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INJAZ al-Arab inspires young entrepreneurs in tough economic times

Non-profit organization hosts the 3nd Annual INJAZ Young Arab Entrepreneurs Competition' for Arab youth
INJAZ al-Arab is enthusiastically preparing for its 'Young Arab Entrepreneurs Competition 2009', which will see students from 12 Arab nations contending for the winning title from June 21-23 2009 in Beirut, Lebanon.

Over a period of two days, high school students and university undergraduates from Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia will present their innovative ideas and undergo assessment about their proposed businesses, based on skills gained from the 15 week INJAZ Company Program held at their schools earlier this year.

Contestants will be judged by a panel of renowned business leaders from across the region based on a comprehensive set of criteria including the strength of their report to management, marketing plan, thorough budget and environmental considerations.

Soraya Salti, Senior Vice President, INJAZ al-Arab said, "With the current economic challenges, it is more important than ever that the Arab world addresses business entrepreneurship and the absence of related formalised education. The support of INJAZ programs provides an opportunity for the private sector to contribute to the development of youth in this area. Our 3^rd annual competition is testament to the success of our programs in efforts to alleviate the employment challenges in our region and we are so pleased to receive the positive response and ongoing partnership from the private sector."

"The boundless enthusiasm and caliber of young people who will be representing their respective countries in this year's competition is nothing short of exceptional. We cannot wait to get started in Beirut!" continued Salti.

This year's competition is sponsored by BankMed, Abraaj Capital, Barclay's Bank, Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Arab Finance House (Islamic Bank), Bank Audi and hosted by Ecole Superieure des Affaires (ESA).

While young people constitute a third of the working age population in MENA, they account for half of the unemployed, the highest rate in the world. INJAZ al-Arab works to combat this problem by recognizing the validity of self employment as a career option and by teaching practical business and economic courses.

With the help of 10,000 corporate volunteers, INJAZ has already trained over 300,000 students since its inception in Jordan in 1999.

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About INJAZ al-Arab
INJAZ al-Arab harnesses the mentorship of Arab business leaders to help inspire a culture of entrepreneurialism and business innovation among Arab youth.

Operating in 12 countries across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, INJAZ al-Arab is a confederation of national operations collaborating with corporate volunteers and Ministries of Education to provide experiential education and training to Arab youth in work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

The only organization in the MENA region that aims to equip students with practical business-related skills as part of the regular educational curriculum, INJAZ al-Arab programs offer students an unbroken chain of educational opportunities that will strengthen their innovation, deepen their understanding of the business world, and give them professional qualifications to enable their success in the global economy.

In parallel, it fosters among business leaders a responsibility for investing their resources in the future of the region's youth and becoming the mirrors they want to see in the world by mentoring and inspiring young people to rise to their true potential. Since its inception in 2004, INJAZ al-Arab programs have reached more than 300,000 students and engaged 10,000 volunteers.

A National Board of Directors leads each INJAZ country operation, with the INJAZ al-Arab Regional Board responsible for directing overall strategy and organizational governance. These bodies comprise the region's top business leaders who share a common ideal for the Arab youth.

INJAZ al-Arab is a member of Junior Achievement Worldwide (JA Worldwide).

About JA Worldwide™
JA Worldwide is the world's largest organization committed to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Now in its 88^th year, JA Worldwide provides hands-on, experiential learning in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness to 7.4 million students annually. With 510 local offices in 115 countries - and an extensive network of partners from the private and public sectors - JA Worldwide mobilizes a global force of business volunteers to teach in-school and after-school programs that give students the tools they need today, to succeed tomorrow. To get involved, please visit www.ja.org.

For Information please visit: www.injazcompetitions.org

For media inquiries, please contact:
Emma Cantwell
Hill & Knowlton
+971 4 334 4930
Emma.Cantwell@hillandknowlton.com

Ammara Khan
INJAZ al-Arab
+971 50 458 9850
Ammara@injaz-arabia.org

© Press Release 2009

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