The Arab Federation for Youth and Environment (AFYE) recently organised a meeting for young men and women from 30 Arab and African countries in Luxor, reports Mahmoud Bakr. The fifth Arab-African Environmental Youth Forum opened in the Arab League in Cairo, before a week-long convention in Luxor, after which the 400 participants visited various landmarks in Aswan. The Ministry of Youth and the Islamic Organisation for Education, Science, and Culture helped organise the meeting, held under the slogan, “The Nile: Path For Cooperation, Not Conflict”. Nearly 30 countries sent delegations to the session, which was named after the departing African leader Nelson Mandela. Magdi Allam, AFYE executive committee chief, told the forum that AFYE has drawn up 12 plans for cooperation among Arab and African countries, including the formation of a Nile Valley youth union and an Arab-African green belt. AFYE Secretary-General Mamdouh Rashwan, for his part, said that the Nile Valley youths should help find peaceful solutions to the regional issues, such as water. He urged the formation of a youth parliament and the exchange of expertise among the youths in various Arab and African countries. Walid Al-Sayed, Sudanese National Congress secretary and AFYE adviser, said that the youths should be involved not only in the fight against racism but in promoting integration and cooperation among its members. Ali Said, a 28-year-old participant from Somalia, said that he was thrilled to have the opportunity to discuss Arab and African problems with his peers. He proposed closer cultural and economic cooperation among the Nile Valley countries. Galo Mohamed, a 26-year-old from Guinea, urged regular visits by the youth of the natural protectorates in various Nile Valley countries. He urged the formation of a league for the friends of natural protectorates. Naguib Singer, a Lebanese environmental activist, said that the meeting created a climate of dialogue and understanding among Arab and African youths, calling for further interaction among those living in the region. At their final statement, AFYE youth called for the organisation of two camps, one for the summer and one in the winter, in Egypt, as well as regular camps in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. AFYE Secretary-General Rashwan said that Egypt will provide 100 fellowships for undergraduate studies in its universities for the youth of the Nile Valley, plus another 100 fellowships for post-graduate work. In addition, Egypt will offer 50 more fellowships for study at the Medinet Al-Buuth Al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Missions City in Cairo.
