Tunis, Tunisia, 9 July 2021- The Government of Tunisia, represented by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Professional Inclusion, and the UNFPA Arab States Regional Office (UNFPA ASRO) launched yesterday the Centre of Excellence for Youth in the Arab Region.
The Centre is one of the outcomes of the second edition of the Youth Forum in the Arab Region held in Tunisia in 2019. The launch of the Centre of Excellence for Youth in the Arab Region marked the kickoff of the third edition of the Youth Forum, which consists of a series of regional events, focusing on the progress achieved in implementing the Forum’s flagship products.
The launch event witnessed the signing of the hosting agreement of the Centre of Excellence for Youth in the Arab Region between the Acting Minister of Youth, Sports and Professional Inclusion - Republic of Tunisia, Ms. Sihem Alayadi, and UNFPA Arab States Regional Director, Dr. Luay Shabaneh, with the virtual participation of youth and other stakeholders from 20 Arab countries.
“As part of our responsibility towards youth and to enable them to take the leadership roles they should play within our societies, we have to strengthen their competences, capabilities and skills through developing the different entities involved in youth upbringing. Also we have to encourage exchanging best practices more widely by establishing a system that supports youth freedom of movement on the regional, continental, and international levels, advance Arab, regional and international cooperation, and support networking between partners, donors and stakeholders working on youth related-issues,” said HE Ms. Sihem Alayadi, Acting Minister of Youth, Sports and Professional Inclusion - Republic of Tunisia. “I am sure that this Centre will be a house of expertise, excellence and innovation for Arab young people.”
“I am delighted to see the fruits of our work with youth that we have initiated a few years ago despite COVID-19 and its consequences. I congratulate the Government of Tunisia on this important achievement and its leadership. The launch today of the Regional Centre of Excellence for Youth in the Arab Region is an important step to support young people in the Arab region and a platform to strengthen partnerships,” said Dr Luay Shabaneh, Regional Director of UNFPA for the Arab States. "We renew our commitments to the youth in the Arab region and look forward to working with them and our partners to bring the unfinished work of the Youth Forum to fruition."
The Centre of Excellence for Youth in the Arab Region will focus on providing better information on the situation of youth; offering training and capacity building opportunities, engaging youth in open dialogue and discussions, supporting youth-related policies and regional initiatives, and sharing best practices.
The next Youth Forum in the Arab Region’s event will take place in September 2021 to present the newly developed Youth Charter for the Arab Region.
###
UNFPA delivers a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.
For More information, please contact
Ms. Malek lakhdar
Communication Analyst, UNFPA Tunisia Office
00 216 98 75 54 30
Mohamed El Hadi Boulaaba
Communication Officer - Ministry of Youth, Sports and Professional Integration in Tunisia
00 216 22 217 508 / 00 216 95 999 797
