Fourth International Forum for Youth Hostels Opens with Arab and International Participation

The fourth edition of the International Forum for Youth Hostels, “Youth at Hostel,” opened today. Organized by Qatar Youth Hostels under the Ministry of Sports and Youth, the forum is being held under the theme “Goal 3: Good Health,” one of the Sustainable Development Goals, and runs through November 11.

The forum brings together 34 young men and women, including 20 participants from Qatar, alongside youth delegations from Slovenia, Spain, India, Pakistan, Bahrain, Libya and Lebanon. It aims to facilitate the exchange of expertise and ideas and open new avenues for dialogue and cooperation on issues concerning young people and the future of communities.

The programme includes interactive workshops and dialogue sessions involving government and private-sector entities, including the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Qatar University, UNICEF and Hostelling International, alongside other institutions and companies. It also includes field visits to cultural, historical and tourist landmarks, including Souq Waqif, Msheireb Downtown Doha, Aspire and Qatar Foundation.

The forum is being held in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Qatar Museums’ Teen Hub. Hussein Al-Hababi, Executive Director of Qatar Youth Hostels, said the fourth edition reflects the organization’s commitment to providing international youth platforms where young people can meet, exchange expertise and experiences, participate actively in international programmes, and showcase the achievements and expertise of local institutions.

He said the forum provides an interactive space that brings young people together with institutions and experts to discuss issues of global priority and turn ideas and discussions into actionable recommendations and initiatives. He added that choosing Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals as the focus of this edition reflects the importance of raising awareness of good health and quality of life, as well as the role of young people in achieving the goals.

Al-Hababi said Qatar Youth Hostels continues to empower young people and provide opportunities for them to become partners in creating change and building a more sustainable future. Abdulrahman Al Ishaq, Director of Teen Hub, said the partnership with Qatar Youth Hostels extends Teen Hub’s vision of empowering younger generations and providing interactive spaces combining knowledge, experience and dialogue.

He said these spaces give young people genuine opportunities to exchange experiences, develop their skills and contribute to discussions about issues affecting their present and future. Addressing good health and quality of life from a youth perspective demonstrates the importance of involving young people in developing solutions rather than merely raising their awareness of challenges, he added.

Al Ishaq said Teen Hub believes that investing in people begins by empowering them intellectually, socially and culturally and strengthening their capacity for critical thinking, initiative and collaboration. He added that international forums offer an opportunity to build bridges between young people in Qatar and around the world, enrich their experiences with diverse perspectives and cultures, and help prepare an aware and responsible generation capable of creating a positive and sustainable impact in their communities.

Fatima Al Sulaiti, spokesperson for the fourth edition of the International Forum for Youth Hostels, said the event seeks to advance Sustainable Development Goal 3, which concerns good health and well-being. She said the forum will hold several youth workshops over the coming days to help participants formulate recommendations that will be submitted to its strategic partner, UNICEF, as well as Hostelling International.

Al Sulaiti said the forum is committed to empowering young people through the platform led by Qatar Youth Hostels, enabling them to share their views and aspirations and express their needs. She added that participants could contribute directly to implementing the recommendations they develop during the forum.

She said the participants are between 18 and 30 years old and that involving this age group gives young people an active role in the forum’s success. Their selection was based on several criteria, most notably their familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals.

Rashid Salim Al-Rumaihi, a member of Qatar’s delegation to the forum, said the event offers an important opportunity to benefit from participants’ expertise and exchange ideas, views and experiences related to public health and well-being. He said participation supports Qatar National Vision 2030, particularly as all participants share a strong desire to promote health and well-being, while interaction with their peers strengthens their experience and helps harness their energy to produce ideas and proposals that enrich the forum’s agenda.

Dr. Marwan Obaid, head of Bahrain’s delegation, said Qatar’s organization of the forum reflects the global reputation Qatar Youth Hostels has established among youth hostels and federations worldwide, as well as Qatar’s excellence in organizing global events, particularly forums concerned with youth thought. He said the forum focuses on young people’s good health and well-being by examining Gulf, Arab and international experiences, reinforcing its role as a sustainable and innovative experience that helps shape different ways of thinking among young people.

Obaid added that organizing the forum with international entities reflects Qatar’s significant international standing and the shared desire and consensus among Qatari and international youth to adopt an approach that promotes discussion of health and well-being according to principles suited to the modern era. Dr. Abdullah Diwan, Director of Adolescent and Youth Development Programmes at the UNICEF Gulf Area Office, said the forum is particularly important because it discusses youth health, a major priority for the United Nations and UNICEF in particular.

He said the forum addresses youth mental health, nutrition, clean water and sanitation, safe spaces, meaningful youth participation and physical fitness. These areas give the forum considerable importance and make Qatar Youth Hostels an important global platform from which the recommendations can be implemented.

Discussing Qatar’s role in supporting young people, he said the country is an international leader in youth care and education and holds a prominent position within the United Nations, particularly in matters concerning young people’s health, education and skills development. He also highlighted Qatar’s leadership in youth-related fields generally.

Source: QNA

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