More than 40 workshops were held during the first two days of the Empower 2017 youth conference organised for the ninth year by Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), a core programme of the Education Above All (EAA) foundation.
Held under the theme ‘Sustainable Tourism for Development: A Youth Perspective’, this year’s theme holds special significance since the United Nations (UN) has declared 2017 the ‘International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development’ in order to highlight the role of the tourism sector in advancing economic, social and environmental sustainability.
During the interactive workshop ‘Intercultural Learning in Sustainable Tourism’ delivered by Vice Director of External Affairs of the MUST International Cooperation Department, Secretary General at MUST Medical Students’ Association, Enactus Alumnus, and IFMSA Certified Trainer. Dr. Majid Shangab, participants were shown ways to develop intercultural competence based on four key areas; Intercultural attitude; Skills of interpreting and relating; Skills of discovery and interaction; and Critical culture awareness.
The ‘Managing a Non-Profit at 16 Years Old: A Survival Guide’ workshop offered participants practical advice and tips for setting up and managing a non-profit organisation and focused on five key learning outcomes; Creating SMART goals using the Passion Planner; Interviewing and selecting potential team members who would suit a project’s aims; Building partnerships based on mutual benefit; Exploring ways to become more knowledgeable and experienced in your field of interest; and Knowing how to develop marketing approaches through mentorship and research.
“It’s wonderful to see all the participants brimming with ideas on how they can contribute toward sustainable tourism. This year’s conference serves as an important mechanism to achieve the United Nations Sustainability Goals and Qatar’s roadmap for the future. It is also a meaningful and impactful tool to empower youth to take action towards a successful and sustainable future,” Abdulla Al Bakri, Community Development Manager, ROTA said.
In recent years, sustainability has taken centre stage on the global agenda, as such, the aim of the three-day youth gathering is for participants aged 16 to 32 to explore ways to become engaged in contributing to economic growth, environmental preservation as well as promoting cultural heritage in order to achieve Qatar National Vision 2030 and contribute to realising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Empower 2017 aims to motivate youth to use sustainable tourism as a tool for building bridges among cultures, driving economic growth, fostering development, promoting cultural perspectives, and protecting the planet.
Certified professional trainer Hussain Habib Al-Sayed,said:“The broad range of workshops offer participants an in-depth and well-rounded overview of sustainable tourism so they are better able to develop effective ways to contribute to the sector. The sessions encourage interaction and open debate between participants, which I think is immensely valuable when it comes to building their critical thinking and leadership skills.”
Delivering an inspirational account of her filmmaking journey, Qatari Film Director Nora Al Subai, urged youth to take control of their own futures and take charge of developing themselves. She asked that they never give in to their fears and for all youth to pursue their dreams. Her key message to youth was to ‘believe, because if you believe, you can accomplish all of your dreams’. Her most recent feature film Al-Joharah is a recipient of the Qatari Film Fund, a programme dedicated to supporting Qatari filmmakers.
