The Role of Youth in Modernization and Reform
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Alexandria, 21 February 2005—The Arab Reform Forum at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA) is organizing a conference entitled The Role of Youth in Modernization and Reform, 23-24 February 2005, to present and discuss its latest reform projects.
The conference will be inaugurated by Dr. Ismail Serageldin, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Dr. Hossam Badrawy, Head of the Education Committee in the People’s Assembly, and Mr. Nabil Samuel, Director of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services. It aims to provide a platform for members of the Egyptian youth to share and exchange their ideas on the reasons and projects for modernization as well as the factors affecting it. This is in addition to preparing a one-year work plan. The Forum also aims to prepare and publish the studies and analyses within the different panels upon their evaluation, on the Forum website and in a book, to facilitate their accessibility by the public.
The Arab Reform Forum is highly concerned with this project due to its role in assisting reform and modernization in different aspects, and developing its projects, aided by the Forum’s wide connection with civil society organizations.
Dr. Mohsen Youssef, Senior Advisor for Special Projects at BA, stated that the project aims to provide the youth, aged 20-35, the privilege and the freedom to express their vision of modernization in the Arab world and widen their participation. Another aim is to help build the next generation’s intellectual capital. This is in addition to improving public speech concerning modernization, and developing a new knowledge base, that depends on both theoretical and practical studies.
The Forum discusses the following issues in seven panels:- Cultural Speech will revolve around the contribution of youth to cultural speech, and how it can guide Arab societies into modernization.
- Building Social Capital will discuss the social capital of each Arab country and the Arab world as a whole, and how civil society organizations can contribute to it.
- Modernizing Civil Society Organizations(CSO) will discuss modernization of CSOs and organizations concerned with problems of the youth, as well as the lessons learned from previous related Arab experiences. In addition, discussions will be held on bureaucratic, political and educational organizations.
- Modernization and Democracy and Modernization and Social Change will discuss the achieving of social change and democratization.
- Modernization and the Building of a Knowledge Society will discuss how to build a knowledge society in the Arab world, and Arab contribution to the generation of knowledge on an international scale.
- Modernization and Economics will discuss economic development in the Arab world as well as the issues related to technological advances and economic policies and connecting to global markets.