Qatar to Host Second International Symposium on Youth Participation in Mediation Processes 2020

Qatar to Host Second International Symposium on Youth Participation in Mediation Processes 2020

Helsinki - information office - 05 March 2019

The State of Qatar has announced that it will host the Second International Symposium on Youth Participation in Mediation Processes 2020.

This came in a statement delivered by HE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, who is heading the delegation of the State of Qatar to the First International Symposium on Youth Participation in Mediation Processes, currently being held in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, under the auspices of the State of Qatar and the Government of Colombia, in coordination with the United Nations.

In his speech at the opening of the conference, HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs called for benefiting from the dynamism of youth in resolving contemporary issues as the most innovative forces to bring about societal changes and achieve sustainable peace.

"The State of Qatar sees the need to create a world that provides opportunities to nurture the potential of young people and to address the misconception that youth must not have a say in addressing global problems," HE the Minister said.

In this regard, HE Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi pointed to the efforts of the State of Qatar to resolve many conflicts and to attach great importance to the role of youth in this regard, noting that the State of Qatar has been mediating in many conflicts starting with hosting negotiations that ended the political conflict in Lebanon in 2008 , facilitating talks between the Sudanese government and the various rebel movements in Darfur, and ending with the ongoing Afghan peace talks.

He stressed that all the mediation undertaken by the State of Qatar dealt with the important issues related to the aspirations of youth and their role in building peace, and expressed pride in Qatar's proven track record in launching innovative projects initiatives in cooperation with youth organizations.

HE the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs highlighted the establishment of the Youth Advisory Committee in the State of Qatar in 2017 and its complementary role in strengthening and empowering youth in society and implementing the Qatar National Vision, noting the launch of a youth version at the Doha Forum in cooperation with the Qatar Debates Center.