On April 5, 2006 the city of Dubai witnessed a unique event for youth and youth activists in the Arab Region. This important date witnessed an important turning point for the region where we no longer say no to drugs, but we take actions to protect young people from drug misuse through awareness, training and advocacy to place issues of prevention on the forefront of the drug agenda.

April 5, 2006 was a date through which the UNODC, WHO, Right Start Foundation and Dubai Police Force all came together to say, let us work diligently to prevent our youth and children from drug misuse by supporting Mentor Arabia, a foundation launched on that date for that purpose by building the perfect triangle of partnerships: Civil Society, Governments and the Private Sector=Proper strategic and long term planning to ensure youth empowerment, youth wellness, and a drug-free Arab society.

Mentor Arabia, as a branch of Mentor Foundation International (www.mentorfoundation.org) comes to the Arab region at a stage where we can no longer stand to be indifferent to this destructive phenomenon. Young people have been invited to take part in this organization through the establishment of direct projects that target youth involvement and by including young people in the decision-making process of the organization through a Youth Advisory Panel (the first in all regional civil society organizations in the region) and a Youth Representative on the Board of Trustees, whose role is to ensure that young people’s views are incorporated in the organization’s policies and strategies.

It is really inspiring to see such efforts unfold as a reality after long work. I invite young people to visit Mentor Arabia’s section on the Mentor website, and invite all Arab youth to join Mentor Arabia in its endeavors to help us in our cause.

Being GYAN’s Arab Region Coordinator for the past 2 years has allowed me to deal with many youth groups and a large number of Arab governments. I was always under the perception that Kuwait would be the most difficult to deal with. Although I am a Kuwaiti, I never found young people who fully understood the importance of establishing a firm, united and growing collaboration of young people in Kuwait NOW.

Having worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Planning, I always found the political commitment to youth causes in Kuwait, but nothing tangible ever followed. Two years ago I had read a piece in a weekly newspaper based in Kuwait about a young woman by the name of Rana Kamshad who voluntarily covered the Iraqi war for the Kuwaiti Al-Seyassah, being the only Kuwaiti woman to take-on this difficult and dangerous task. I called Al-Taleea and they immediately responded to my request for a connection. We met 2 days later and I honestly did not see any prospects for cooperation -I guess it was too early.

One month ago, I received an email from her telling me that she had been recently appointed as the Executive Director of Junior Achievements’ (Injaz) Kuwait branch and that she is also a board member of a newly formed youth entity under the name “Kuwait Youth Organization.” As luck would have it, I returned to Kuwait ten days later and met with their board. I was so intrigued by that dedicated group of young people who were determined to undertake the almost impossible task of working with youth in Kuwait!

Today, I ran a workshop for their board on the history of the international youth movement, WPAY and GYAN’s 5-Level Model on Youth Participation. Although we were a small group (following TIG’s “Guide to Action’s” motto, “the people who showed up are the right number of people”). We were scheduled for one hour and it ended up being for two! I was simply inspired by their questions and note-taking skills. And although those who were present have rough schedules (all being committed to full-time jobs) they remained fully alert and very much active.

As a youth activist I always ask myself, “Is the work I am doing really worth it?” After mesmerizing experiences like tonight’s workshop, the YES is always intensified, and gives me such a strong boost to continue the commitment I have taken to work with youth in Arab States as a part of our collective effort within GYAN International that aims to “unite our efforts for a better world.”

Good Luck KYO in all your future endeavors!

This is very scary, really. Especially since I come from a region where preserving the environment, which has sufferred greatly due to Global Warming, is becoming an increasingly pressing issue.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9670893/

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GENEVA - Declining soil fertility, drought, deforestation and other gradual environmental problems could force up to 50 million people from their homes by 2010, U.N. experts predicted Tuesday.

Rising sea levels, expanding deserts and catastrophic weather-induced flooding have already contributed to large permanent migrations and could eventually displace hundreds of millions of people, said the United Nations University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security in Bonn, Germany.

“There are well-founded fears that the number of people fleeing untenable environmental conditions may grow exponentially as the world experiences the effects of climate change and other phenomena,” said Janos Bogardi, the director of the institute.

The U.N. refugee agency estimates the current number of refugees worldwide at 19.2 million. But UNU says the number of people forced to move because of environmental deterioration already equals and may someday dwarf that number.

Amid such predictions, the institute is urging the international community to “define, recognize and extend support” for such refugees.

Victims of sudden and highly publicized catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina or the 2004 tsunami in Asia benefit from the generosity of the private and public sectors as well as humanitarian relief, UNU said. But millions of others around the world, uprooted by more gradual environmental change receive comparatively little support and are not recognized as “refugees” with the associated benefits, it said.

Among the examples cited by the institute was the Gobi desert in China, which it said expands more than 4,000 square miles per year, threatening many villages. In Turkey 62,000 square miles of farmlands are affected by soil erosion.

Louisiana now loses roughly 25 square miles of land to the sea every year, according to Anthony Oliver-Smith, an anthropology professor at the University of Florida. In Alaska, 213 communities are threatened by tides that creep roughly 10 feet farther inland each year.

Muslims believe that their religion is transnational and evolutionary. In simpler terms-we believe that the teachings of Mohammed are valid across all time and races. For many skeptics, this may be unbelievable. In many ways, they may be right, but for the sake of this entry I will be examining two of the five pillars of Islam, namely: Fasting and Alms and their relationship to Goal Number 1 of the Millennium Development Goals: Eradication of Poverty.

For the past five years, world leaders have been debating the means to eradicate poverty (or half it) by 2015. The Millennium Project, headed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, has given a doable plan to achieve this goal and all others by the set time. Looking at it from a religious perspective (being Muslim who practices Islam out of my own will-long story, I will be happy to explain later). I think that a “PRSP” has already been unveiled to the world, fourteen centuries ago.

It is not enough for people to envision what poverty is doing to the lives of people, but the destruction that it causes can only be realized if you have a “feel” of its affect. This, is the rationale that Islam gives to fasting. Currently, Muslims around the world are observing their monthly fast during the Holy month of Ramadan, which we believe is when Gabriel first started his revelations to the Prophet. Having observed the fast myself since I was the age of 9, I can honestly say that it does work. Everyday, when it is time for breakfast I thank God for the great gift that he has given me-water and 3 pieces of dates (followed by a meal of course, but it is customary to break your fast with that first).

This allows me to reflect and feel for those who are living in poverty-many of whom, especially those in Sub-Sahara Africa, consider dates and water at the same time, a luxury. A relevant quote to how Islam views poverty is referenced to Ali bin Abi Taleb, the last Muslim Khalifha (Ruler) during the Muslim Golden Age who said “God Damn Poverty. Had it been a man, I would have ordered his execution.”

My friend Jonah Wittkamper has been trying to work with young philanthropists to realize an evident truth which many philanthropists seem to overlook-humility in giving. Islam advocates that every year, any person who makes a continued income through a job, business etc…is obliged to give 2.5% of their annual income to the poor. This is what we call Zakat. It is believed among Muslims, that those who give alms should not publically announce who they gave their alms to, as a means to preserve the latter party’s dignity. Of course, not every Muslim does this anymore. If we all did, we wouldn’t have the shocking statistics which prove that the Islamic States have the lowest development indicators worldwide.

Religion doesn’t have all the answers. I believe that. But some dilemmas can be answered through faith. Alms and Fasting are two examples of how every Muslim can contribute to poverty reduction. In short, put yourself in the shoes of those who live in poverty so that you can “humbly” support them to ease their pain. Although this may not be a substantial way to solve nation-wide poverty, but it can certainly be a way for everyone, not just Muslims, to contribute to the MDGs.

قمت بكتابة هذه المقالة التي نشرت في ملحق الشباب لجريدة القبس الكويتية، وهي أحد أهم الصحف في الكويت. نشر في تاريخ 3/10/2005م

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أمضيت الثالث أسابيع الماضية في مدينة نيو يورك للعمل على تحضير دور الانعقاد الخاص للجمعية العامة للأمم المتحدة لمراجعة برنامج العمل العالمي للشباب لسنة 2000 وما بعدها بعد مرور عشر سنوات على إطلاقه. العمل في أروقة الأمم المتحدة له طعم خاص لطالما أحببته وثابرت دائما على المشاركة فيه. ومن خلال عملي في الشبكة العالمية للشباب (وهي منظمة شبابية غير حكومية تتخذ من نيو يورك مقرا لها وحاصلة على الصفة الاستشارية في الجمعية الاقتصادية والاجتماعية للأمم المتحدة) وأيضا كوني عضو مؤسس للهيئة الاستشارية الشبابية لصندوق الأمم المتحدة للسكان، أعمل وبشكل دائم مع برنامج الأمم المتحدة للشباب على متابعة مستجدات الحركة الشبابية في الدول العربية التي بدأ صداها يأخذ حيزا مهما في بعض الدول خاصة في المملكة الأردنية الهاشمية، مملكة البحرين والمملكة المغربية.

لمدة عام مضى، عملنا في الفريق الإقليمي للشبكة في بيروت للتحضير للمشاركة الشبابية العربية الرسمية وغير الرسمية في دور الانعقاد الخاص للجمعية العامة لمراجعة برنامج العمل العالمي للشباب لسنة 2000 وما بعدها. هذا البرنامج، أطلق في عام 1995 عبر قرار من قبل الجمعية العامة. ويتبنى البرنامج خمسة عشر أولوية للتعامل مع الشباب. ومن المفترض، أن تضع الحكومات والمنظمات الدولية والمنظمات الشبابية خططا لتنفيذ هذا البرنامج، والذي يعتبر السقف الأعلى للتعامل مع قضايا الشباب. ومن أبرز ما ورد في هذا البرنامج، دعوة الدول الأعضاء في الأمم المتحدة للمرة الثالثة (أطلقت الدعوة الأولى في عام 1971)، بتفويض شباب لتمثيل الدولة للمشاركة في أعمل اللجنة الثالثة حين مناقشة بند الشباب، إضافة إلى إشراك الشباب في وفود الدول، حين انعقاد اجتماعات دولية كبرى.

وعلى الرغم من هذه الدعوات المتكررة، إلا أن حتى الأسبوع الماضي، لم تبادر أي دولة عربية بأخذ مثل هذه الخطوة. ومن يشارك في اجتماعات الأمم المتحدة، يعلم بأن "الكوتا" العربية ضئيلة جدا، وهذا لا يقتصر على اجتماعات الشباب فحسب، بل واقع جميع الاجتماعات التي تشرك فيها منظمات المجتمع المدني. ويرجع إخفاق المشاركة العربية إلى عدة أمور، من أهمها عدم توافر الأموال اللازمة للسفر والإقامة وعدم وجود علاقة وثيقة بين المنظمات الأهلية في عالمنا العربي والأمم المتحدة وأجهزتها المختلفة.

في السنوات الثلاث الماضية، شاركت في ما يزيد عن 12 اجتماع في الأمم المتحدة في بيروت، نيو يورك و نيروبي. وعندما تكون الاجتماعات خاصة بالشباب، أصدم بالحقيقة ذاتها: أنا الوحيد من دولة الكويت. وعلى الرغم من أن مشاركتي تأتي في إطار عملي مع المنظمات الشبابية الدولية ومنظمات الأمم المتحدة المتخصصة، إلا أنني أتسائل، لماذا مقعد الكويت الرسمي فاضي؟ ما الهدف؟ هل يعود السبب إلى عدم توثيق العلاقات بين المنظمات الأهلية في الكويت والأمم المتحدة (وهذه حقيقة) أم أن الدولة ليس لها اهتمام في قطاع الشباب، على الرغم من وجود جهة رسمية ممولة بالكامل، وهي الهيئة العامة للشباب والرياضة، والتي من المفترض أن تتابع هذه الأمور؟

وكما هو متوقع، فان دور الانعقاد الخاص للجمعية العامة لن يشهد مشاركة شبابية من الكويت، بينما كانت الريادة بين أيدينا لنكون أول دولة عربية لاتخاذ هذا القرار. فأثناء تواجدي في نيو يورك، سعدت باتصال من أحد الأخوة في الوفد الدائم للمملكة العربية السعودية يزف لي بشرى بأن المملكة ستكون أول دولة عربية لأخذ هذه الخطوة. لا أخفيكم، أغمرت بالسعادة، لأنني في النهاية أعمل مع جميع الدول العربية، وهذا إنجاز يسجل للمملكة والمنطقة. 2005 شهد أول مشاركة شبابية عربية رسمية في اجتماع خاص للأمم المتحدة حول الشباب، فهنيئا للمملكة على هذا الدور الريادي المعتاد، وان شاء الله تكون هذه الخطوة خير بادرة لبقيت الدول العربية لأخذ مثل هذا القرار الصائب.

وعلى الرغم من أنني عربي الانتماء، إلا أن حبي لوطني جلب لي شيء من الخيبة. أين شباب بلدي؟ لماذا لا نقوم نحن بمثل هذا العمل الجميل للارتقاء بمستوى الشباب؟ لا يجوز أن تكون دولة رائدة مثل الكويت معرضة تماما عن قطاع حيوي ومهم مثل قطاع الشباب. فالشباب هم الحل وليسوا المشكلة، والعمل على تنمية قدراتهم وتمكينهم من المشاركة يخلق قادة قادرين على تحمل المسؤولية، وهذا مفتاح العودة إلى عهد النهضة الذي يفتقده كل كويتي.

أتمنى أن تصل رسالتي إلى من يهمه الأمر في الدولة، خصوصا وأن سمو رئيس مجلس الوزراء لديه رغبة خالصة للالتفاف حول الشباب وتفعيل دورهم في المجتمع. ندائي نداء شاب مخلصا لبلده: أعطونا الفرصة ولن نخيب أملكم، خاصة إذا وجدنا الجدية من قبل المسئولين!