The Sixth Arab Youth Forum in Bibliotheca Alexandrina is to be held from 26 to 28 February 2011, in the framework of the Partnership, which brings together the Library of Alexandria on the one hand, and a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations in the Arab countries on the other hand in the forefront of the National Council of Youth in Egypt.
This year, the forum comes in the framework of the International Year of Youth, which was declared by the United Nations in the period from 12 August 2010 until 11 August 2011, which is an important occasion that can contribute to the formulation of Arab youth in the youth agenda on a global scale and putting its fundamental issues. In the light of available information, The Arab Youth Forum in the BA is considered the only occasion that includes numbers of Arab youth from all Arab countries, that reaches to five hundred young men and women, reflecting the spectrum of geographical, cultural, qualitative and religious in the Arab world. This makes them a representative sample of youth Arab, and reflects their aspirations and wishes in the future.
This year, the forum handles issues related training, skills development, and gaining experience. It is based on a participatory approach to choose the topic for discussion every year, where young people participate via email in raising issues which would be discussed, then these issues are being collected, categorized, and then coalesce into a final image in the light of the wishes of the majority.
The forum in 2011 will have about 500 young men and women from the Arab countries, by 300 young people from Egypt, and 200 young men and women from other Arab countries. It will also be available to the participants, if they so wish, to attend the annual meeting of the Arab Reform Forum, which begins immediately following the end of the works of the Arab Youth Forum.
Previous Arab Youth Forums
Five Arab youth forums have been held over the past five years, each of them discussed a pertinent issue concerning Arab youth.
Approximately 150 young men and women participated in the first Forum in 2006 under the title of "Thought Reform" representing 15 Arab countries, and discussed the themes about the culture of democracy and youth leadership development and employment issues and visions of the future.
In the second forum entitled "The Culture of Youth and Reform" 220 young men and women participated representing 16 Arab countries and discussed youth issues ,the culture of economic development and self-employment, the role of education and training in skills acquisition, the relationship of youth power and society, and the image of Arabs in the West.
In the Third Forum, which carries the theme "Youth and the media's role in achieving a culture of peace, security and development" 320 young men and women participated representing 17 Arab countries. They discussed the role of youth and the media in achieving citizenship, social peace, human security, and the vision of self and acceptance of others.
In the Fourth Forum, which carries the theme "Culture of the Arab youth and identity in an era of globalization", 600 young men and women participated. The themes of the it discussed the issues of cultural conditions, the future of youth, the youth's role in shaping the culture of the community, the Arab youth and issues of belonging and identity, and trends and the real problems and values of young people.
In the Fifth Forum which carries the theme "Economic Empowerment of Arab Youth" ,500 young men and women participated representing 20 Arab countries; and discussed the interlocutor employment policies and job creation for young people, how to prepare young people to the requirements of the labor market, and successful youth's experiences between challenge and response.