The Arab Federation for Youth and Employment Forum (AFYE) organised the ninth round of the Forum on Eco-Tourism and Ending Unemployment through Green Tourism, reports Mahmoud Bakr. The forum was held in Luxor and Aswan from 26 October to 1 November and hosted 250 young men and women from Egypt, Africa and the Arab world. The event was organised in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the secretariat of the Arab League, and the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) and with the participation of the ministries of tourism and antiquities. Also in attendance were young people from Egyptian and Arab universities, experts from Arab and regional associations, and from the Arab Water Council. “The forum discussed issues related to empowering youth and creating decent job opportunities, in addition to water issues in the Arab world and introducing the knowledge economy to young people,” said Mamdouh Rashwan, secretary-general of the AFYE. “The event helped educate young people about renewable eco-tourism and introduced them to Arab experiences in green tourism. It was also essential in showing the young people the importance of integrating the concept of green tourism into youth activities in the Arab region and ways of creating jobs in the field of eco-tourism to empower young people and minimise unemployment,” Rashwan said. Participants at the forum “recommended in the closing session that the Ministry of Youth and Sports should organise an annual trip for Arab young people to Luxor and Aswan to introduce them to heritage and eco-tourism and show them opportunities for environmental investment, especially in places such as Nubia's West Sehel village south of Aswan. They also stressed the need to spread awareness about preserving touristic and folkloric sites and the importance of Arab investment in disposing of solid waste and effecting safe disposal mechanisms to preserve the environment.” The recommendations “included encouraging domestic tourism in the Arab countries and organising periodical Arab youth camps, in addition to developing nature reserves and using local materials to build eco-villages near sites of archaeological value. The participants also demanded coordination between the tourism industry and scientific research institutions and universities. They encouraged youth involvement in green industries, starting with small projects in this field to end unemployment among Arab youth,” he said. These recommendations will be taken to youth ministers at their next convention at the Arab League, Rashwan said, to give a boost to youth forums and conferences that aim to strengthen ties among Arab youth. Deputy Governor of Aswan Said Hegazi said that the fact that Aswan was chosen to host the forum indicated the importance of the governorate on the Arab and international map as one of the most important tourist destinations in the world. “The present critical chapter in Arab history requires the unity of all the Arab countries,” he stated. “Organisations, governments and civil society have to empower Arab youth economically, politically and socially for them to be able to face the challenges of the present, prime among which are lack of development, poverty, unemployment and disease. It is also vital for us to maintain our Arab identity,” Hegazi said. The forum was organised in tandem with the World Youth Forum held in Sharm El-Sheikh under the auspices of President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi to bring about effective dialogue between young people and world leaders and for young people to contribute to finding solutions to the problems the world faces.
