Closing Statement
The 6th Arab Civil Society Forum for Children
“The Empowerment of Arab Children for the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Beyond”
February 13 – 14, 2024
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Under the slogan “The Empowerment of Arab Children for the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Beyond”, the 6th Arab Civil Society Forum for Children was held under the auspices of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, President of the Arab Council for Childhood and Development (ACCD) and the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), H.E. Mr. Ahmed Abu Al-Gheit, Secretary General of the League of Arab States (LAS) and H.E. Prof. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA), during the period February 13 – 14, 2024, hosted by the BA.
The Forum was inaugurated by speeches from H.E. Prof. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the BA and H.E. Ambassador Dr. Haifa Abu Ghazala, Assistant Secretary General of LAS and Head of the Social Affairs Sector, as well as the speech of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, President of ACCD and AGFUND, delivered on behalf of His Highness by H.E. Dr. Nasser Alkahtani, the Executive Director of AGFUND.
Around 250 participants from (17) Arab countries participated (UAE - Jordan - Tunisia - Algeria - Djibouti - Saudi Arabia - Sudan - Syria - Iraq - Oman - Palestine - Qatar - Morocco - Lebanon - Libya - Egypt - Yemen), representing official delegations of representatives of Arab ministries and national councils concerned with childhood, Arab civil society institutions working in the field of childhood, representatives of relevant regional and international organizations, experts, media professionals and several public figures.
The Forum was honored with a speech of H.H. Princess Sora bint Saud, the Vice Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of Ahyaha Foundation, that was delivered on behalf of Her Highness by Ms. Amani Al-Barqi, the Director of Projects at Ahyaha Foundation. In addition to a recorded speech from H.E. Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary General on Violence against Children.
As well as an artistic performance from the BA’s Choir that included a number of national and traditional songs, which attracted the admiration of the audience.
The Forum’s activities witnessed scientific and cognitive momentum and were divided into two days. The first day aimed to raise awareness of the importance of working to empower Arab children in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), with its opportunities and risks in light of an integrated and interconnected conceptual structure. It witnessed a presentation on future skills, in addition to two sessions. The first session was devoted to launching the Study entitled “The Readiness of Arab Children for the Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Beyond” and reviewing the theoretical framework of the study; its importance, objectives, and methodology, as well as the most important results, and action policies for moving forward toward the future to enable the Arab children to meet the requirements of the 4IR and beyond. The second session aimed to tackle the reality and future of the empowerment of Arab children in the era of the 4IR and beyond, as well as to draft visions and goals to achieve this empowerment.
The second day of the Forum aimed to discuss “the status of Arab civil society for childhood in the context of the current changes”. The activities of the second day included presenting a documentary film entitled “The Journey of the Arab Civil Society Forum for Children”, and five sessions discussed the status of Arab civil society for childhood in light of the current changes and the challenges that the Arab region has witnessed during the last decade, and the impact of this on the roles, responsibilities and values of civil society. Five models of Arab civil action in the fields of development for human building and well-being were presented, in addition to seven Arab experiences and initiatives to empower children in the era of the 4IR. Moreover, the activities of this day included a dialogue session with the children of the Program of “Sustainable Development Studies and Youth Capacity Building” affiliated to the Academic Research Sector at the BA. This session aimed to listen to children’s opinions and viewpoints regarding the 4IR, seeking to realize children’s right to participation. A dialogue session with youth was also held to introduce ACCD’s experience in the field of youth volunteerism in civil society.
The participants, while appreciating the efforts of the partner bodies in organizing this Forum (ACCD, AGFUND, LAS and BA), praise the initiatives of the ACCD to empower Arab children with the requirements of the 4IR and beyond. The participants emphasize the importance of continuing work for everything that contributes to empowering children for the knowledge society and the 4IR and the accelerating and advanced scientific and technological revolutions that followed. They also extend their sincere thanks and great appreciation to the BA for its generous hospitality and reception.
Stemming from the Forum’s role in institutionalizing the efforts of Arab civil society organizations in the field of childhood, the participants have recommended the following proposed mechanisms:
First: The Empowerment of Arab Children in the Era of the 4IR:
- Diversifying and improving the quality of learning paths, using communication technology and artificial intelligence, and building the capabilities of teachers and school principals in the field of educational technology and information. In addition to rehabilitating schools to become attractive to students, which helps in developing the skills necessary for industrial revolutions.
- Mobilizing Arab public opinion with the importance of continuing to place the ACCD’s Model for the Upbringing of Arab Children “Education for Hope” (designed according to the requirements of the Industrial Revolution), on the agenda of all executive and civil institutions concerned with raising Arab children, to ensure that this important issue remains of interest.
- Expanding the scope of empowerment to include expanding the range of options available to children, which requires building their capabilities for decision-making, critical thinking, and participation in various activities imposed by the major transformations the world is witnessing.
- Qualifying Arab families with basic skills that allow them to follow up on their children and increase their awareness of the importance and dangers of technological revolutions through seminars, guiding manuals, and television programs that present stories of success and failure due to technology.
- Developing performance indicators to measure the effectiveness of executive programs for raising Arab children that are compatible with the requirements of the Industrial Revolution. This is in addition to using the measurement of ACCD’s Study, launched today, as it is the first codified Arab measurement that tests the readiness of children and youth for the requirements of the 4IR and beyond.
- Investing in the fields of artificial intelligence, and investing in children’s energies to increase their readiness, especially since artificial intelligence does not require huge capital, as much as it needs creative and enlightened minds capable of producing knowledge and employing it to achieve sustainable development.
Second: The Status of Arab Civil Society for Childhood in the Context of the Current Changes:
- Forming a committee to develop the future vision for the work of the “Arab Civil Society Forum for Children”, whose membership includes representatives of ACCD and the Social Affairs Sector of LAS (Family and Childhood Administration - Civil Society Organizations Administration). The committee will submit its recommendations to the seventh session of the Forum.
- Creating a platform that includes data on Arab civil society organizations concerned with childhood issues, relying on a remote registration program by registering all data electronically.
- Organizing training workshops for Arab civil society organizations for childhood in the field of information empowerment for children and building their capabilities in dealing with developments of the 4IR.
- Strengthening the efforts of civil society organizations in empowering children in the Arab region during crises and wars by using technology to provide distance education, providing psychological and social support via the internet, as well as facilitating access to health care, shelter, food and education services, organizing data and managing resources efficiently, and improving communication and coordination between different organizations, to achieve a positive transformation in the lives of children affected by crises within the Arab region.
- Supporting and building partnerships between civil society organizations, governmental parties and regional offices of United Nations organizations, to develop a common Arab vision to be submitted at the Summit of the Future.
- Organizing dialogue sessions with children and youth to listen to their opinions and viewpoints regarding industrial revolutions, in implementation of their right to participation, and urging young people to volunteer in areas of civil work.
- Emphasizing the role of the media in redirecting public opinion and forming a new identity compatible with the skills and requirements of the 4IR and beyond.
Date: February 14, 2024
