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The International Youth Forum, under the theme “Generation Unity: From Knowledge to Joint Initiatives,” will bring together political leaders, youth representatives, academics, government officials, and civil society figures at the University of Jordan in Amman on 9 November 2026, from 13:00 to 15:00.
The panel session, also titled “Generation of Unity: From Knowledge to Joint Initiatives,” will explore how international youth cooperation can transform knowledge and skills into practical opportunities, partnerships, and initiatives that respond to the aspirations and challenges of younger generations.
The choice of Jordan as the host country carries particular significance. With approximately 20% of its population aged between 15 and 24, Jordan is among the region’s youngest countries. Yet, as in many societies, the challenge facing young people extends beyond access to education. The transition from learning and acquiring skills to finding employment, meaningful participation, and opportunities for personal and professional development remains a major concern.
According to figures cited in the forum’s background document, 35.3% of young people aged 15–29 in Jordan were not in employment, education, or training in 2023, according to the International Labour Organization. This reality underscores the importance of practical approaches that connect education with international contacts, digital competencies, volunteering, entrepreneurship, and civic engagement.
Rather than comparing national education systems, the session will focus on the potential of youth cooperation as a platform for exchanging experience, sharing successful practices, identifying partners, and translating new connections into concrete collaborative projects.
From shared knowledge to joint initiatives
The discussion will address several central questions: Which knowledge and skills are most important for young people today? How can international cooperation broaden their opportunities? What forms of youth collaboration are most effective? And how can contacts established through international forums develop into sustainable projects with tangible results?
Participants will also consider possible initiatives that can be developed collectively following the Summit, ensuring that dialogue leads to continued engagement and practical outcomes.
Distinguished opening speakers
The opening remarks will be delivered by:
- Ali Nasir Muhammad, President of Yemen (1978 and 1980–1986), and President of the Arab Peace Group, Yemen.
- Andrey Belyaninov, Secretary-General of the World Peoples Assembly, Russia.
- Samir Habashneh, Secretary-General of the Arab Peace Group and Deputy Chairman of the Royal Committee for Political Modernization, Jordan.
- Natheir Obeidat, President of the University of Jordan, Jordan.
The session will be moderated by Mohammad Al-Barghathi, Ambassador (2011, 2017–2021), academic, author, and thinker from Libya, and Alime Kukoeva, Head of the Directorate for Youth Cooperation of the World Peoples Assembly, Russia.
An international panel of youth and institutional leaders
The panel will feature speakers representing government institutions, youth organizations, volunteer initiatives, and international cooperation networks:
- Abdullah Oweidat, Minister of Youth and Sports (1984–1985), Jordan.
- Madina Mirakova, Head of the Press Service of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, Russia.
- Shafea Al-Abd Al-Awlaqi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Yemen.
- Zainab Samer Allaham, Member of the Youth Committee of the Arab Peace Group, Syria.
- Husam Mustafa Sallam Qasem, Chairman of the Advisory Committee for Childhood and Youth, Yemen.
- Platon Mersiyanov, Head of the “Invisible Wings” Inclusive Media Volunteer Corps and winner of the #WEARETOGETHER International Award, Russia.
- Abdul Hadi Al Braizat, President of the Russian-Jordanian Friendship Committee and member of the House of Representatives, Jordan.
- Thaer Abdelrahman, Head of Programmes and Planning at NAYA Community Network, Jordan.
- Suliman Al-Saqqar, President of the Jordan Youth Council, Jordan.
Building a generation of cooperation
The forum seeks to place young people not merely at the receiving end of educational and development programmes, but at the centre of international cooperation—as partners, innovators, volunteers, and initiators of change.
By connecting policymakers and experienced institutional leaders with youth representatives and practitioners, the session aims to create opportunities for sustained collaboration across countries and communities. Its broader ambition is to encourage young people to move beyond exchanging ideas and contacts towards designing initiatives that address shared challenges and contribute to their societies.
The central message is clear: knowledge becomes a powerful force for change when it is shared, put into practice, and transformed into collective action. A generation united by cooperation can turn international dialogue into meaningful projects and a more promising common future.
