Online registration begins for ROTA's Empower 2013 Youth Conference

Empower 2013 expects to attract up to 400 youth between the ages of 16 and 26 with a strong 3-day program focusing on Leadership, Service Learning and Global Citizenship. In particular, organizers will be integrating Sports, Environment, Skills Development and the Arabic language as key themes of the EMPOWER 2013 program.

"EMPOWER 2013 is a unique platform for youth to discover their voice, realize their potential to make a positive contribution and develop their skills, knowledge and attitudes to take on active leadership roles within their communities," explains ROTA Community Development manager National programs director Mr. Mohamed Abdullah Saleh.

EMPOWER 2013 aims to build on the success of four previous EMPOWER conferences by continuing to raise awareness and build knowledge and capacity to enable young people to take leadership roles to address local and international developmental issues that concern them.

Since the event's inauguration in 2009, EMPOWER has gained a reputation for being the first youth led conference in Qatar to focus on equipping young people to take active roles in building their communities and having a voice on global issues.

Demonstrating the wisdom of ROTA's decision to ensure EMPOWER remains a youth-led conference, EMPOWER 2013 has been organized in collaboration with a Planning Committee comprised of 30 youth volunteers.

The Planning Committee serves EMPOWER by assisting ROTA in planning, implementing and coordinating certain elements of the conference. Whilst the Planning Committee attend planning meetings as well as allocating time and effort to implement their tasks, ROTA commits to provide training, workshops and a learning experience.

Among EMPOWER's many outstanding achievements has been the event's ability to promote and showcase the aims and outcomes of the ROTA Youth Service Club program to a wider audience.

This year the theme proposed for EMPOWER 2013 will be Water Cooperation. In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 as the United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation. In reflection of this declaration, the 2013 World Water Day, which will take place on 22 March 2013, the conference, will be dedicated to water cooperation.

"EMPOWER 2013 will focus creating awareness on Water Cooperation. The event will provide an insightful opportunity for 400 youths to develop their skills, knowledge and attitudes to take on leadership roles which support ROTA strategies," adds Mr. Saleh.

"ROTA is proud of the fact that EMPOWER has established its reputation as a forum for exchange of ideas, projects and reflections that address both local needs and global issues."