Region's youth take on city officials in live discussion forum

They have also underlined the need to set up advanced educational facilities that enable them to compete in a fast changing world, in addition to creating more job opportunities.

They were participating in a dialogue between youth and municipal and national authorities as part of the "Urban Youth and Children in the MENA Region" conference, currently being held in Dubai.

More than 60 youth from the region, representing a cross section of youth including male, female, student, job-seeker and people of special needs, have attended the session. Youths from Cairo (Egypt), West Bank & Gaza (Palestine), Rabat (Morocco), and Sana'a (Yemen) joined the UAE youths via video conference.

In his welcoming note prior to the dialogue, Abdullah Raffia, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Environment and Public Health Affairs, said there is nothing contradictory between the youths and the city officials, but both complement each other.

During the dialogue, Hassan Al Mazrui, from the UAE, asked Mr. Raffia on the role of youth in the city's decision making process. His response was that the municipality takes into consideration views and opinions of different segments of the society at various levels of its decision making process.

"We have introduced a suggestion scheme 'Have Your Say' under which any one can put forward an innovative suggestion that is feasible and can influence the plans and decisions of Dubai Municipality," said Raffia.

Egypt's Khalid Abdel Rahim, a special needs youth, asked a city official from Cairo on what sorts of facilities they are providing to the people of special needs. Three youths from Palestine, led by Basel Abdel-Rahman Mansour, a University graduate, explained how difficult their life is under the Israeli occupation and how they balance a mind full of aspirations with a life full of obstacles and challenges.

Youths from Rabat, Sana'a and Cairo also talked about the life's challenges and urged city officials to take their views into consideration while formulating policies for city development and administration. They raised the issue of educating the society in general and city officials in particular on the rights of the youth and the significance of solving their problems if a city has to grow in balance.

"We youths are not the citizens of tomorrow. We are citizens now. Our voices have to be heard and city officials should make it a point to plan the city that is friendly to youth," a participant from Rabat said.

The dialogue was facilitated by Sana Abu Bakr and Akram Al Aklahi.