10 November, 2013 – Amman, Jordan: Seventy volunteer youth leaders, selected from eight countries across the MENA Region, today completed ten days of intensive training together as Delegates at the Generations For Peace Amman Camp 2013.
Speaking at the closing press conference, HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, Founder and Chairman of Generations For Peace, praised the Delegates’ hard work and expressed his hope for their future programmes:
“Over the last ten days, you have worked hard. Tomorrow, you will return home armed and ready – for peace building! You are equipped with the knowledge and skills you need to begin to implement your own programmes in your communities, to address local issues of conflict and violence. You have joined the growing ranks of more than 8,300 trained Generations For Peace volunteers in 50 countries. Each one of you fills me with immense pride. May this Camp be the beginning of your own journey to become the change you want to see in the world.”
Supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, this ninth Generations For Peace Camp had a special focus on the MENA Region. The Delegates attending were carefully selected from Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen, to strengthen existing Generations For Programmes there, as well as from four important additional countries for the first time: Algeria, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. This extends the reach of Generations For Peace to 50 countries.
In his remarks at the press conference, which was live-streamed on the internet, Mr Egil Thorsas, Chargé d’Affaires at the Royal Norwegian Embassy commented: “Amidst events sweeping the MENA Region, we share a deep concern when we see people in communities suffering from conflict and violence in their daily lives. We also share a belief in the enormous potential of young people to be change-makers and play their part to create a brighter future. This is why we are committed to supporting Generations For Peace, to empower youth to join this growing volunteer movement; to use their training to lead changes in attitudes and behavior to reduce violence and promote tolerance and peace.”
During the different training sessions, the Delegates learned and practiced new skills in conflict analysis and programme design, and the use of sport, arts, advocacy and dialogue for conflict transformation. They were also introduced to practical tools for monitoring and participatory evaluation, to measure their impact and to learn with their community how to achieve even more.
Generations For Peace Amman Camp 2013 was also supported by Samsung Electronics Levant, DHL Express, Orange telecom, Regency Palace Hotel, Al Ghad Event Company, and Royal Jordanian.
