Intergenerational Dialogue on the Role of Youth in Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) through Sport
On 21-23 June 2022, in Rabat, Morocco, 16 Young Leaders from the Middle East and North Africa met for a Regional Youth Forum, where they joined the conversation and discussion on PVE policy making, Sport for Development and Peace, and the role of athletes and mega sporting events in making the world a better and more peaceful world.
The Youth Forum was based on the power of sport to promote increased youth participation in national and regional PVE strategies and reaffirm the role of youth in fostering sustainable peace and development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The main outcome of the Regional Youth Forum was the development of recommendations and the engagement in interactive discussions with regional decision-makers and policy specialists during a high-level event: the Intergenerational Dialogue.
The event was organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) within the framework of the Global Programme on the Security of Major Sporting Events and the Promotion of Sport and its Values as a Tool to Prevent Violent Extremism (“Global Programme”), which is led by the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), in partnership with UNAOC, the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), and the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS).
ENGSO Youth project manager Christian Saleh Hajj took part in the forum with the perspective of cooperating and collaborating with youth leaders. During his intervention in the intergenerational dialogue he mentioned that:
“Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the Modern Olympic Games, wanted to bring the youth of the world together through sporting competitions, where friendship, mutual respect and understanding would be fostered. And the best tool to prevent violent extremism and promote peace is through sport and education, especially by organising youth forums, youth exchanges and bringing the future leaders together to promote intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding”.
You can read more about it in the following link: https://www.unaoc.org/2022/06/intergenerational-dialogue-role-of-youth-in-pve-through-sport/
