Amman, Sept 13 (Petra) – A two-day program on youth political leadership in the Middle East and North Africa kicked off in Amman on Saturday, bringing together young men and women from social democratic parties in Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Tunisia and Lebanon.

Organized by the Community Empowerment Center with support from the UK Labour Party and the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and under the supervision of the Netherlands-based FMS, the program aims to empower youth leaders with political and communication skills to enhance their role in policymaking and community engagement.

Former Senator Jamil Nimri, speaking at the event, underlined the importance of enabling youth to lead change, stressing the need to prepare them as political and community leaders. He said the program reflects the Center’s vision through partnerships with civil society groups across Jordan and international institutions.
The sessions focused on developing participants’ skills in policy formulation, crafting key messages and public speaking through interactive training and practical exercises.

Hind bint Ammar, Secretary-General of the Arab Trade Union Confederation, highlighted the union’s role and its relationship with civil society organizations, emphasizing the importance of linking union work with community efforts to ensure sustainable transformation in the region.

Participant Ziad Najjar noted the strong engagement and enthusiasm of attendees in applying communication and policy skills to local and regional causes.

Ramma Ziad, a member of Jordan’s Social Democratic Party, described the experience as “inspiring,” saying the training provided practical tools to strengthen youth presence in party politics and foster regional networking for positive impact.

The program concluded with short speeches delivered by participants and an evaluation of outcomes and next steps.

//Petra// AF
13/09/2025 20:12:41