Youth in the region yesterday demonstrated how they are ready to contribute to the growth of societies, when the Gulf’s largest youth conference ‘Sustainable Youth for the Gulf’ began yesterday.
Organised by AIESEC Qatar, the local-chapter of international student body, the diverse mix of students came from Qatar, UAE, Bahrain and Oman.
AIESEC, an international platform for young people to discover and develop their potential, is a non-profit, non-political, youth-driven organisation.
“Youth sustainability is contributing to societies’ growth around the world. We, here in Qatar, are taking that spirit forward,” AIESEC Qatar officials said while welcoming the participants of the three-day conference.
Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, who is the chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association, in his keynote address responded: “If a society fails to engage its youth constructively, it not only fails to perform its duty but will lack future leaders also.”
Sheikh Faisal al-Thani also called on businesses to offer the youth career and skill developing tools vis-à-vis internships and other initiatives.
AIESEC Qatar president, Petra Chovancová, who hails from Czech Republic but has been working for AIESEC for past four years, said yesterday’s event is like a dream come true.
“Few months ago when I knew that I’m going to Qatar I had a dream. I knew that AIESEC had a role to play in Qatar.. As I look around I see many individuals who will stand up and lead the youth after what they learn here and take themselves forward,” Chovancová said.
An official from the College of North Atlantic in Qatar (CNA-Q), which is a supporting partner of the conference, Cynthia Howman spoke next.
“Like AIESEC the CNA-Q represents progressiveness. Over the past year I’ve guided in founding a chapter of AIESEC at CNA-Q as I believe in its admirable principals of living with diversity and striving for excellence, among others,” Howman, dean of Student Affairs, said.
AIESEC Qatar has a total of three chapters, two at the Qatar University and another one at the CNA-Q.
Howman concluded while encouraging the youth with what Sir Isaac Newton said about a couple of centuries ago: “If I have seen further than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”
Panel discussions featuring variety of perspective about the Gulf, finance and banking market trends and other workshops followed.
Today the conference moves on to the CNA-Q where it will conclude tomorrow.
GT
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