Every year on Aug 12, the world observes International Youth Day, an occasion celebrated by the international community to highlight youth issues and promote their active engagement across various fields. According to the UN, the theme of the 2025 day focuses on local youth actions for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond.

This topic sheds light on the role performed by local and regional governments in empowering youth to engage in the decision-making process locally, thereby opening real opportunities for them to actively contribute to the development process. The celebration aims to pitch these available opportunities, and the challenges encountered across the globe, as the UN capitalises on these kinds of events to promote culture and awareness with the objective of raising awareness about youth-associated issues and marshalling efforts to achieve a concrete breakthrough in these fields.

Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Director of the Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, Fawaz Abdullah al-Misfari, affirmed that youth action matters most in building the Qatari community and fostering its engagement in national development. The ministry believes in the fact that engaging youth in local projects and programmes enhances their spirit to responsibly take on the mantle of leadership, in addition to exploring and advancing their talents, al-Misfari highlighted.

He added that the ministry is always keen to have integrated and holistic plans and strategies that include all youth from both genders, whether citizens or residents without exception, indicating that people with disabilities have special programmes that offer an environment that incubates innovation and engagement.

The ministry organises professional panel discussions and workshops on AI applications and digital transformation, which provide them with the opportunity to explore the state-of-the-art evolutions in these critical areas, as well as communal volunteering that bolsters the spirit of giving and responsibility, al-Misfari underlined.

These events largely help youth internalise a variety of practical expertise, particularly at youth centres, alongside the "We Are All Responsible" initiative and so forth as part of the Qatar National Vision 2030, which substantially focuses on investing in human capital and building youth capabilities to secure an enduring and bright future, he outlined.

Al-Misfari further stated that there are inspirational models of young people who took on the mantle of volunteering initiatives aimed at addressing environmental issues, such as recycling and natural resources conservation, while others participated in entrepreneurship and contributed to undergirding the national economy with emerging projects.

Youth engagement and decision-making have become a concrete reality through youth centres and commissions, along with their contributions in health and educational awareness-raising campaigns, as well as national identity enhancement programmes, as many of them unlocked projects that backed education quality, women empowerment, and active engagement in supporting the green economy, al-Misfari pointed out.

In addition, he emphasised that the Qatari youth are key partners in implementing the Qatar National Vision 2030, which largely aligns with the UN SDGs, as demonstrated in national and global initiatives where youth either implement or engage in them.

Notwithstanding these colossal milestones in the youth sector, al-Misfari noted some existential challenges that should be addressed, including upscaling awareness about the significance of engagement in modern development projects and spurring youth to pursue active participation, in addition to keeping up with the rapid technological evolution that requires augmenting advanced technological skills.

Finally, al-Misfari underlined that youth empowerment in Qatar receives utmost priority within government policies, as reflected in appropriating adequate financial support and budgets to advance youth projects and programmes. Al-Misfari added that the nation works to strengthen youth infrastructure at youth centres and institutions, as well as the provision of support for training and innovation, stating that prioritisation of youth in Qatar is the highest at the regional level.

He asserted that the ministry aspires to further partnerships and resources to ensure the sustainability of youth empowerment and achieving their ambitions. (QNA)