Change: the Power To Make a Difference
Challenging conventional thinking and approaches may be a first step in introducing change, however ensuring positive change happens in a multiplier effect is the ultimate challenge and catalyst to making a real difference.
The Annual Forum 2007 examines three main themes confronting the Young Arab Leaders today through discussions and debates revolving around the introduction of positive and vibrant change on a regional level. These three themes include Cross Cultural Dialogue Amongst Youth, Best Practices in the Arab World and Voices from Nature.
The Young Arab Leaders’ agenda for the future is to create global leaders of responsibility, a force to build an impact-full network. By maintaining a commitment to perform at least one intentional act of positive change this year, together the Young Arab Leaders can make a difference.
Highlights from the Forum Include:
As the global community focuses on environmental protection, the Arab World finds itself far behind on many elements of environmental protection and preservation. According to the UNDP report on environmental sustainability in the Arab World 2002, most Arab League states fall short of the minimum standards of environmental protection policies and programs. The report further elaborates that unless the Arab World takes serious steps towards addressing environmental challenges such as water scarcity, population growth, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, a serious environmental crisis will follow. A failure to act is only one consequence; it has also been determined that awareness of environmental issues is lagging in the Arab region. The last session of the Forum entitled, Voices from Nature: The Arab World Must Hear Them and Act will be dedicated to exploring these issues in depth and be the stimulus for the development of concrete recommendations that the Young Arab Leaders can implement towards addressing this global issues.
Hiwar Al Arab is a discussion forum implemented by Al Arabiya and the Arab Thought Foundation. Hiwar Al Arab delves in to a variety of Arab issues namely politics, education and social responsibility by interacting with the audience as well as facilitating an electronic voting system that allows people from all over the world to share their opinions on the topic at hand. Saturday the 11th of November will witness a special episode from the Young Arab Leaders Annual Forum 2007 whilst hosting a number of prominent guests from across the Arab World. The theme of this special episode is Innovation: Harvesting Ideas from the Arab World. An environment ripe with available capital and the formation of specialized “communities of practice” are two enablers that are fuelling innovation in many parts of the region. Some feel that we are poised to become an innovation “hub”. What are the essential elements required for this to happen and what will be the benefits beyond the obvious for economic growth and diversification? How can managing and fostering innovation be of ultimate benefit to Arab youth as they look to future employment possibilities and opportunities? This virtual dialogue will seek to explore one of the most important issues affecting the economic and social future of the region.
The Young Arab Leaders is creating a benchmark by mobilizing the efforts of hundreds of the region’s CEOs, government and civil society leaders to focus on the issues facing the Arab World. Building a new business model to galvanize this tremendous potential energy – this “brain trust” – has never been done before. The second session of the Forum entitled: Best Practices in the Arab World – Making the Best Better provides a unique opportunity for an honest discussion and debate highlighting case studies and initiatives across the region and providing an x-ray examination of challenges and obstacles ahead in addressing development needs in the Arab World.
The Young Arab Leader’s agenda for the future is moving towards the creation of global leaders of responsibility, a force to build an impact-full network. Annual Forum participants can take on this mantle of global leaders of responsibility by grappling with complex and overwhelming issues and doing what matters to make a statement of positive change. Attending this event is the beginning step in a very important journey
