SVF organized a youth awareness meeting in collaboration with "Hadaf Center" entitled "Strengthening the role of youth in the process of community rehabilitating" on Wednesday June 30, 2010 in the hall of the Centre of Hadaf Center, attended by 30 young leader. The speakers of the meeting were Mr. Karem Nashwan / Director of Democracy and Workers Rights Center, and Mr. / Mohsen Abu Ramadan / Chairman of the NGOs Network.
Mr. Nashwan referred that young people are the driving force who capable has a large and effective role in building the society in general. Furthermore, Mr. Nashwan pointed out that young people in Palestine, particularly, and the Arab world in general suffer from problems preventing them to achieve their ambitions; internal and external challenges, which requires to be able to face their difficulties wisely towards achievement.
He also stressed the importance role of youth in the construction phase and the community development. In this sense, he confirmed on the need to acquire of adequate knowledge and intellectual capacity to meet their needs and the needs of their community, based on values, self-awareness and self-confidence accompanied by technological progress of civilization to contribute to the development of Palestinian society.
On the other side, he also emphasized the importance role of the Palestinian youth in the initiative in the reforms at all levels political, social, economic and cultural. In his turn, he also stressed the importance of activating volunteer work and to work hardly to educate our community in light of this point.
He recommended the youth to avoid factionalism and clannish and abandoning racism in our society and fighting corruption to preserve the unity of the nation and this requires: strengthening national construction, and fighting poverty in Palestine, meeting the needs of citizens, strengthening the rule of law, safety and security of citizens, fighting unemployment and help unemployed to find suitable work, strengthening the role of civil society organizations and promoting volunteer work in Palestinian society.
In his turn, Mr. Abu Ramadan tackled the role of the Palestinian youth and commented on the absence of the strategic development plans and a lack of resources for economic development in Palestine and increase the rate of population growth, as well as lacking of vocational education. Hence, Mr. Abu Ramadan stressed the need to initiate a comprehensive planning process of the situation in Palestine in all fields after studying the requirements for the Palestinian society and to develop programs for guidance. On the other side, Mr. Abu Ramdan addressed the migration of young people abroad, and increasing values of conviction and contentment and abandoning the spirit of radicalism. In contrary, he stressed on the need for youth participation in the institutions and political parties to take a clear role towards a free democratic civil society by allowing them the opportunity to influence decision-making.
In conclusion, the participants recommended on the following points:
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The necessity of activating the role of youth voluntary work in the NGOs.
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Working with human rights organizations to lobby decision makers to change the retirement age from 60 years to 50 years to allow employment for young people.
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The need to focus on the law of the Palestinian youth which did not approve of this moment.
Promoting and educate youth rights' concepts for young people.