Dialogue Vital in Addressing Generational Gap, Officer Tells MoI Forum

Doha, March 04 (QNA) - Communication, dialogue and understanding are vital in addressing the social and cultural gap between older and younger generations, a senior juvenile police officer told a forum organised here by the Ministry of Interior (MoI). Ideal parenting does not impose beliefs, opinions and curtailing the freedoms of children since generational gap is due to many factors like social, economic and psychological. Parents cannot thrust upon children the practices and norms that prevailed in a different era, Juvenile Police Department (JPD) Assistant Director Colonel Abdullah Mohammed Al Hajri told the three-day forum which opened at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Sunday. "The insistence of the older generation on inherited values, ideas and their control over children's behaviour while the children seeking behavioural independence often causes intellectual and cultural conflict between generations," Col. Al Hajri said. The forum 'Cultural Gap Between Generations' and an exhibition is currently on here, under the patronage of the HE the Minister of State for Interior Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani. MoI's JPD Director Brigadier Nasser Abdul Azeez Al Musallam inaugurated the forum, initiated by JPD in collaboration with the Child Cultural Centre. Representatives from various ministries, departments and civil society organizations concerned with children's affairs are attending the forum. A number of papers were presented on different themes including 'Social gap between parents and children' and 'Relationship between teenagers and parents'. A panel debate, organized by Qatar Debates, for the students was moderated by Dr. Ilham Badr. Children's Cultural Centre Director General Dr. Hind Al Muftah; Social Security Department of the Social Affairs Ministry Director Najath Al Abdullah; Australia's Queensland Police Service Detective Inspector Jon Rouse; Mentor Forensic Services Director and a registered forensic psychologist with Health Professional Council of UK Dr. Joe Sullivan; Programme Director, responsible for training programmes and Outreach at the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) in Alexandria, Virginia, USA, Guillermo Galarza and Lt Col. Fakhri Al Qatarina from Jordan are in attendance at the Forum. Representatives from Community Policing Sections of North Security, Dukhan Security, Rayyan Security, Capital Security and South Security Departments, Children's Cultural Centre, Communication Service 'Al Adeed', Social Rehabilitation Centre, Qatar Foundation for the Protection of the Child and Women and Family Consultation Centre are also attending the forum. (QNA)