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Ahram Online
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi launched the fourth edition of the World Youth Forum (WYF) in Sharm El-Sheikh on Monday.
Heads of state, senior officials and youth leaders from 196 countries attended the opening session. The annual event, first launched in 2017, brings together world’s youth to promote dialogue and discuss development issues. This year’s event runs from 10 and 13 January.
This year’s forum is being held under the slogan of ‘Back Together‘.
“The World Youth Forum has become a platform for dialogue and communication among young people, and a tool for exchanging visions across the entire world, especially at this crucial moment in human history”, Sisi said in his speech.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and Jordan’s Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II attended the opening ceremony.
“The forum is a great opportunity for youth to exchange expertise, create a better future, and improve health”, director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in a pre-recorded video speech.
The opening ceremony saw a recorded speech by the United Nations’ (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, who said; “the pandemic resulted in a negative psychological impact. However, the youth will manage to overcome this experience successfully”.
Three youth participants representing Egypt, Tunisia, and Ghana spoke at the inauguration, which began with an introductory display highlighting the focal points of the international event.
‘COVID-19: A warning to Humanity and A New Hope:
The opening session of the WYF began with contributions from several experts, inspiring youths in various fields, prominent international figures and youth groups from around the world.
The evening of the first day witnessed the opening of the World Youth Theatre, which is a youth-to-youth hub. It gathers promising international artists to perform their outstanding talent and express their cultures through a wide range of artistic activities.
Keynotes at the WYF will tackle post-COVID-19 impact, climate change, social security, human rights, entrepreneurship, technology, 5G networks, digital transformation, distance learning, the environment and the future of energy.
