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldYouthForum?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldYouthForum</a> <a href="https://t.co/qbUptTwZo7">pic.twitter.com/qbUptTwZo7</a></p>— World Youth Forum (@wyfegypt) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyfegypt/status/1058781289745170433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Finally, the moment all participants had been waiting for: President Sisi took to the stage to officially announce the start of the second edition of the World Youth Forum.
Sisi started his speech by saying, “Let me start by welcoming all of you in Egypt and by saying I love you all.”
Addressing the Norther Iraqi Peace Prize Winner Murad, who had made a moving speech earlier, Sisi said, “Nadia, we will demand the entire the world to admit the crimes committed by the Islamic state. We in Egypt rejected extremism. Thirty million protested to reject discrimination and fascism.”
“Say no to discrimination... no to religious extremism.”
Officially, the second edition of the World Youth Forum was launched.
Following the opening session, President Sisi inaugurated the Memorial of Humanity.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are honored with the presence of H.E president Abdelfattah Elsisi at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldYouthForum?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldYouthForum</a>'s opening ceremony, with the attendance of over 5000 young people of 163 nationalities.<br><br>"Say no to discrimination... no to religious extremism" H.E president Abdelfattah Elsisi. <a href="https://t.co/W46TS1wgNT">pic.twitter.com/W46TS1wgNT</a></p>— World Youth Forum (@wyfegypt) <a href="https://twitter.com/wyfegypt/status/1058801645704933378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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For the second year, under the auspices of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, the tourist attraction city of Sharm el-Sheikh is bringing together youth of all nations at the second annual World Youth Forum (WYF) from November 3-6 to deliver a message of peace and prosperity from Egypt to the entire world. According to the official WYF website, the registration process for the forum has been closed after receiving applications from more than 122,000 youth of both sexes across the world.
According to the WYF’s agenda, the theme of peace will discuss sub-topics such as the role of world leaders in building and sustaining peace and water security in the wake of climate change (Day Zero), the future of humanitarian assistance, the Euro-Mediterranean co-operation and partnership, the role of soft power in countering ideological extremism and terrorism, and discussions on ways to rebuild societies and states in the context of post conflict. In 2017, the young participants discussed issues of terrorism, illegal migration, refugees, the impact of conflict on youth, sustainable development, the impact of technology on youth and the role of women in decision making processes.
While the African Agenda 2063 "the Africa we want", will be discussed under the theme of development in addition to other topics including; world energy, addressing the gender gap in labor market, the integration of persons with disabilities in development efforts, social responsibility and ways to invest in youth as future leaders. In 2017, the international forum reviewed major international experiences related to the rehabilitation and training of young people and the role of countries and societies in preparing future leaders.
The third theme “creativity” is expected to discuss opportunities in the artificial intelligence era, as well as entrepreneurs and innovative startup roles in economic growth. Under this theme; a map of the journey of startup pioneers from Egypt and around the world will shared, including challenges and successes so that others can follow and learn. In addition, the participants will learn about best-case practices and listen to inspirational figures discuss the startup dream. The WYF is also planned to witness the “World Youth Theater” by young talented youth from around the world featuring a variety of performances including musicals, plays, stand up comedies and inspirational talks in one of the most diverse youth events. In 2017, the participants discussed the role of cinema in facing terrorism and extremism as well as subjects related to arts and literature, cultural identity and ways to integrate and benefit from diversity to fix the damages of conflicts and wars.
In its first edition, the WYF witnessed a simulation of the United Nations Security Council. Following the recommendations resulting from WYF 2017, this year the second edition of WYF will simulate the regional Arab-African Summit. In two days; 67 young participants representing Arab and African states will be able to live the experience and formulate various solutions to several topics during the discussion including; the threats to global peace and security, and the challenges facing countries as a result of waves of irregular migration, and cyber wars and its threat to state security. The participants will also discuss ways to enhance cooperation between Arab and African youth.
The closing session of the WYF will witness voting and announcing relevant recommendations resulting from the discussions. In 2017, the international summit came out with the following recommendations; to establish an international center on Arab-African dialogue among youth in the world, to enhance the coordination with relevant bodies including the United Nations to adopt the outcomes of the Security Council simulation model conducted during the forum, to annually hold the WYF, to establish a center for cultural communication between Egyptian youth and the world in coordination with the relevant ministries, to establish an African Youth Center brining African youth together and benefiting from their innovative ideas, to put a plan for cultural exchange and provide scholarships for youth coordinated by the National Youth Academy for Training and Empowerment - established in Egypt in 2016, to develop a strategy to counter extremism, terrorism and illiteracy by the beginning of 2018, to activate mechanisms of acquaintance and dialogue among the youth around the world and to expand the financing of small and micro enterprises to support Egyptian youth willing to launch their own projects. During the forum in 2017, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi also revealed that Egypt along with Arabic and European countries are all exerting efforts to add counterterrorism to the agenda of international human rights.
The idea of the WYF was originally proposed on April 25, 2017 by a group of young Egyptians from the Presidential Leadership Program (PLP) during the third National Youth Conference in Ismailia. The aim of these young Egyptians’ initiative was to engage in dialogue with their peer youth from around the world. President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi responded to the initiative on July 24, 2017 during the 4th National Youth Conference in Alexandria and launched the first World Youth Forum in 2017.
![Egypt’s 4th edition of the World Youth Forum [WYF] kicked off, Monday with the participation of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi, Lebanon’s Prime Minster Najib Mikati Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah II](/img/small/4934.jpg "Egypt’s 4th edition of the World Youth Forum [WYF] kicked off, Monday with the participation of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi, Lebanon’s Prime Minster Najib Mikati Crown Prince of Jordan Hussein bin Abdullah II")
