The Forum for Young People's Organisations, held this week in Rabat, focuses on youthful innovation and leadership.
Some 160 young men and women from across Morocco are attending a one-week entrepreneurial leadership seminar in Rabat through Saturday (August 28th).
The Forum for Young People's Organisations, sponsored by USAID in celebration of the UN's International Year of Youth, aims to integrate young people in the process of economic development and familiarise them with business opportunities.
Forum director Karima Ghanem said that the event, held under the banner "From Ideas to Plans", was aimed at encouraging young people to seize opportunities in various fields and gain skills needed to put their ideas into effect.
Young people aged 18-35 took part in activities and workshops relating to entrepreneurship and planning, advocacy, participatory democracy, citizenship and education for employment. Participants were selected following an online call for applications made in July.
They are members of non-government organisations in all 16 regions of Morocco, explained Ghanem. The organisers sought to respect gender equality and cultural diversity in their choices.
This second run of the event, she added, was planned on the basis of an assessment of last year's forum.
"We hand out forms to the participants at the end of every workshop. At the end of this year's event, a plenary session will be held so that we can identify the forum's strengths and weaknesses with a view to improving it in future."
A number of conferences focused on investment and young people's involvement as citizens in local affairs.
At the official opening of the event, Minister of Social Development Nouzha Skelli said that the Moroccan government's policy is to build young people's capacity and help them turn their plans into reality. She called on them to take advantage of the strategies and facilities made available to them by the government.
She also urged young people to abandon their idea of the state as an employer and have faith in themselves, while also relying on support from the government.
"Government officials, local councillors, and civil society take a keen interest in young people, who are a force for change and a better future. The aim of the government's policy is to integrate them into the process of economic and social development," she said.
Minister of Culture Bensalem Himmich commented that it is essential for young people to develop their skills and spirit of initiative, and also to know how to make use of these things.
Young participants were eager to benefit from the activities organised at the forum.
Youssef Hamdaoui, a young man from Missour, said that the forum had proved to be an opportunity to meet others and gain a clearer idea of young people's vision of the future with regard to both employment and citizenship.
Hafsa Yabou, who also attended the event, said that young people discussed their plans during the weeklong training session and will stay in touch after they all return to their own regions, so will be able to help each other to implement their ideas.
"USAID's initiative is laudable and meetings such as this one should be held more often," said sociologist Samira Kassimi.
"For a long time, families and schools have inculcated into children and young people a model based on preparation for public-sector work or steady jobs in large corporations, whereas society has changed enormously over the past few years and there are now a plethora of opportunities available," she told Magharebia.
Kassimi said that perseverance, self-confidence and the battle against people's fears are the watchwords that young people must keep at the forefront of their minds.
"We need to develop self-employment but also show young people ways of finding jobs that correspond to the training they have received", she added.
By Siham Ali for Magharebia in Rabat
© Magharebia.com 2010
