Istanbul: Doha has been selected as the Capital of the Islamic Youth for 2019, in recognition of Qatar’s efforts in supporting and empowering the Islamic youth. The selection took place yesterday night in Istanbul after the activities of Al Quds as the capital of Islamic youth for the year 2018 came to a close.

Doha was declared the Capital of the Islamic Youth at a special dinner after a unanimous decision by the Islamic Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation, the youth wing of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

In his first reaction to this announcement, the Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanim Al Ali praised the efforts of Qatari youth at the world stage on many occasions as a result of the ministry’s vision to empower youth and strengthen their role at the local and international levels.

H E the Minister of Culture and Sports said the participants’ consensus to declare Doha as the Capital of the Islamic Youth 2019 reflect the status of Qatari youth locally and internationally and value the leadership’s belief in the role of Qatari youth in the vision of 2030 and considering it a priority, stressing that this selection reflects the confidence of Islamic countries in the Qatari youth example, which has taken steps in the field of youth empowerment as the capital of the future and the center of investment. The youth in the Islamic world will have the opportunity to further build this creative force that is sufficiently aware of the requirements of the present and the future and has a deep vision for a society we want and a lifestyle we desire in the context of our contemporary civilization, he added.

The announcement was preceded by the third meeting of the General Assembly of the OIC Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation, which was attended by H E the Minister of Culture and Sports. His Excellency highlighted the features of the roadmap for the youth of the Islamic world, who seeks the development of its societies through the establishment of the project of civilizational change starting with self-change and ending with changing the way people live by raising the efficiency of the people and responding to the challenges facing every Islamic society that seeks to build its national identity within human civilization.

On his part, Director of Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Culture and Sports Abdulrahman Mohammed Al Hajri said that this announcement is a culmination of his department’s work and as a result of the efforts that follow the general policy of the state within a clear vision, aimed at empowering young people.

Al Hajri stressed that Doha as the Capital of the Islamic Youth will be an opportunity to promote rapprochement among young people in Islamic countries and build dialogue to exchange experiences to empower young people in the Islamic world.

The Director of Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry also promised a series of activities and events during the next session, which will be held and led by Qatari youth.

It is worth mentioning that every year a capital of the Islamic Youth is chosen to promote dialogue and rapprochement among young people from various Islamic countries, including a range of activities and events that contribute to this.

The Ministry of Culture and Sports had signed a protocol of cooperation with the OIC Youth Forum for Dialogue and Cooperation last April, which provides for the organisation and establishment of joint youth events in Qatar and other countries, in addition to supporting the special events of Al Quds as the capital of Islamic youth for the year 2018.