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Empower 2014 Youth Conference organised by Reach Out To Asia (Rota) was concluded recently with future youth leaders converging at the Qatar Foundation Student Centre for three days of workshops on leadership, service learning and global citizenship. |
The conference, inaugurated by HE Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad al-Thani, Rota Chairperson, gave 450 youth activists between the ages of 16 and 26 a platform to exchange expertise and knowledge. This year’s conference was sponsored by Msheireb Properties.
“We’re thrilled with the success of Empower 2014, now an internationally recognised youth conference that shares Rota’s values in recognising youth as agents of change and the leaders of tomorrow,” said Essa al-Mannai, executive director of Rota.
“For the sixth year in a row, Empower advanced the youth and development agenda in Qatar, putting young people in the lead to ensure they take part in decisions about their future, speak out about important topics and take action to help achieve the social goals of Qatar development,” he added.
Mohamed Saleh, Rota national programmes director, noted that Empower conference over the years provided thousands of youth, with the skills, knowledge and confidence to take leadership roles in addressing local and international issues of concern to them.
“The support of partners from the region and the world as well as the distinguished presence of Dr Auma Obama, made this year’s conference as special as expected,” he added.
Empower 2014’s main objective was to encourage individuals to challenge themselves in an environment alien to them; an exciting experience which becomes a worthwhile educational experience. At the same time, the conference epitomised the “work hard, play hard” ethic, as all delegates, facilitators and observers displayed both a serious professionalism combined with wit and humour when approaching various activities of the conference.
