ROTA Brings Youth to the Forefront at EMPOWER 2013

Doha, March 19 (QNA) - Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), a Qatar-based NGO promoting education in Asia, on Tuesday hosted a press conference for local and international media to outline exciting plans for the 5th EMPOWER Youth Conference taking place at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC) premises between 28th- 30th March. Addressing the press conference held here Tuesday on the occasion, ROTA Director Mohamed Abdulla Saleh, ROTA National Programs, Director said, "We look forward to meeting the world s youth leaders, hearing their opinions and ideas for tackling the community, social and environmental issues that really matter to the young people of the world." Supported by a powerful program focusing on Leadership, Service Learning and Global Citizenship, organizers will integrate Sports, Environment, Skills Development and the Arabic language as key themes of the EMPOWER 2013 program. "The main aims of EMPOWER 2013 are to raise awareness and build knowledge and capacity to enable young people to take leadership roles in addressing local and international developmental issues of concern to them especially in the area of Sustainable Development and Sports" Saleh told media representatives. Elaborating Saleh said, "We re thrilled to organize EMPOWER Youth Conference since 2009, the conference shares and highlights ROTA s values in recognizing today s youth as agents of change and the leaders of tomorrow." ROTA announced that this year conference will host around 450 youth between the ages of 16 and 26 to participate at EMPOWER 2013. The three- day event features a combination of seminar panel discussion, keynote speeches, lectures, small group workshops, off-site visits, and a student public debate to be held at the start of EMPOWER 2013. This year s event is supported in partnership with Msheireb Properties, Qatar s leading sustainable developer and a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation. The Conference offers a platform to inspire the next generation of youth leaders. For her part, Jawaher Al Khuzaei, Senior Communications Manager at Msheireb Properties said while addressing the same press conference, "At Msheireb we believe that young people have the potential to contribute their skills, leadership and enthusiasm to the future growth of their country. "By taking an active role in the community and voicing opinions on global issues, the young people of today can inspire change and become the leaders and thinkers of tomorrow," she said. "As the developer of the first sustainable regeneration of a downtown area in a city, we are also committed to sharing our expertise and knowledge with young people. By doing this, we hope they will be inspired to use this knowledge in whatever future careers they may choose," she added. Addressing the conference, Abdulla Salem Al Bikri, Community Development Manager, ROTA, said on his part, "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 resources to implement their tasks, ROTA commits to provide training, workshops and a learning experience for the 30 youths," he explained. "We expect EMPOWER 2013 to be the best EMPOWER so far as youth delegates 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." added Al Bikri. On 29th March, Bassam Eisa Al Mannai of Msheireb Properties will also give a workshop on Msheireb Downtown Doha and water sensitive urban design. EMPOWER will enhance its reputation as a platform for the leaders of the future with yet more new innovations for 2013. The conference will create a regional network of youth activists by inviting GCC youth to participate at EMPOWER 2013. 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. As ROTA strives hard to increase EMPOWER s realm of influence by involving GCC and Asian youth, organizers are also taking the opportunity to celebrate a global initiative happening during EMPOWER 2013 The World Water Day 2013. 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 comprising 30 youth volunteers. Since the EMPOWER Planning Committee began in 2010, ROTA has trained a total of 85 youths who have gained experience and knowledge in video making, public speaking, event management, facilitation skills, social media skills and organizing skills.(QNA)