The Minister of Youth and Sports inaugurates the Greater Cairo Youth Dialogue Workshop at the branch of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport in the Smart Village.

Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, inaugurated today, Saturday, the activities of a workshop entitled "Greater Cairo Youth Dialogue on the National Strategy for Youth and Adolescents." This workshop is part of the second phase of the Egyptian National Strategy for Youth and Adolescents 2021-2026, which is being developed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in collaboration with the Arab Institute for Leadership Development at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, and the United Nations Population Fund.

The workshop was held at the branch of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in the Smart Village, with the presence of Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar, President of the Academy, Dr. Hanan Gouda, Dean of the Arab Institute for Leadership Development and General Supervisor of the strategy preparation, and the participation of a group of young people from the Greater Cairo governorates.

The workshop includes three sessions. The first session discusses youth, economic participation, entrepreneurship, and the second session focuses on youth, health, physical fitness, and sports participation. The third session revolves around "youth, citizenship, and political participation."

In his speech, Dr. Ashraf Sobhy emphasized the fruitful cooperation with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport in updating the ministry's strategy for youth. He highlighted the importance of conducting workshops and engaging in societal discussions with young people from various sectors and entities to understand their requirements, needs, and opinions on various issues.

The minister believes that Egyptian youth are a renewable and abundant energy, and the country's leadership provides them with full support and encouragement, working on empowering them in all fields. He mentioned that population studies in Egypt indicate that even by the year 2052, the majority of society will still be youth. Therefore, it is crucial to address the needs and aspirations of young people and update the ministry's strategy for youth and adolescents through opinion surveys, comparative analysis of youth strategies in different countries, and evaluation of the current situation.

Furthermore, the minister called for setting a specific timeframe for implementing the strategy's targets, not only focusing on its development but also breaking it down into components and distributing implementation responsibilities among the central administrations of the ministry within a specified timeframe. This approach aims to achieve a unified vision based on the needs of young people and in service of the Egyptian state. He emphasized the importance of evaluating the progress made in implementing the strategy.

Dr. Ashraf Sobhy stated that they are interested in youth organizations, understanding their agenda, objectives, and contributing to the implementation of their programs through interaction and integration with all youth-related institutions in society.

He presented the general objectives, vision, and tasks of the ministry's strategy in the fields of youth and sports. He stressed the ministry's focus on making Egypt a platform for hosting major sporting events, utilizing sports for development, and developing infrastructure through various plans and programs. He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the President of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport for the fruitful cooperation.

In response, the President of the Arab Academy emphasized the Egyptian government's interest in developing human resources, particularly the youth who represent the hope of the future and the foundation for development in societies. He pointed out that attracting the energy and employing the capabilities of youth should be a top priority since they are the most capable of driving development. He advised Egyptian youth to set their goals, believe in themselves and their abilities, and strive to serve their communities to the best of their capabilities.

Dr. Ismail Abdel Ghaffar presented a shield from the Academy to the Minister of Youth and Sports as a token of appreciation for his tangible contributions to the youth and sports sectors. He congratulated him on the success of organizing the 2021 Handball World Championship, which demonstrates the will and capability of the Egyptian