UNESCO lauds relevance of Arab Knowledge Report in establishing knowledge societies in region

DUBAI, 11th August, 2015 (WAM) -- The United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture, UNESCO, has commended the Third Arab Knowledge Report on Youth and Localisation of Knowledge, stating that the report holds considerable relevance for the region in establishing knowledge societies and integrating youth in the development process. The report, an initiative of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, MBRF, and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, was the focus of discussions at a workshop jointly organised by the Foundation and UNDP at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on June 3rd, 2015. Congratulating MBRF and the UNDP for preparing "an impressive report", Dr. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, said, "The report is most relevant in the context of the ongoing efforts of the countries of the Arab region to strengthen peace and sustainable development. Such processes include the establishment of knowledge societies to which young women and men, as key social innovators and drivers of change, should be central contributors." Dr. Bokova said the Arab Knowledge Report echoes the objectives of UNESCO’s Operational Strategy on Youth 2014-2021, which aims to create an enabling environment for an improved youth participation and engagement in global, regional and national processes related to peace and development. Thanking UNESCO for supporting the report, Jamal bin Huwaireb, Managing Director of MBRF, said, "The Arab region holds immense potential considering that youth form a major segment of the population in the region. The Third Arab Knowledge Report has identified critical issues related to youth involvement in the transfer of knowledge. We have therefore been discussing the issues raised in the Third Arab Knowledge Report with academics and youth, not only in the Arab region but also at the global level. The workshop at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris last month was a successful event that has contributed to the knowledge movement. We appreciate UNESCO’s continued encouragement for our initiatives aimed at enhancing the role of the youth in the transfer and localisation of knowledge in Arab societies." The workshop at the UNESCO headquarters was held in the presence of ambassadors, academics and youth from French universities. It was the third in a series of workshops planned in key Arab and international capitals as part of MBRF’s preparations for the second edition of the Knowledge Conference, 2015. The Third Arab Knowledge Report highlights the effective integration of youth in the transfer and localisation of knowledge as one of the most pressing issue facing Arab societies. The report explores the current status of Arab youth in relation to skills and values required for the effective integration of knowledge and their contribution in cultural, political and social arenas. – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395284195026.html