Youth International forum of dialogue among cultures call for tolerance

a substanical number of Youth gather to take patt in the event spreading the culture of tolerance

Nations gathered together in Yemen to participate in a forum of cross cultural dialogue. The delegates aimed to gain a greater understanding of their Arab neighbors as well as tackle issues regarding youth and problems of extremism, which have become a global concern.

At the 11th international meeting, the Civilization Dialogue and the 17th Arab Boy Scout forum, Yemen observer interviewed some of the participants.  Here is an interview with Dr. Atif Abdulmajid, the general Arab Boy Scout Secretary, and the Regional Manager of the International Boy Scout. 

Y.O. What are the objectives of this forum? 
Atif: It is a joint program coordinated by the general Boy Scout secretariat and the International Arab Boy Scout organization and hosted by the Yemeni Boy Scouts. 

Y.O. What activities are you conducting in this forum? 
Atif: These are regional Arab activities, aiming at explaining to the rest of the world the real Arab image and the leniency and tolerance of Islam, because the western media portray a fallacious picture of the Arabs. We invite foreign youth to our countries to get acquainted to our culture, civilization, religion and leniency. When they go back to their countries we hope they help correct the erroneous image, because they have lived with us. This civilization dialogue forum managed to form a youth network which is a pro-Arab and who will be mobile ambassadors defending our objectives and programs, and will face any incorrect concepts about the Arabs. The civilization dialogue is an annual debate, whose ten previous meetings were held in Egypt, and we are glad that the first one held outside Egypt is held in Yemen, because the foreign delegations are going get an idea about Yemen’s civilization, history and that the Yemeni youth have nothing to do with extremism and terrorism. We have other youth awareness programs which aim at making youth avoid terrorism, sexually transmitted diseases, inversion, addiction, narcotics and drugs. Such programs aim at creating youth who will be models at their local communities.  

Y.O. Are the countries that you host the same every year? 
Atif: The Arab Boy Scout organization provides a support of $500 to the international Boy Scout organization for each foreign participant, and the international organization provides the rest of the costs, because if a youth from Japan or Costa Rica for instance wants to visit Yemen, this costs thousands of dollars. However the partial provision of tickets, lodging and food enables them to come and meet with other youth from other parts of the world, get acquainted to the civilizations, such as those of Yemeni history in Marib, Shibam and the other sites. They also meet other 500 people from different countries. Yemen also has the advantage of promoting their rich history, civilization and the original Arab generosity. 

We met participant Mohammed al-Amiri the Qatari delegation leader. He said that they shared with other Arab and foreign members of the 17th civilization forum participants’ their experience. He said that they got acquainted to the Yemeni civilization and history, and they liked the Yemeni traditions, their environment preservation, the diversified climate and the people’s cheerfulness. 

Participant Ali Hassan Musa’d the Tunisian delegation leader, said that they participated with 14 members. They ventured to come over the Libyan, Cairo, Jordan and Saudi Arabia boarders. They were warmly received at the Yemeni boarders and on their way to Sana’a they were astonished with the beautiful tourist, historical and archeological scenery.   He added that they exchanged experiences with the foreign and Arab delegations which will occupy part of their good memories of their visit. He commended the Yemeni people’s simplicity and hospitality and their desire to help them, pointing out that this is an original behavior which belongs to the Yemeni civilization.  

We met Fares al-Kuhali, Sana’a Deputy Governor, and asked him about the youth forums and meetings. “It is a necessity for developing the youth’s religious, historical, scientific and modern technology awareness,” he said. He added that they “would like to be pioneers at the international and Arabic level, in bringing about the youth acquaintance, in order to convey Yemen’s history, culture and to make use of their technological development.” Al-Kuhali went on saying that they want the youth to learn how to deal with different cultures and how to change their attitudes through getting in touch with local and international participants. He went on saying, “we have our Sana’a summer camp which includes over 500 youth from all over the country. They receive cultural, religious, and scientific and sports lectures, besides the international interrelations benefits. The importance of such youth gathering is realized in the internal governorates’ exchange of experience in addition to the international knowledge, cultural and civilization exchange they are going to acquire and give to the youth of over 42 Arab and foreign countries. The participants on the other hand are going to take with them impressions about our history, culture, civilization and tourism. “We hope that they will be our ambassadors and they will convey to their countries good impressions that create eagerness in their citizens to visit Yemen to see our tourist and historical features, the same as the  good impressions they leave on our Yemeni nationals through the information, behavior and the other good feelings,” said al-Kuhali. 

Dr. ---- an Iraqi national said about the forum’s objectives, that it is meant to build a world free of conflicts, war, and bloodshed.  “It is an endeavor to create a world full of virtue that fends off communal vice, by repairing love and repelling sectarianism and racialism through the boy scouts efforts?” He said, “This international meeting in Yemen in which there is no difference between people from Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, Malaysia or Africa, is a call for participation to achieve this end. The forum is sending a message which tells the world that we have no discrimination for any sects or groups. We want all the participants to form a crucible which harmonizes the different civilizations to generate a brotherly spirit which they carry to their communities to drive away some countries’ attempts to create hostility among their people. We can make the communities through similar forums to meet and share their civilized, cultural and humanitarian knowledge to yield new values of love and virtue. We seek to make bigger future gatherings in which larger numbers of scouts participate,” he said.

We asked Yunis Haili from Ethiopia about her impressions. She said that she found out that Yemen is a beautiful country which she loved very much. She said that she was glad with her visits to the different governorates and was astonished at the amount of tourist sites which Yemen possesses, ensuring that she is going to tell all of her friends about the beauty of Yemen’s historical features. She concluded by pointing out the benefits she acquired in her participation in civilization dialogue.

Hassan Ali Naseradin, the Jordanian delegation leader, said that the Arab and international gathering formed a small conference through which they managed to send a true message which refuted the wrong western media allegations portraying Arabs as terrorists. The Arabs have historical, cultural and religious tolerance yet terrorism is found in their countries and not ours because the statistics show that their crimes are to extremist thoughts that should be addressed. 

“We met the Chinese delegation. They said Yemen is the first Arab country that they have visited. They were fascinated by the natural scenery because they live in Hong Kong which is a large city which knows no natural landscapes. They liked the Arab hospitality especially their dancing. One delegate said he liked all the forum’s segments of cultural and religious debates and the cultural trips to the historical villages and towns.” The Kuwaiti delegation member, Mahdi Thiab said that he is fond of the Yemeni civilization which is considered to be the first civilization of all Arabs, ensuring that the forum helped promoting Arab solidarity. He also said that they have left an impression on the foreigners that we are a civilized nation.

Euog Ishimwe from Rwanda said that he liked Yemen and the Arabs that he met and will tell friends to visit Yemen in order to see their ancient civilization.

A Maltese delegation’s member said that he enjoyed participating with the Yemenis and will participate in future Civilization Dialogues. 

Ahmed Abdul-Aziz, the Bahraini delegation leader, on the folkloric food and cloths day, said that he met many foreign participants who used to think that we are terrorists and now are carrying different views to their communities.

Rabahi Yusif, from Algiers said that he feels proud to visit the origin of the Arabs. He thinks that they projected a positive image on the foreigners of the Arab solidarity, and the easiness of co-existence among themselves and with other nations.  

Ahmed Munair Saad from Palestine said that the meeting of Arabs and foreigners in one place unified their opinions, and gave them a chance to learn from each other. 

Aiman Ahmed from Gaza said that if the forum provided nothing other than seeing this country it would be enough.

Sultan Rashid from Oman said that the great number of participants gave a special flavor to the forum, and hoped that every Arab individual would carry their experience to their countries.

Ali al-Sawari, the Yemeni Public Relations Secretary, said “We used to combine the Arab participants with the foreigners for practical interaction. The Yemeni participants used to explain to the foreigners and Arabs all about the tourist and historical sites.”

Vice minister of Sports and Youth addresses the participants motivated by the international forum.

Rajeh Abdul- Khaleq al-Hizam, Sana’a Youth and Sports general manager said, “Our activities range from awareness debates regarding extremism, to youth notions and the accomplishments of the last 30 years. The awareness activities include religious, cultural, sports, contests and scientific debates over the youth agricultural role. The Minister of Agriculture will attend one of these debates.” 

“Our objective is to create awareness among the youth in order to avoid extremism, racism and tribal bigotry. Our morning sessions are devoted to the debates and the activities are carried out in the evening. We select youth from the districts without any partisan orientation in the lectures that are introduced. We have youth centers in the districts, including 17 boys’ centers and two girls’ centers. We have a youth center in Bilad al-Roos, a center in Manakha, and a girl’s center in Shamlan. 

The camp in Sana’a is for all the governorates so that they get acquainted with each other and share their experiences. They will share the innovation and talents of their centers regarding cultures, women programs, sewing and embroidery. The centers are provided with sewing machines. 

The machines will continue to be in these centers, and other sewing machines will be provided to other women districts’ centers.  We request the relevant bodies and the international organizations to donate more sewing machines, computers and other facilities to encourage more girls’ participation in these centers. 

During the delegations’ visit to Thula and Kokaban, we met al-Mahwet governorate General Secretary, and Shibam Kawkaban General Director, Adham al-Noman and Sheikh Hassan Hassan Khamis.  Noman addressed the participants saying, “Thula is a historical tower, with a wall surrounding the city, which has three doors. They are al-Mishraq, al-Midiah and Ahmed Khamis’ door.

Regarding Kawkaban, it has one door, and the city can only be entered through this door. It is surrounded by the ever green Wadi of al-Naeem. Composer Mohamed al-Harithi made a love song about this wadi.  There are also some springs such as Ali’s spring.

There are tunnels in the town which extend from the gates to all the palaces in the area. The go into three underground directions to an area called al- Ghail. 

From this area the tunnels go to Thula, Shibam, Wadi Naeem and other directions. The city people used to escape through these tunnels from this area which was called Jabal Bokhar, when they were besieged.” 

The governorate General Secretary addressed the participants at the festival held at Shibam Kawkaban’s school, expressing delight at seeing all these friendly and brotherly flags being flown at the tower. The meeting achieved Arab and world youth solidarity who are each going to build foreign relations and achieve the Arab unity because they are the future leaders of their countries.”

The delegations visited Marib, Ibb, Taiz and Aden governorates’ historical and tourist sites.

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