The four-day training is expected to serve as a springboard of ideas on humanitarian action by some of Mena’s most vocal and passionate stakeholders in the region, in terms of methodology, practicality and its scientific approach. The event is organised by EAA’s programme, Reach Out to Asia (Rota).
The inaugural session got underway with a keynote speech by Khalifa al-Kuwari, QFFD director general, who called on the participants to assume their rightful role in community development and community rebuilding in a changing world. This was followed by another Keynote speech by Wejdan, Mycha participants representatives, addresses Rota’s youth, local and international partners.
Among the more notable attendees joining this year are: Simon O’Connell, executive director, Mercy Corps; Lindsay Groves, vice president for Global Partnerships, Right To Play; Maria Agnese Giordano, Unicef, coordinator, Global Education Cluster and QFFD's Mena head Emma Donnelly and development projects researcher Fahad Jassim al-Dehaimi.
The training is being attended by 69 local and 100 international participants from the Middle East and North Africa region, representing 14 countries, consisting of youth advocates, humanitarian organisations, and other experts in the field who shared their experiences and best practices. There are 20 international and local trainers. It offers to participants’ practical hands-on knowledge that can immediately be applied by youth in their respective communities. Participants will receive ongoing support and mentorship by their NGOs for six months to help them deliver this year’s planned Youth-led Humanitarian Action projects.
According to the organisers, the training serves to empower youth in humanitarian settings throughout the Mena region to assure their meaningful participation in preparedness, response and conflict resolution in different situations and contexts. The Mycha training is in line with EAA’s broader mission of providing and protecting the right to quality education, and to promote it as a key aspect of humanitarian intervention in countries in crisis.
Arwa Musaaed, international programme manager, Rota said,“For the third year in a row, we have convened dozens of change agents from around the Mena region to share their ideas and solutions – from understanding crisis and setting up support networks, to best practices for humanitarian action and stewardship, to rebuilding communities and more. Their involvement genuinely reflects a passion to help others.”
“Youth are our future leaders and bring their unique perspective in addressing humanitarian crises. Through the Mycha training programme, we aim to train the participants to become better informed and responsible future civic leaders, who are able to solve many of the problems facing their world today,” al-Kuwari said.
