14 November 2011
BEIRUT: The Youth Economic Forum launched a booklet of 33 policy ideas to modernize Lebanon’s young entrepreneur program. The booklet written by 63 young authors (individuals and NGOs), is the product of the Reformists Platform project which lasted two years, providing a space for students, activists and young researchers from different backgrounds and regions in Lebanon to think, research, develop and advocate public interest related policies.
293 people participated in the workshops, out of which 108 participants joined the follow-up panels to develop their own policies. 32 University campuses, 110 NGOs, and 62 Municipalities were invited to the workshops.
Engineer Yahya Mawloud, president of the Youth Economic Forum, inaugurated the launching ceremony emphasizing the role of youth who “should be involved in this hard, yet challenging, work, especially when facing a political class that disregards innovative ideas.”
Dr. Karim al-Mufti, vice president of YEF, explained the idea and process of the Reformists Platform along with the content of the booklet that covers 11 sectors from Public Transport to Education, Environment, Industry and Public Finance, noting that this booklet “renders another image of Lebanese youth, at a time where current students’ elections still produce sterile political competition, whereas the country is in need of innovative policy initiatives from young citizens.”
Copyright The Daily Star 2011.
